2015 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva

I will admit that I’ve been looking forward to tasting the 2016s from Canalicchio di Sopra with much anticipation but also trepidation - could they really live up to the lofty expectations I have of them? Well, they do. Francesco Ripaccioli continues his work to further define the unique parcels within each of his vineyards, and to use them accordingly to create wines that are unmistakably Northern Montalcino in character with stunning balance and structure. What’s more, any fears that the La Casaccia bottling would have robbed the house Brunello of its flair can be put to rest, because that wine is a stand-out amongst its peers. Also in the wings at Canalicchio di Sopra is the first vintage of Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Montosoli, to be released in 2024. The last time we witnessed a pure Montosoli from this house was with their 2013 Riserva. At that time it wasn’t legally able to carry the vineyard’s name on its label since all cru designations must be declared prior to use. In this case, Vigna Montosoli was declared in 2018.

Speaking of the Riserva, I was pleasantly surprised by the 2015. In past vintages, to my tastes, Canalicchio di Sopra Riservas always seemed bigger, darker but not quite as complex as the straight Brunello. It was only with the 2013 vintage that I started to notice more of a focus on fruit than power, and this continues in 2015. Francesco Ripaccioli explained to me that they use “the vineyard which best represents the characteristics of each vintage” to create their Riserva, and also that there is no set amount of time for the wine to spend in wood versus bottle. A good example of this is the 2015, which was sourced entirely from the Vigna Vecchia Mercatale, and it only spent an extra two months in 2,500-liter Slavonian oak casks prior to bottling. It’s one of the most successful Riservas of the vintage.