Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona Brunello di Montalcino 2017

WE 97 / WA 93 / JS 93 / WS 93 pts

WE: This delicious, bold red offers inviting aromas of fragrant blue flowers, spiced plum, forest floor and pipe tobacco. Full and enveloping in feel, it delivers a great depth of juicy black cherry, black raspberry, licorice and baking spice flavors framed in velvety tannins. Drink 2025–2032.

WA: Generous, layered and rich, the Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona 2017 Brunello di Montalcino shows the generous fruit and deep layering that identifies this vintage. It also delivers a powerful 15% alcohol. This edition (with 69,000 bottles made) shows a bright note of sweet cherry that features strongly both on the bouquet and the palate. The wine shows lots of soft fruit with almond, spice and wild rose.

JS: Aromas of cedar, berry, mushroom and burnt orange follow through to a full body with medium, chewy tannins and a fluid, flavorful finish. Not overdone. Drink after 2023.

WS: Rich and lively, exuding cherry, plum and blackberry fruit, with accents of earth and underbrush. Harmonious and accessible now, with fine length and a lingering, mineral-tinged finish. Best from 2024.