Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2016

Glorious aromas of flowers, nutmeg, dark berries, earth and black cherries follow through to a full body with ultra-fine tannins that are long and extremely polished. They go on for minutes. Reserved and shy still, due to its excellence. Give this four or five years to come around. Try after 2024.

Bright, rich garnet. Very clear and intense nose, full of ripe raspberry, preserved cherry and some liquorice in the background. Lots of ripe fruit on the palate, shows grippy tannins, firm drive on the finish, long aftertaste of plums.

The Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Vigna di Pianrosso Santa Caterina d'Oro is gorgeous, full stop. It shows an incredible level of Sangiovese purity and sharpness, and you taste the grape as if you were eating berries straight out of the vineyard. On top of that healthy and bright primary material, the wine layers on elegant aromas of spice, ferrous earth, balsam herb and red rose potpourri. The aromas meet with seamless integration and segue to ongoing depth and complexity offered to the palate. This Riserva is rather delicate in terms of mouthfeel; however, it is powerful and long, with high alcohol, polished tannins and a silky texture. A hint of sweet cherry mixed with menthol freshness pulls it together at the end.

Underbrush, scorched earth, camphor and pipe tobacco aromas shape the nose. Full-bodied and densely concentrated, the firm, muscular palate features dried cherry, licorice and marinated prune framed in tightly woven, close-grained tannins. You'll also notice the warmth of alcohol on the close. Drink 2026–2031. 

From the estate’s Pianrosso vineyard in the Castelnuovo dell’Abate area, Santa Caterina d’Oro bears the imprint of Montalcino’s south. The spiced, floral potpourri is tangled with sunbaked terracotta scents. This is a substantial, hefty wine with lots of extract and a profusion of fleshy red plum and prune. The tannins are very suave, while sandy earthiness lurks in the background and a salty tang comes through on the finish. Ageing is in Slavonian oak barrels of 7.5 to 30 hectolitres in size.