Canalicchio di Sopra Brunello di Montalcino 2015

Description

Founded by Primo Pacenti in 1962,in 1987 Primo was joined by son-in-law Pier Luigi Ripaccioli, and since 2001, Canalicchio di Sopra has been in the highly capable, thoughtful hands of Pier Luigi’s three children, Francesco, Simonetta and Marco.

The Rosso di Montalcino and the Brunello di Montalcino are based on the parcels of Canalicchio and Montosoli, located on the northern side of Montalcino, and which combined total 19 hectares planted. All wines are aged in medium sized Slavonian oak botti. The soils of the Canalicchio parcels are largely clay with pebbles and a strong mineral content, resulting in wines of aromatic intensity, opulence and minerality. It is the extraordinary elegance, latent power, balance and silky tannins of the Casaccia parcel which for some years now have seen it bottled separately. The Montosoli soils are marl with very high mineral components, clay loam texture with higher levels of lime, with the pebbly texture increasing the pH. The wines show great structure, minerality and sapidity.

2015 Vintage Montalcino By James Suckling.com August 2019: “So many of the wines we tasted showed a beautiful depth of fruit and endless length. They are dense and rich wines,structured with masses of tannins yet finely textured and comprehensive in the mouth. The tannins seem to melt into the wine…There’s also a transparency and brightness to the best of 2015 that gives the reds a chance to beautifully communicate their respective terroirs and styles. This was particularly true in estate-specific and single-vineyard Brunellos. Winemakers are extremely excited about the year and comment that the advances in viticulture and winemaking have given their 2015 wines much more balance and precision. The growing season was very hot but rains in May and July helped alleviate some of the heat stress, and the harvest in September was dry and warm.”

98 pts James Suckling: “Ripe berry and cherry aromas with hints of spices and cedar. Dried flowers too. Full-bodied, dense and layered. Fantastic richness and depth. Long, long finish. Best ever. Try after 2022.”

95 pts Eric Guido, Vinous Media: “2015 Brunello di Montalcino from Canalicchio di Sopra – Ripaccioli is superb. The nose is dark and mineral-inflected with a blast of crushed raspberry, cherry and darker blackberry fruits wafting up from the glass, as sweet florals, underscored by moist soil and hints of cedar amass. On the palate, silky, almost creamy textures, offset by a stunning mix of salty-minerals and acids with savory herbs, and inner earth tones tempted the senses for another sip. The finish is remarkably long, resonating on minerals and dark fruits, almost balsamic and spicy, as its tannic structure comes forward and reminds me that this Brunello is still just a baby. What a gorgeous expression of Sangiovese. Drink 2024 – 2038.” 

96 points Decanter Wine Magazine:  “With this wine, Canalicchio di Sopra marks its 50th vintage of Brunello. It is a superb tip of the hat to founder Primo Pacenti by his highly capable grandchildren Francesco, Marco and Simonetta Ripaccioli, who now run the property. It expresses gradually and graciously both on the nose and the palate with wild flowers, forest berries and fresh earth emerging out of a sapid and minerally core. Brilliantly mid-weight but not lacking depth, this demonstrates brightness of fruit, delectable acidity, plenty of fine-grained tannins and a lingering finish. (EM)” (4/2020)
95 points Monica Larner Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate “This bottle marks the special 50th anniversary of this wine. A little red sticker on the front label commemorates the five decades that have passed since grandfather Primo Pacenti did his first harvest. The medium-weight Canalicchio di Sopra 2015 Brunello di Montalcino shows a generous spread of forest fruit, licorice, blue flower, bay leaf, Provence herbs and fragrant wet soil aromas. There is a touch of earthy muskiness that some like to refer to as ‘foxy.’ Fruit for this Brunello represents a selection of clusters harvested over 10 hectares at 300 to 320 meters above sea level in two sites: Canalicchio and Montosoli. Canalicchio has clay soils for the structure of the wine, and Montosoli adds to the clarity of the aromas. All the vines are over 10 years old. Fermentation is in stainless steel, and aging spans 36 months in Slavonian oak casks. This wine from the warm and sunny 2015 vintage maintains its trademark crispness and freshness nonetheless.”

RRP $190   Special price $164.99 Last bottles