Parker  94+

Monica Larner 

The Siro Pacenti 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Pelagrilli is heavily marked by an oak tone that sits front and center with whiffs of campfire ash or freshly split firewood. The wine shows rock-solid concentration and a level of phenolic extraction that you don't easily find in Montalcino, unless you make it your mission. The tannins are bitter and grippy, and the oak tannins overshadow the fruit tannins at this very young stage in the wine's life. The alcohol content is a very high 15.5%. Having said all that, 2019 does offer an excellent core of dark fruit, and it has the elements, and the freshness, for long aging. If you love the wines of Siro Pacenti, then you know these wines need more bottle age. Production is 24,000 bottles.

Siro Pacenti's decidedly baritone wines are sometimes hard to understand, mostly because it defies logic to apply winemaking techniques that upload phenolics and concentration to such an extreme, especially with a grape as seemingly fragile and nuanced as Sangiovese. However, I remain convinced of their ability to age and render beautiful results to those who have the patience to wait. I recently left a less-than-half-full bottle out on my kitchen counter and forgot about it for more than a week. When I returned to sample the contents, I was blown away by how much it had softened and integrated, without feeling oxidized. Built like a tank, these wines are absolutely not for immediate drinking.

Sucklin 96 

Beautiful fresh fruit with crushed cherries, orange peel and flowers. Pure. Full-bodied with round and juicy fruit and a long, creamy finish. Flamboyant and beautiful with velvety and creamy tannins that provide a wonderful texture. Drink after 2027.