Canalicchio (Franco Pacenti) 2019 Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany

$44.99 bottle / $239.94($39.99) six-pack

Franco Pacenti's Canalicchio estate is on the cooler north side of the Montalcino hill and offers a superb terroir that is the source of earthy Brunello with stronger acidity than wines coming from the south side of the appellation.  2019 was a very good vintage in Montalcino in general and especially for producers who seek to create Brunello that trades on soil transparency, nuance, balance and elegance.  Aromas of tobacco, scorched earth, leather cherry preserves segue to the long, linear palate where the aromatic themes are reprised as the dusty cherry fruit mingles seamlessly with the balancing acidity and fine-grained tannins that are now fully integrated into this regal powerhouse.

“The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino opens slowly in the glass, earthy, dusty and floral, showing a savory blend of wild herbs and black cherries.  This is surprisingly energetic on the palate, with silk textures and a juicy core of wild berry fruit complemented by violet inner florals toward the close.  A saturation of fine tannins clamps down through the finish as the 2019 tapers off dry and with admirable length, leaving a tactile mineral crunch to fade.  Drink 2026-2036” - 92 Vinous  + “An earthy, savory nose has top soil, herbs, damp underbrush, dark cherries and berries underneath. Tart and bright cherries join strawberries on the palate, before the metallic tang of soil leaps forward, emphasized by notes of citrus peel and anise.” - 94 Wine Enthusiast

 Buy a case and try a bottle young, then watch its graceful evolution unfold over the next twenty years.