Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona
About Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona
Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona traces its origins back to the 17th century when it was founded by the Bishop of Montalcino. The winery passed into the hands of Giussepe Chiachini, a larger-than-life character who developed the estate's classical peasant-like approach to winemaking. Striving for a true expression of Montalcino's exceptional and varied terroirs, the estate's wines are well made without being over made and offer purity and structure.
Ciacci Piccolomini is consistently selected by Wine Spectator as the “Cream of the Crop” and a “Leader of the Pack“ in Brunello di Montalcino. They continually “set the standard“ for producers in this historic wine region, and their latest offerings are an “exciting range of new releases“ in the eyes of Wine Advocate's Monica Larner.
Having been gifted the Ciacci Estate upon the passing of the heirless Countess Elda Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona in 1985, the Bianchini family (who were the estate managers at the time) have made a name for themselves by producing elegant, age-worthy Brunellos from their “very special microclimate” (Wine Advocate) on the Castelnuovo dell'Abate hill.
Viniculture
The Brunello di Montalcino Pianrosso comes from a single vineyard of about 11.7 hectares planted with some of the oldest vines of the estate, which sit between 240 and 360 meters above sea level. Grapes for the Riserva are also selected from this vineyard.
Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
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Tuscany | 1 | 92+ (WA) |
Inc. VAT
£382.84 |
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Wine Advocate (92+)Like the other wines I tasted from Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona this year, I am surprised by the soft ripeness achieved in the 2014 Brunello di Montalcino. This was a cool and soggy vintage so those dark and sweet fruit flavors are counterintuitive. However, they elevate the wine to a higher intensity threshold and a more profound flavor profile. The wine offers enough crisp acidity and tannic firmness to hold it tightly together at this young stage in its lifespan. Some 60,000 bottles were released. |
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Tuscany | 10 | 97 (KO) |
Inc. VAT
£265.24 |
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Kerin O'Keefe (97)Forest berry, spice, hay and menthol aromas mingle with whiffs of new leather on this stunning, fragrant Brunello. A top-scorer vintage after vintage, the 2018 combines elegance and a full body, delivering dried cherry, blood orange, licorice and ground clove alongside firm but refined tannins. Bright acidity keeps it energized while a saline mineral note adds depth to the finish. |
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|
Tuscany | 1 | 98 (KO) |
Inc. VAT
£343.24 |
|||||
Kerin O'Keefe (98)Camphor, forest floor, wild berry and dark spice aromas lead the way. Full-bodied and supremely elegant, the delicious palate delivers ripe Morello cherry, crushed raspberry, licorice and tobacco framed in tightly woven, velvety tannins. Bright acidity keeps it balanced and lifted. |
Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Tuscany | 1 | 92+ (WA) |
In Bond
£303.00 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (92+)Like the other wines I tasted from Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona this year, I am surprised by the soft ripeness achieved in the 2014 Brunello di Montalcino. This was a cool and soggy vintage so those dark and sweet fruit flavors are counterintuitive. However, they elevate the wine to a higher intensity threshold and a more profound flavor profile. The wine offers enough crisp acidity and tannic firmness to hold it tightly together at this young stage in its lifespan. Some 60,000 bottles were released. |
|||||||||
|
Tuscany | 10 | 97 (KO) |
In Bond
£205.00 |
|||||
Kerin O'Keefe (97)Forest berry, spice, hay and menthol aromas mingle with whiffs of new leather on this stunning, fragrant Brunello. A top-scorer vintage after vintage, the 2018 combines elegance and a full body, delivering dried cherry, blood orange, licorice and ground clove alongside firm but refined tannins. Bright acidity keeps it energized while a saline mineral note adds depth to the finish. |
|||||||||
|
Tuscany | 1 | 98 (KO) |
In Bond
£270.00 |
|||||
Kerin O'Keefe (98)Camphor, forest floor, wild berry and dark spice aromas lead the way. Full-bodied and supremely elegant, the delicious palate delivers ripe Morello cherry, crushed raspberry, licorice and tobacco framed in tightly woven, velvety tannins. Bright acidity keeps it balanced and lifted. |