We are delighted to release the new vintage Brunello from cult producer Siro Pacenti – their stunning 2019s – including their 99-point Vecchie Vigne.
In recent years, this estate has risen to the pinnacle of Brunello, with wines of power but also great finesse, with textural beauty and refinement.
The history of this estate is short but illustrious. It all started when Siro Pacenti purchased the Pelagrilli vineyard located to the north of Montalcino in 1970, which came with 5 hectares of Sangiovese. He planted further vineyards over the next decade, whilst selling the fruit. Management of the estate then passed to his Bordeaux trained son Giancarlo in 1988 when estate bottling began and he expanded the vineyard area in the 1990s to the current 25 hectares, with the other 35 hectares of the estate given over to olive groves and cereals. Total production is around 4,000 cases and the wines are strictly allocated owing to global demand exceeding supply.
The estate is run following organic practices, fertilisers are made on-site and pollination is carried out by the estate’s own bees. All parcels are vinified separately in a new gravity flow winery, with final blends made the following spring. The Rosso is then aged in 1 year old French oak barrique, whilst the Brunellos are aged in a mix of new and 2-year-old 225L French barrels.
Their flagship wine, Brunello di Montalcino Pelagrilli, in 2019 has already picked up a 93 point score from Vinous and a 17++ from Brunello expert Walter Speller, who tastes on behalf of Jancis Robinson MW. At £225 per 6x75cl in bond it is easy to see the value.
The Vecchie Vigne is made from vines of 40+ years of age and in 2019 is, “fascinating” and “glorious” (JS), a “formidable” vintage that “will pay dividends in the cellar” (EG). A hot summer and near-perfect vintage conditions in 2019 delivered better quantities than from the cooler 2018 vintage; a wonderful opportunity to put away several cases of block-buster Brunellos from what is looking to be one of the best vintages of the century.
2019 Brunello di Montalcino Vecchie Vigne, Siro Pacenti
Black cherries, lavender, black mushrooms, lead pencil and violets on the nose. Full-bodied with a powerful and polished tannin structure that follows through to the very end. Pure, silky texture. Fascinating aftertaste of ripe fruit, yet it’s fresh and tense. Some orange peel, too. Glorious at the end. So well crafted and pointed. This needs another three to five years to integrate but already extremely impressive.
99 Points, James Suckling
The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Vecchie Vigne is intense, bursting from the glass with a blend of rosemary and spiced blood orange before evolving to show dried black cherries and hints of incense. This flows across the palate with velvety textures complicated by tactile mineral tones and zesty acidity as cool-toned red and black fruits slowly saturate. A web of fine-grained tannins envelops the senses as the 2019 finishes dramatically long and staining, leaving traces of cedary spice and inner rose to linger on and on. This is a formidable Vecchie Vigne that will pay dividends in the cellar.
95 Points Eric Guido, VinousMedia
Price: £405 per 6 bottle case (In Bond)
2019 Brunello di Montalcino Pelagrilli, Siro Pacenti
Beautiful fresh fruit with crushed cherries, orange peel and flowers. Pure. Full-bodied with round and juicy fruit and a long, creamy finish. Flamboyant and beautiful with velvety and creamy tannins that provide a wonderful texture. Drink after 2027.
96 Points, James Suckling
A beguiling blend of mint, cedar and spiced orange slowly gives way to dried strawberries as the spicy and seductive 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Pelagrilli blossoms in the glass. Silky and round, it flows across the palate with a dense wave of ripe red and black fruits complicated by a bitter bite of clove and dark chocolate. It finishes long and inward, structured with sweet tannins as echoes of violet and lavender fade. I can really feel the heavy clay soils in this rendition of Pelagrilli, as they add a weight and plush feeling, yet still, the energy of the vintage shines through.
93 Points Eric Guido, VinousMedia
Dark ruby with orange tinges. A nose bursting with spice and minerally, saline notes and hints of sweet oak. Supple, layered cherry and mint palate with firm, grainy tannins. Suave and long and gripping. Its 15.5% goes practically unnoticed.
17++ Points, Walter Speller, JancisRobinson.com
Price: £225 per 6 bottle case (In Bond)
2021 Rosso di Montalcino, Siro Pacenti
Dark and brooding, the 2021 Rosso di Montalcino is at first rich and opulent, with an array of plum sauce and licorice. It gains an earthy balance as minty herbs and cedar shavings join the fray. This is like pure silk on the palate, with a measured inner sweetness perfectly contrasted by orange and tart wild berry fruits cascading throughout. The 2021 takes on a crunchy sensation through the long and dramatic finale as sour cranberry and orange sorbet suggestions slowly fade. As is typically the case, Siro Pacenti balances exoticism with refinement in a way that I find wildly attractive.
92 Points Eric Guido, VinousMedia
Price: £120 per 6 bottle case (In Bond)