Ciacci Piccolomini

Brunello di Montalcino 'Pianrosso'

Named after the celebrated, eponymously named vineyard site
This single-vineyard bottling is what Ciacci’s outstanding reputation was built upon
11.6 hectares total, but not all of the fruit ends up in the Pianrosso bottling
Vineyard stretches from 180m to 240m above sea level, all planted to soils rich in marl
Aged for three years in 20-62 hl Slavonian oak barrels followed by 8 months in bottle before release

Info

Producer:

Ciacci Piccolomini

Vintage:

2020

Country:

Italy

Region:

Tuscany

Appellation:

Brunello di Montalcino

Variety:

Sangiovese

Color:

Red

Farming Practice:

Practicing Organic

Sizes Available

Full Bottle	IT-CIA-20-20	12/750ml
Magnum	IT-CIA-20-20M	6/1500ml
3L (Jeroboam)	IT-CIA-20-20J	1/3000ml
5L/6L (Methuselah)	IT-CIA-20-20U	1/5000ml

Resources

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Press & Reviews

James Suckling

Score

Date

2024-10-16

"Intense, vibrant aromas of strawberries and raspberries, together with cola and flowery notes. Milk and mint nuances, too. Shows a lot of licorice elegance and blood-orange freshness on both the nose and palate with firm, velvety tannins and well-packed, brilliant acidity and a polished finish. Good aftertaste and amazing potential. Very classic. Drinkable now, but best from 2025."

Jeb Dunnuck

Score

Date

2025-01-30

"A bright orange/red color, the 2020 Brunello Di Montalcino Pianorosso is very pretty on the nose, with notes of pomegranate, roses, potpourri, sweet herbs, and a hint of menthol. Medium-framed, it's elegant and harmonious, with a weightless feel, ripe and chalky tannins, and a clean, balanced finish. I think it will gain depth and complexity as it matures, but it sure is lovely to check in with now. Drink 2026-2046."

Kerin O'Keefe

Score

Date

2024-11-01

"Bold and concentrated, the 2020 Pianrosso offers pronounced aromas of dark spice, camphor, dried herb, citrus and wild berry that mingle with new leather. On the powerfully built, savory palate, tightly woven, close-grained tannins envelop liquor-soaked cherry, orange peel, licorice and tobacco before closing on a note recalling almond liqueur. Fresh acidity keeps it lifted. Drink 2029–2036. Abv: 15.5% Kerin O'Keefe November 2024"

Vinous

Score

Date

2024-11-26

"Freshly split pine, tobacco and stone dust gives way to dried strawberries and mint nuances as the 2020 Brunello di Montalcino Pianrosso slowly blossoms in the glass. Silken and serene, this excels through its acidity, cool-toned and fresh, enlivening the 2020s core of rich wild berry fruits. Hints of blood orange add further gravitas as it finishes with a surprisingly juicy character, leaving edgy tannins and a pleasantly bitter concentration. This wild child will require cellaring to come fully into focus, yet I'm incredibly excited to revisit it in another three to five years."

Wine Advocate

Score

Date

2024-11-21

"The 2020 Brunello di Montalcino Pianrosso (with 43,000 bottles made along with some larger formats) is a little overdone in my opinion in terms of ripeness and its powerful 15.5% alcoholic content. The bouquet reveals dark fruit aromas, cherry liqueur, brandied plum and sweet crème de cassis. This is a thickly grained Brunello with a soft, richly textured core. I recommend a medium-term drinking window, although that touch of tannic astringency might never fully integrate."

REVIEWS FROM PAST VINTAGES

James Suckling

Score

Date

2017-11-27

Vinous

Score

Date

2019-03-26

Wine Advocate

Score

Date

Decanter

Score

Date

2022-01-24

James Suckling

Score

Date

2021-10-11

Kerin O'Keefe

Score

Date

2023-10-22

"Aromas of graphite and ripe dark-skinned berry mingle with new leather and eucalyptus. On the polished, savory palate, taut, refined tannins accompany ripe raspberry, prune, dried cherry and hints of almond liqueur. Drink through 2032. Abv: 15% Kerin O,Keefe October 2023 'kerinokeefe.com"

Vinous

Score

Date

2021-12-01

Wine Advocate

Score

Date

2022-02-17

Wine Spectator

Score

Date

2022-09-01

Decanter

Score

Date

2023-02-06

"Both of Ciacci Piccolomini,s 2018s offer a Ádeliciousness, of taste and a truly umami quality, however the Pianrosso selection delivers greater Brunello satisfaction. Not quite 12 hectares, this iron-rich marly vineyard soaked up just enough warmth to clearly demonstrate its southern origins. It has more shape, form and depth to lend endurance. Iron and salty minerals emerge from a backdrop of persimmon and hibiscus, finishing with Mediterranean herbs. Docile and yielding, the gentle sandy tannins give textural complexity as well as an immediate drinkability."

