Canalicchio di Sopra Brunello di Montalcino 2020

This prestigious dry red wine originates from Italy, within the renowned Brunello di Montalcino DOCG in southern Tuscany. Established in 1962 by Primo Pacini, Canalicchio di Sopra played a foundational role as one of the original 12 estates that created the Consorzio del Vino Brunello di Montalcino. Today, the estate is led by the third generation, siblings Francesco, Marco, and Simonetta Ripaccioli. The estate’s Brunello is a harmonious synthesis of two contrasting sub-zones of Montalcino: the cool, clay-rich soils of Canalicchio on the northern slope, which impart elegance, acidity, and aromatic intensity, combined with the stony, galestro-rich gravels of Montosoli, which contribute power, warmth, and structural depth.

Wine Description

In the glass, the 2020 Brunello di Montalcino displays a classic, luminous garnet red color with bright ruby highlights. The complex nose opens with an ethereal bouquet of sour red cherry, crushed cranberry, and wild strawberry, interwoven with floral undertones of dried rose petal and violet, leather, blood orange, crushed flint, and a hint of sweet spice from oak aging. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, structured, and exceptionally refined. A deep core of juicy red fruit is anchored by fine-grained, chalky tannins and a vibrant beam of mineral-driven acidity that provides tension and balance. Crafted from 100% Sangiovese (Sangiovese Grosso), the hand-harvested grapes undergo careful sorting before temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel with skin contact for roughly 25 to 30 days. The wine is aged for 36 months in traditional 2,500- to 5,000-liter Slavonian and French oak casks (botti grandi), followed by significant aging in bottle before release. It carries an alcohol by volume of 14.5%.

Food Pairing

The firm tannic backbone, elevated natural acidity, and savory complexity of this classic Brunello make it an extraordinary partner for rich, traditional Tuscan fare and high-end meat preparations. It pairs seamlessly with Florentine steak (bistecca alla Fiorentina), slow-braised beef short ribs, roasted rack of lamb with rosemary, pan-seared duck breast with cherry reduction, and wild boar stew (spezzatino di cinghiale). It also harmonizes beautifully with fresh pasta dishes featuring truffle or wild mushroom ragù, as well as aged hard cheeses such as Pecorino Toscano, Parmigiano-Reggiano, or aged Gouda.

Vintage Quality

The 2020 vintage in Montalcino produced wines characterized by wonderful balance, aromatic elegance, and accessible charm, offering a highly harmonious profile following the more muscular 2019 season. A mild winter led into a warm, steady summer with well-timed precipitation and cool night breezes from Mount Amiata, allowing Sangiovese to achieve complete phenolic maturity while retaining fresh acidity. The 2020 Canalicchio di Sopra Brunello shows immense purity and textural finesse, making it remarkably captivating early with proper decanting, while boasting the concentration and tannic framework to age gracefully in the cellar for 15 to 25+ years.

Accolades

95 Points - Jeb Dunnuck

Pouring a jeweled red/ruby color, the 2020 Brunello Di Montalcino is attractive and layered on the nose, with pure notes of red cherries, sweet Mediterranean herbs, crushed roses, and mossy earth. Medium-bodied, it brings lovely energy to the palate and is upfront with mouthwatering salty notes, snappy ripe acidity, and a clean, balanced finish, with even ripeness and stone-fruited notes of apricot on the back palate. This highly appealing Brunello is hard to resist now but likely has the ability to go the long haul over the coming 15-20 years.

95 Points - James Suckling

Graceful style to this wine, with earthy strawberries, cinnamon and sweet violets. Almost yellow stone-fruit, too. Full in body with crisp if not zesty acidity and intense, extracted and firm tannins giving a tight mid-palate. Yet, the finish is long and polished.

95 Points - Vinous

A burst of black cherries and cloves gives way to shavings of cedar and lifting hints of mentholated herbs as the dynamic 2020 Brunello di Montalcino comes to life in the glass. This is soothingly round and pliant with an inner sweetness up front and crisp wild berry fruits that cascade across the palate. It's structured and firm, yet its tannins are sweet and round, tapering off with a pleasantly bitter tinge of blackberry and sour citrus. The 2020 aims to please and it is already incredibly approachable today. With no Riserva produced in 2020, all of the juice from Vigna Vecchia Mercatale was used to bolster this spectacular Brunello.

93 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

This is a standout wine that marries red and purple fruit flavors with tangy hints of green curry leaf, rhubarb and sweet earth. The Canalicchio di Sopra 2020 Brunello di Montalcino carries a distinct signature that recalls not only the Sangiovese grape but a sense of place. You can mistake this for nothing but a Brunello. The vintage manages power and aromatic intensity but is also magically leaner and definitely more elegant in terms of mouthfeel. The immediate results are perhaps more accessible and also quite pleasurable now in this 41,362-bottle release.