2015 Canalicchio Brunello di Montalcino 1.5L OWC

Prestigious Magnum bottle (1.5L) of Brunello di Montalcino DOCG from Canalicchio di Sopra, wrapped and enclosed in its perfectly intact wooden case.

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. 

James Suckling 97 points
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.

Decanter 96 points 
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.

Vinous 95 points 
The 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. -- Eric Guido Good medium red. Aromas of redcurrant, herbs and tobacco complicated by soil tones are slightly reticent at present. Supple in texture but brooding and monolithic presently, with the flavors a little unforthcoming, even despite prolonged aeration. Finishes with an autumnal element that gains a bit of lift from rose petal notes. Despite the 2015 vintage, that gave generally readier to drink Brunellos, I wouldn’t touch this for another five to six years.

Wine Spectator 94 points 
Firm and tightly wound for now, yet features a solid beam of cherry and strawberry fruit, graced by iron, sanguine and leather accents. Lively acidity infuses this intense red with energy, driving the long finish.