CIACCI PICCOLOMINI BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2021

Gifted to estate manager Giuseppe Bianchini by Countess Elda Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona in 1985, this certified organic estate in Castelnuovo dell'Abate is now run by siblings Paolo and Lucia Bianchini. The 8.5-hectare Pianrosso vineyard—named for its iron-rich, Eocene-period marl soils—sits at 240–360 meters, sheltered by Mount Amiata with strong air circulation; only sulfur- and copper-based treatments are used. Sangiovese ferments in temperature-controlled stainless steel before 30–36 months in Slavonian oak. The 2021 scores 96 points (James Suckling): violet, lavender, licorice, and Morello cherry with silky, crunchy tannins and a caressing finish. Try after 2028.