2012 Canalicchio di Sopra Rosso di Montalcino

(87 Points)  The 2012 Rosso di Montalcino is representative of an estate that has always taken great care to safeguard this often overlooked relative of Brunello. Having said that, the 2012 does not quiet live up to the fabulous 2011 Rosso - a wine I found immensely enjoyable. This is a deep and nicely saturated Rosso with ripe notes of spice, dark cherry, blackberry and distant hints of smoked bacon that fill in the rear. It's relatively straightforward (it macerates on the skins for 15 days and later ages for 12 months in oak cask) with soft layers of fresh fruit. Drink: 2014-2018.

Only a few brief moments into my winery visit with Francesco Ripaccioli, it was evident that I was looking the future of Brunello di Montalcino squarely in the eyes. This young man is the personification of a new generation of vintners and proprietors who will soon inherit this storied winemaking legacy. Francesco's confidence with languages, his clear understanding of his family's patrimony, and his deep commitment to the winemaking process makes him, like many others in his age group, an encouraging symbol of what will come.  Wine Advocate #211, Feb 2014