2017 Brunello di Montalcino
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Tasting notes
This is without doubt a real success story of the vintage. Tasted alongside a wide range of Brunello 2017s, the plushness of fruit, energy and elegance of the wine really stood out here. The wine is beautifully balanced. The light savoury leather tones beautifully marry with the plush, roasted black cherry and blueberry fruit. There is a real freshness too. The fine-knit tannins bring depth and are brilliantly integrated with the fruit, not abrupt or drying on the palate – which is where many other 2017s have suffered. Everything is aligned and will bring great early to mid-term drinking pleasure.
Critic scores
Average Score
Eric Guido, Vinous
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
As you drive downhill from the hamlet of Montalcino on its north side, you pass the Canalicchio di Sopra winery, which is located in a shallow, sun-lit basin of vines. This estate is meticulous and studied in its winemaking philosophy, and the 2017 Brunello di Montalcino is an expression of that concentration. This warm-climate Brunello reveals awesome purity and intensity with wild cherry, almond and lilac spread over a tonic, mid-weight finish. This wine awards plenty of elegance in a vintage that was not easy and not prone to such nuance. Production is exactly 39,989 bottles.
Just mid ruby. Some development on the nose with hints of forest floor but with quite pure cherry fruit underneath. Concentrated, focused cherry palate with a minty edge and bags of chewy tannins. Very long and gripping finish. (WS)
The 2017 Brunello di Montalcino is wildly perfumed, dusty and exotic, with balsam herbs, savory spices, red currants and plums coming across as so pretty yet rich and potent. A silky display of sour wild berries contrasted by candied citrus wows the senses as the 2017 plays a zesty sweet-and-sour act upon the palate. It’s long, youthfully chewy, yet still remarkably fresh, with rosy florals and tart, tart cherries giving way to chiseled tannins through the finale. This is a beautiful rendition of the 2017 vintage, one that takes the dry warmth of the year and expresses it with tremendous energy and verve. What's more, I revisited this bottle over the course of 36 hours and it only got better with time.