BRUNELLO PIANROSSO CIACCI PICCOLOMINI 1.5L 2020

Freshly split pine, tobacco and stone dust gives way to dried strawberries and mint nuances as the 2020 Brunello di Montalcino Pianrosso slowly blossoms in the glass. Silken and serene, this excels through its acidity, cool-toned and fresh, enlivening the 2020s core of rich wild berry fruits. Hints of blood orange add further gravitas as it finishes with a surprisingly juicy character, leaving edgy tannins and a pleasantly bitter concentration. This wild child will require cellaring to come fully into focus, yet I'm incredibly excited to revisit it in another three to five years.

Pianrosso is crafted from five contiguous iron-rich, Galestro plots rising from 240 to 360 metres above sea level, where vines average 37 years old. Clocking in at a whopping 15.5% alcohol, the 2020 is rather lavish, verging on heavy though not without fascination. Overtly fragrant, it exudes rose potpourri, cardamom, balsamic herbs and caramel. Plush and full, the palate hinges around strawberry compote modestly countered by soft acidity, with tannins that are persistently dusty. This will appeal to those seeking a big, opulent Brunello.

The Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona 2020 Brunello di Montalcino Pianrosso (with 43,000 bottles made along with some larger formats) is a little overdone in my opinion in terms of ripeness and its powerful 15.5% alcoholic content. The bouquet reveals dark fruit aromas, cherry liqueur, brandied plum and sweet crème de cassis. This is a thickly grained Brunello with a soft, richly textured core. I recommend a medium-term drinking window, although that touch of tannic astringency might never fully integrate.