From: Tuscany, Italy
Varietal: Sangiovese
Winemaker’s tasting notes: “Lots of structure and true pedigree from the northern section of Montalcino. Higher tone red fruits enveloped by French oak accents of toffee and vanilla.”
Critical Acclaim: “Beautiful aromas of cherries, plums and fresh flowers with some oranges follow through to a full body with round and chewy tannins that are polished and refined for the hot 2017 vintage. Flavorful and fresh finish. Remains in check and toned. Drink in 2023 and onwards.” –James Suckling, 94 points
“The Siro Pacenti 2017 Brunello di Montalcino Pelagrilli is a robust and powerful expression with dark fruit nuances that transition to a dense core and a tightly woven inner fabric with more enriched black fruit and spice. Pelagrilli has a beautifully soft and open-knit character, and the tannins are well managed to show no rough edges or bitterness. What stands out best in this wine is the sheer density. Built like a tank, it will embrace long cellar aging.” –Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, 93 points
“This is taut and chewy, with beefy tannins putting a strong grip on the black cherry, plum, earth and spice flavors. Feels more fruity than savory, ending with assertive tannins. Best from 2025.” –Wine Spectator, 91 points
About this wine. This 2017 Brunello di Montalcino comes from 25 to 35-year-old vines planted in Pelagrilli on the north side of Montalcino. Clay and sand characterize the soils at Pelagrilli, where the vineyards are situated at the foot of Montalcino hill, at an altitude of 350 m, exposed to continental winds. The wines are elegant and aromatic, with an evident personality.
Grapes were harvested by hand with manual grape sorting before and after the destemming, and the fermentation took place in temperature-controlled stainless steel. The wine then aged in 225-liter French oak barrels for 24 months before bottling without filtration and aging before release.
About Siro Pacenti. The Pacenti estate was established in 1970, with the purchase of the property north of Montalcino (Pelagrilli) by Siro, who then proceeded to plant important vineyards that remain productive today in the fresh, clay soils of the land overlooking Siena. In 1988, management passed into the hands of Giancarlo. This was the harvest year the estate’s Rosso and Brunello di Montalcino were bottled for the first time.
In the early 1990s, the estate expanded to include land south of Montalcino (Piancornello), where Giancarlo’s maternal grandfather planted five hectares of vines in mineral-rich soils at the end of the 1960s. The ’90s were also marked by the start of the partnership with the University of Bordeaux and the first experiments on phenolic maturity applied to Sangiovese (Yves Glories). The new cellar was built between 2001 and 2004, combining technology and experience with respect for the grapes and the land. Today, the estate cultivates 22 hectares of Sangiovese.
