2018 Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Casaccia

From more clay-based soils, the 2018 Brunello Di Montalcino Vigna Casaccia pours a bit deeper ruby color and is riper and broader in its feel, with deeper notes of fresh black cherries, mocha, and pressed flowers. Medium to full-bodied, it offers more richness on the palate, with ripe tannins and good concentration for this challenging, cooler vintage. Long on the palate, with a great finish, it’s a very successful and more age-worthy wine for this vintage. Drink 2026-2046. I met with Francesco Ripaccioli for this report both at his family estate on the north side of Montalcino, as well as here in New York to taste older vintages of Canalicchio di Sopra in January 2024. He, along with his brother and sister, represent the third generation of the estate. Canalicchio is divided between two areas of Montalcino, the first parcel purchased by his grandfather, Primo Pacenti, after World War II, and the second in Montosoli, where they have six hectares of vine that his father purchased in 1958. Today the combined land spans 60 hectares, 19 of which are dedicated to the vineyards, and for their wines, they both combine the terroirs of the two regions as well as make unique expressions for each of the two locations. The rest of the land is committed to biodiversity and to an Agriturismo also on the north side of the Montalcino hill. Their wines show a lot of complexity, with age-worthy potential across all categories, as readers will find in my notes on the library vintages. The (unofficial) sub-zone of Canalicchio is characterized by a particular type of calcareous clay, with a high pH of 8.2, which contributes to a very elegant texture that you can find in the wines coming from the Cassacchia Vineyard. In Montosoli, there is more dry soil with galestro and schist, although it has the same pH. The Montosoli side tends to contribute more structure and salinity to the resulting wines. In the cellar, they ferment the wines separately and produce these three expressions of Brunello as well as Rosso di Montalcino.

Understated and delicate, the 2018 Brunello di Montalcino Vigna La Casaccia reveals a bouquet of wilted violet and lavender, sweet spice and crushed blackberry. It opens with a pretty inner sweetness and a crisp blend of ripe red and blue fruits. Ample acidity maintains perfect freshness while hints of candied citrus, licorice and spice come together in the glass. The 2018 finishes gently tannic and firm with an air of blue flowers that resonate. The 2018 is a whisper more than a shout, but it has a lot to say. This may warrant a higher score down the road.

A balance of sweet fruit and savory complexity in the 2018 Brunello Di Montalcino Vigna La Casaccia is on display in its notes of polished leather, cherry lozenge, anise, and roses, followed by juicy ripe fruit throughout the palate, medium to full body, fine tannins, and a refreshing lift of acidity. Notes of red currant, orange oil, and dried herbs are also long on the palate. There is an ease about this wine that makes it more approachable and suggests drinking more immediately while waiting on the Montosoli in the cellar. Drink 2024-2039.