James Suckling

Score

Date

2022-11-21

"This is so complex, with lifting citrus and herb undertones to the blue and red "

Jancis Robinson

Score

16.5

Date

2022-12-12

"Deep ruby with bricky rim. Concentrated sour-cherry nose with a suggestion of gingerbread. Becomes more complex with aeration. Lush, ripe fruit on the palate with polished tannins and tangy acidity. Great length and very accessible. (WS)"

Kerin O'Keefe

Score

Date

2022-12-02

"The impressive 2018 Pianrosso opens with classic aromas of new leather, underbrush, baking spice and mint. On the full-bodied, elegantly structured palate, enveloping, velvety tannins accompany dried cherry, raspberry compote, spiced cranberry, truffle and vanilla before a pipe tobacco close. Fresh acidity provides excellent balance. Drink 2025†2038. A superb wine. Abv: 14.5% Kerin O,Keefe October 2023 'kerinokeefe.com"

Vinous

Score

Date

2023-12-02

Wine Advocate

Score

Date

2023-03-09

"A special single-vineyard wine with origins in one of the more remote, wild and beautiful corners of Montalcino, this is one of the true treats of the appellation. The Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona 2018 Brunello di Montalcino Pianrosso opens to a medium-rich appearance and vibrant color saturation. Sangiovese can lose its color quickly, but it remains beautifully intact here. Sweet cherry, redcurrant, spice, blue flower, balsam herb and orange peel are neatly woven together to create this balanced wine. Fruit is sourced from across a 11.7-hectare vineyard with schistous galestro soils. Production is 37,000 bottles."

Wine Spectator

Score

Date

2023-04-05

"A complex red, with dark, savory notes of licorice, eucalyptus and tobacco aligned with cherry and berry flavors. Succulent, showing light viscosity to the texture, with wild herb and iron elements creeping in on the long finish. Power meets grace. Best from 2026 through 2045. ‡B.S."

Decanter

Score

Date

2024-11-13

"The 11.69-hectare Pianrosso vineyard sits on iron-rich marly soil, and as it typically gives a more structured Sangiovese, it is singled out for this selection, as well as the estate's Riserva in years it's made. Pianrosso 2019 rings out with its signature heady scents. Gorgeous mint, pink peppercorn and orange peel converge with tar and mocha. On the palate, it offers more substance and concentration than the estate bottling yet is still of the elegant mould. Lush in fruit and smooth in texture, it is accessible now and built for mid-term ageing."

James Suckling

Score

Date

2023-09-25

"Sweet berries and cherries on the nose, together with fresh violet and lilac notes. Full body with juicy tannins and a flavorful finish that opens on the palate. Lots of ripe cherry flavor. Tar, too. A rich and layered Pianrosso. One of the bigger, riper wines of the vintage, but still holds true. Try in 2027."

Kerin O'Keefe

Score

100

Date

2023-09-23

"Boasting great depth and extreme elegance, the drop-dead gorgeous Ciacci Piccolomini d,Aragona Pianrosso delivers crushed raspberry, succulent Morello cherry, star anise and crushed mint flavors while aromas of eucalyptus, wild rose, new leather and forest floor continuously lift out of the glass. It,s a smooth, stunning wine, with taut, fine-grained tannins and fresh acidity that lend great aging potential and energy. Absolutely stunning. "

Wine Spectator

Score

Date

2024-06-30

"This red pulls you toward the sanguine and iron side of Sangiovese, with a core of cherry and plum flavors that show accents of oak spice and eucalyptus. There's a hard edge of tannins rimming the finish, leaving a compact feel. Best from 2027 through 2039. 5,000 cases made, 2,830 cases imported."

Decanter

Score

Date

2023-12-18

"Aged in Slavonian oak for 36 months, Pianrosso is a selection from the self-titled vineyard: 11 hectares in the lower southeast of Montalcino. The grapes were harvested between 11 September and 4 October 2019, suggesting a classic vintage. It shines for its Earl Grey tea aroma combined with dark cherry, cinnamon, liquorice, and a floral bouquet. The fruit character is very dark and precise; gorgeous in this vintage. Full bodied, thick and velvety with firm, long yet integrated acidity, it tapers on the finish but this should be considered a signifier of its elegance."

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Ciacci Piccolomini

Brunello di Montalcino 'Pianrosso'