2019 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva
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Tasting notes
The 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino Riserva is a medium red color and is a bit shy on opening before slowly revealing a more layered profile of licorice, cherry, toasted sage, rosemary, and sappy earth. Medium-bodied, it saturates and fills the palate with ripe tannins and a rounded feel, with ripe fruit revealing a hint of spiced red plum. It seems a bit more approachable than the Casaccia and is going to drink well over the coming 15 or so years.
Critic scores
Average Score
Walter Speller, jancisrobinson.com
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
In the bottle with the black label, the Canalicchio di Sopra 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva reveals a savory and austere bouquet with dried fruit flavors, licorice and a hint of brandied plum. The alcohol measures 15% and is the same for all the other Brunellos from the 2020 vintage. Even the 2022 Rosso di Montalcino is high in alcohol at 14.5%. Despite that power, vintner Francesco Ripaccioli manages phenolic ripeness and oak aging masterfully. You might not guess the real alcoholic content in this limited 4,133-bottle release.
Just mid ruby with orange tinges. Great depth and complexity but very slow to show this fully. Brooding intensity of embryonic fruit on the nose. A full palate of concentrated, layered red fruit with the perfect dose of tangy acidity and finely ground tannins. Long, fruit-driven finish. Still in a monolithic state; patience needed. (WS)
The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva captivates with a sweet and sour blend of balsam herbs and sour cherries, cedar shavings and tangerine. It's velvety smooth yet based on purity, with a creamy wave of wild berry fruits and orange carried across a wave of vibrant acidity. Nothing seems out of place within this well-muscled beauty, as the 2019 finishes with tremendous length and minty freshness, leaving lingering violet pastille and lavender notes. The Riserva hails entirely from the Vigna Vecchia Mercantale vineyard and spends the same amount of time in barrel as the Brunello, yet it is held an extra year at the winery in bottle.