2021 Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona Brunello di Montalcino

JS96 Aromas of violets, lavender, licorice, nutmeg and potpourri. Full-bodied with layers of fine tannins that are crunchy and silky, showing freshness and bright fruit at the end. Caressing texture. An excellent example of the vintage. Needs time to come together, but is very pretty and satisfying. Try after 2028.

JD94 With no Riserva produced in 2021, the 2021 Brunello Di Montalcino pours a youthful, saturated red hue and has a spiced, savory profile. The nose reveals dried cherries, fresh leather, lavender, sage, and Mediterranean herbs. Medium to full-bodied, it has a weightless feel on the palate, with ripe tannins, refreshing acidity, and a long finish that carries a subtle savory richness. Drink this beautiful Brunello over the coming 12-15 years. Drink 2026-2040.

WA94 This is a site I love, as it offers one of the grandest sunsets in Montalcino, and that sense of late-afternoon warmth seems to translate directly into the wine. The Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona 2021 Brunello di Montalcino shows sweet fruit and darker aromas that evoke sun-drenched slopes and fading light. There is warmth and sweetness here that flesh out over the palate, giving the wine notable volume, a hallmark of the estate’s vineyards on the southern side of the appellation. You could almost fault this wine for being too ripe, but that same sunshine-driven character defines its appeal, with alcohol reaching 15%.

VIN94 The 2021 Brunello di Montalcino is bright, punchy and loaded with energy. Balsamic-laced black cherry, autumnal spice, dark chocolate and a lift of mint all burst from the glass. Seamless textures of pure silk reveal decadent red fruits swirl and a core of vibrant acidity. A coating of sweet tannins frames the 2021 as nuances of plum and orange zest slowly fade. This is already a pleasure to taste today but has the balance for a long and fruitful evolution.