Winemaker Notes
Body, depth, longevity are the characteristics of this flagship of Italian enology, the company's emblem. Wine of great expressive rigor, with a noble character, endowed with an elegant timbric, daughter of the terroir of origin, able to grasp the various nuances of the territory. Harmonious and complex, it envelops the palate with an incredible persistence, achieving perfect maturation with an evolution of a few years.
Perfect match with the typical dishes of the rich and tasty Tuscan tradition, like red meats, game and aged cheeses.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The Franco Pacenti 2017 Brunello di Montalcino is a bit shy on first nose, and this might actually work in the wine's favor, especially in this hot vintage that almost needs to be subdued. The wine proceeds with smooth and soft intensity, imparting some ripe cherry flavors, dried currant and earthiness, and the delivery is clean and smooth all along.
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Decanter
Below the town of Montalcino in Canalicchio, Franco Pacenti’s vineyards extend over 10 hectares on predominantly clay soil. It's an area that once struggled to ripen Sangiovese but in the hot, dry conditions of 2017, the estate’s Brunello fared well. Up front in violet, lavender, thyme and liquorice root, it is fragrant and compelling, while succulent red plum fills the mouth and is hemmed in by dry - though not drying - tannins. There's a lot to like here.
Among Italy's elite red grape varieties, Sangiovese has the perfect intersection of bright red fruit and savory earthiness and is responsible for the best red wines of Tuscany. While it is best known as the chief component of Chianti, it is also the main grape in Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and reaches the height of its power and intensity in the complex, long-lived Brunello di Montalcino. Somm Secret—Sangiovese doubles under the alias, Nielluccio, on the French island of Corsica where it produces distinctly floral and refreshing reds and rosés.
Famous for its bold, layered and long-lived red, Brunello di Montalcino, the town of Montalcino is about 70 miles south of Florence, and has a warmer and drier climate than that of its neighbor, Chianti. The Sangiovese grape is king here, as it is in Chianti, but Montalcino has its own clone called Brunello.
The Brunello vineyards of Montalcino blanket the rolling hills surrounding the village and fan out at various elevations, creating the potential for Brunello wines expressing different styles. From the valleys, where deeper deposits of clay are found, come wines typically bolder, more concentrated and rich in opulent black fruit. The hillside vineyards produce wines more concentrated in red fruits and floral aromas; these sites reach up to over 1,600 feet and have shallow soils of rocks and shale.
Brunello di Montalcino by law must be aged a minimum of four years, including two years in barrel before realease and once released, typically needs more time in bottle for its drinking potential to be fully reached. The good news is that Montalcino makes a “baby brother” version. The wines called Rosso di Montalcino are often made from younger vines, aged for about a year before release, offer extraordinary values and are ready to drink young.