2010 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva PS

Giancarlo Pacenti is one of the few producers who blends wines from the northern and southern zones in Montalcino for most of his wines, which is one reason he is so consistent from year to year. Eric Boissenot, one of Bordeaux's top wine minds, is the consultant. As always, the Pacenti Brunellos are distinguished by their sleek, modern contours. My own experience with aging these wines is, frankly, mixed, so I prefer to drink them on the young side. The legacy Pacenti's Brunellos ultimately leave behind is an open question, as few vintages will last more than a generation. That, in my view is a shame for a top winemaker with Pacenti's standing as one of Montalcino's most visible producers.

Giancarlo Pacenti is by far the leading exponent of the modern school of Brunello di Montalcino. No other producer has succeeded in crafting wines of this much textural beauty and refinement. Over the years, Pacenti, along with the help of Bordeaux consultant Eric Boissenot has moved towards earlier blending of his wines with the goal of aging a complete blend rather than components. There is little question, the young wines here have never been better balanced and harmonious from the outset. The 2010s spent two years in French oak in a cold cellar with high humidity. Recent experiments with large 500 liter barrels did not bring about improvements in quality, so the focus here is on aging the wines in standard French oak barriques, about 50% new for the Pelagrilli, 75-80% for the Vecchie Vigne and 100% for the PS. Incidentally, the Vecchie Vigne is the new name for the Brunello that has long been the Pacenti flagship before the newer Pelagrilli and PS bottlings were introduced. Pacenti describes 2010 as a vintage with no heat spikes and well timed rains at the end of the summer. September, always the most critical month, was marked by large diurnal swings from warm, dry days to cool nights, pretty much the perfect conditions to ripen Sangiovese. For more, readers might enjoy this short video I shot with Pacenti right after our tasting.