Ciacci Piccolomini Brunello di Montalcino 2020

Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona makes this Brunello di Montalcino from Sangiovese on a historic estate in the hills of Montalcino in Tuscany, a property whose lineage runs back through bishops and noble families to the seventeenth century. Brunello must be made entirely from Sangiovese, here grown on the warm, well-drained slopes of the appellation, where galestro and clay soils and a dry, sunny climate ripen this late-maturing grape fully while the hillside aspect preserves acidity and aromatic detail. The wine is matured at length in large Slavonian oak casks, the traditional choice for Brunello, where slow micro-oxygenation through the wood resolves Sangiovese's firm tannin and high acidity and builds savoury, tertiary complexity without imposing obvious oak flavour. The colour is garnet. The nose shows ripe cherry and plum with dried herbs, leather, tobacco and an earthy depth. The palate is full bodied and structured, with firm, grippy tannin, bright acidity and a long, savoury finish that will reward years in the cellar. Decant and serve at 17 to 18 degrees. It is built for roasted and grilled red meats.