Hedonism with Soul
2006 Siro Pacenti Brunello di Montalcino
A Top Wine of the Vintage
"Giancarlo Pacenti continues to make some of the most brilliant, textured wines in Montalcino. His 2006s are superb."
- Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate
The 2006 Brunellos have been praised and then praised some more - critic James Suckling calls this "THE greatest modern vintage for Sangiovese." And it's not just the critics here hyperventilating: Giancarlo Pacenti himself asserts, "It has to be our best vintage ever."
For the most part, our program has favored the staunchly traditional producers: Biondi-Santi, Soldera, Cerbaiona, Poggio di Sotto, the tiny estate of Stella di Campalto.
This is the one Brunello we're happy to step over the line for, adding a bit of hedonism to the formal rigor we usually demand. There are three key reasons for this:
1) For all its luscious textures, this wine is authentic, balanced.
2) It's one of the wines of the vintage.
3) At under $70, it's also one of the values of the vintage.
The bad news? We only have 60 bottles to offer today, a mere five cases. They are likely to quickly disappear. Because of the limited quantities available, this offer goes out only to those of you who have supported our Italian program.
While the 2006 has stormed the scene, mixing it up with the big boys that command price tags that are twice and thrice this wine, it's not a huge upset. This isn't really a Cinderella story - Pacenti is considered by many to be one of the best estates in the region.
The estate is now run by Siro's son, Giancarlo, who favors new French oak barriques and blends his Brunello from seven sites across both the northern and southern sides of the Montalcino hill. Their Brunellos combine a freshness from the north, weaving that into a beautiful combination of power and structure from the south. It probably should go without saying that Giancarlo is also very strict with his grape selection, so the fruit he brings in is incredibly concentrated.
The 2006 vintage just brought it all together. Writes Mr. Galloni: "The 2006 Brunello di Montalcino saturates the palate with deep layers of dark red fruit, violets, new leather and spices. The aromas and flavors grow beautifully with air, showing remarkable intensity all the way through to the expansive, textured finish. This is a brilliant effort from Giancarlo Pacenti."
In the cellar, this should power easily through the next decade or two, though a generous decant will enable earlier indulgence as well. Again, quantities are limited, and pricing is sharp; give us your maximum order, and we'll do our best to allocate.
To order, please email us at offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.
Ian McFadden
Director, Fine & Rare Wine
Crush Wine & Spirits
2006 Siro Pacenti Brunello di Montalcino
NET | No further discount