Dusty violets, lavender and cloves accentuate dried black cherries as the dramatic 2019 Brunello di Montalcino smolders up from the glass. This is impossible to ignore, bursting with energy as depths of ripe red fruits, chalky minerals and exotic spices saturate all they touch, balanced by textures of pure silk. The 2019 finishes with fantastic length and concentration, leaving a staining of tart blackberry and hints of orange that curl the tongue as crunchy tannins tug at the palate. It's rare to see such a combination of vibrancy and power. Canalicchio di Sopra nailed it in 2019. Wow.

After excellent showings from the 2018 vintage, Canalicchio di Sopra follows up with an impressive trio of 2019s. There is also a highly promising Riserva waiting in the wings... In the meantime, the current releases kick off with the estate Brunello, which is assembled from vines that are at least a decade old. It's a model of freshness and energy, backed by substance and staying power. Aromas of mint, lavender and tobacco lead to a radiant core of warm stone and red currants. The tannins are direct and linear, giving a firm grip to the dense fruit. Bitter citrus to finish.

Canalicchio Di Sopra makes a powerful statement with their release of the 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino and puts their stamp on this vintage with confidence. Tasted multiple times, this brooding, layered, and noble wine is jeweled in appearance, pouring a dark ruby/red color, and offers a gorgeous bouquet of black cherry preserve, wildflowers, licorice, cedar, and incense. Moving to the palate, it’s powerfully structured and full-bodied, with rich tannins and great length throughout. A very impressive wine with a flourish of saline and mouthwatering notes of black tea on the finish, it demands time in the cellar and, if stored properly, should age gracefully over the next 15-20 years. Drink 2026-2046.<!--more-->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.

With a hint of candied cherry, grenadine or Shirley Temple, the Canalicchio di Sopra 2019 Brunello di Montalcino reveals purple blossom, dried flower, cough drop and balsam herb. The wine is very nicely stitched together with integrated oak that comes through in a structural way but not too much on the bouquet. The tannins do feel dry on the mid-palate, but they remain fine and tight. The alcohol is a bit high in this vintage at 15%. Production is 47,321 bottles.

This red sets cherry, plum, earth, iron and underbrush flavors against a fleshy texture and firm structure. A fresh version, with refined tannins supporting the long finish. Best from 2027 through 2042. 3,955 cases made, 1,147 cases imported.