Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona Brunello di Montalcino Pianrosso 2017

This is a beautifully crafted and polished Brunello for this vintage, with full body and creamy, lightly chewy tannins. Dark berries, walnuts and cedar with dried-flower undertones. Needs time to soften, but very pretty. Drink after 2024.

The Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona 2017 Brunello di Montalcino Pianrosso shows nice balance and elegance, and it definitely shows the deft hand of the winemaking team in what was not an easy vintage by any stretch. This pretty wine delivers lots of fresh cherry and wild rose, with ferrous earthy, licorice and grilled herb; I also get bay leaf and rosemary sprig. Like the annata 2017 Brunello produced by this estate, the single-vineyard Brunello Pianrosso is distinguished by a sweet cherry note (plus a hefty 15% alcohol) that accompanies the wine from start to finish. Production is 37,000 bottles.

Ciacci Piccolomini’s 12ha flagship vineyard, Pianrosso sits above the Orcia river between 240 and 360 metres. It is consistently caressed by sea breezes which surface in the afternoon. The lavish warmth of this southern zone is palpable in the heady 15% alcohol and soft, laidback acidity. Nevertheless, there is focus and liveliness. Orange blossom and persimmon aromas lead to flavours of toothsome red plum and an attractive lingering bergamot finish. While immediate and accessible with mellow tannins, there is enough substance to carry this 2017 for another five years.