The 2008 Brunello di Montalcino is deep, textured and impeccably balanced. Dark cherries, plums, tobacco, crushed rocks and spices blossom in the glass. Here, too, the overall sense of harmony is utterly captivating. A gorgeous wine, the 2008 stands out for its exceptional polish. The style is a bit deeper, richer and more layered than the Pelagrilli, but at the same time remains deeply marked by the prevalence of fruit from the northern side of Montalcino. In 2008 Pacenti lost about a third of his production from the south, which means this is a vintage in which the Brunello incorporated more fruit from the north than the south, roughly a 60/40 split. This is a fabulous effort in a vintage that proved to be full of challenges. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2028. With these new releases, Giancarlo Pacenti shows why he is one of the very finest growers in Montalcino. Pacenti owns vineyards both in the north and south of Montalcino. In 2008, hail and rain reduced yields by about 30% in Pacenti’s holdings in Piancornello, in the southern part of Montalcino, which tilts the composition of the estate’s flagship Brunello in favor of fruit from the north, near the winery itself. Over the last few years, Pacenti has begun to introduce 500-liter barrels to augment the standard French oak barriques that remain the core of the estate’s cooperage program. The use of the tonneau began with the top-of-the-line PS bottling, which is predominantly aged in 500-liter barrels. After having tasted many wines from barrel here over the years, it seems pretty clear Sangiovese that is so meticulously farmed to low yields responds best to the larger sized French oak barrels. For those who haven’t tasted the Pacenti wines in a few years, you owe it to yourself to do so. Giancarlo Pacenti’s wines have never been this refined or polished. Importers: Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300; Golden State Wine, Van Nuys, CA; tel. (818) 908-9509; Classic Wine Imports, Norwood, MA; tel. (781) 352-1100; Casa Bruno, Portland, OR; tel. (503) 235-7429

Violet, black currant and cherry aromas and flavors define this supple, harmonious Brunello, which is elegant and intense, with dusty yet ripe tannins lending support. It all comes together on the lingering, spice- and mineral-tinged aftertaste. Best from 2017 through 2035. 2,500 cases made.??–BS??Region: Italy / Brunello di Montalcino Select to Add