Brunello di Montalcino “Pianrosso S. Caterina d’Oro” Riserva DOCG 2020

Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona | Tuscany
Az. Agr. Ciacci Piccolomini | Loc. Molinello | IT 53024 Castellnuovo

09712820 · 0,75 l · 185,33 €/l · Price (DE) incl. VAT, excl. Shipping< 24 units available
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A Brunello Riserva that is only born in years that the winery considers exceptional. Not every great harvest produces a Caterina and certainly not a Riserva. It is the promise that Giuseppe Bianchini made to himself when he unexpectedly inherited an entire vineyard in 1985: he would create a wine that would be a monument to its terroir. The name has something sacred about it, a silent reference to the spiritual tradition of this landscape between the Abbey of Sant'Antimo and the hills of Castelnuovo dell'Abate. Santa Caterina d'Oro – the golden Catherine – as if to provide the wine with a patron saint, a protector of its long journey through time.

The grapes come from the heart of the Vigna Pianrosso, those 11.7 hectares of iron-rich, marly soils from the Eocene, whose reddish colouring gave the vineyard its name. Here, between 240 and 360 metres above sea level, where the view sweeps south and the Orcia glistens in the distance, the Sangiovese matures to a concentration that would be almost unthinkable elsewhere. Different rules apply to the Riserva: over three years in Slavonian oak barrels of between 7.5 and 30 hectolitres, then at least a further twelve months in the bottle. What leaves the cellar is no longer a young wine, but a mature document of its origin.

2020 – a vintage that did not come easily. Dry spring, heat in summer, then redemptive rain in September, followed by those cool nights that give Sangiovese its aromatic precision. A year that demanded attention, decisions and patience. The Bianchinis, Paolo and Lucia, have known this rhythm since childhood. Deep garnet red in the glass. The nose is a kaleidoscope: balsamic notes of camphor and menthol, then dark spices, ripe wild berries, leather, undergrowth. New layers unfold with every minute in the glass – sweet pipe tobacco, truffle, plum, a hint of eucalyptus. The full-bodied, densely concentrated palate reveals all its greatness, with a weightless finesse that only the best Brunellos can achieve. Sour cherry preserved in alcohol, blood orange, cinnamon, liquorice – carried by tannins that feel like crushed velvet, firmly woven and yet supple. The acidity keeps the wine energised and tense, giving it that nervous intensity that hints at decades of development. The final is endless: fruit cake, almond bitters, a salty minerality that lingers like an echo of the iron-rich soil. SUPERIORE.DE

"Bright ruby red, shiny. Fine aromas of ripe cherry fruit, sweetish precious wood, some mint, blood orange, candle wax. Beautiful freshness on the palate, juicy, shows clear, well-defined fruit, with tightly woven tannins, with a certain pressure, very elegant, fine." Falstaff

"Crazy aromas of white truffles, cherries, plums and lots of cedar. Full-bodied with attractive fruit and fresh acidity. Cedar undertones. Crunchy finish with complex wood, forest and berry flavors." James Suckling

The Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona 2020 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Vigna di Pianrosso Santa Caterina d'Oro is generous in aromatic delivery, offering dark fruit nuances and layered complexity, yet it holds back on the palate, especially when tasted alongside the estate’s riper 2021 releases. That restraint is a defining feature of the 2020 growing season, which favored balance and clarity over muscle. The wine is powerful, to be sure, but its subtle definition and measured mouthfeel offer a clearer window into the inherent elegance of Sangiovese." Wine Advocate