Castelnuovo dell'Abate is home to the stately 17th-century palazzo where Guiseppe Bianchini vinified the wines of Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona until a few years ago. Today the wines are produced and bottled in a brand new cellar just outside the village. Cyclist Paulo Bianchini traded his bike for his father's heritage and oversees the performance of the peloton of wines. At the bottom of the ladder is a juicy Rosso IGP Toscana. A step higher are two DOC Sant'Antimos: 'Ateo' with cabernet sauvignon and merlot in the blend and 'Fabius', a pure syrah. The Rosso di Montalcino is the prelude to the big boys. Two Brunellos are made every year: the regular Brunello is a blend from different vineyards and the Brunello Pianrosso is a cru so comes from only one (the best) vineyard. The Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona Brunello di Montalcino Pianrosso is distinguished by a unique aromatic profile that brings out mineral notes of crushed limestone or chalk. This adds a greater sense of focus and delineation that is not only noticeable in the bouquet but also applies to the way the wine hits the palate in a fuller and more determined way (compared to the slightly softer classic Brunello). This wine still needs some time, so decant in its younger years. The Brunello di Montalcino Pianrosso comes from a single vineyard. The wine has received 94/100 points from James Suckling and 94/100 points from Parker. ABOUT 2017 2017 was a hot and dry harvest year. Fortunately, the Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona estate is in a fairly cool location with south-facing vines and well-drained soils at the back of Castelbuovo dell'Abate. This special place is the reason that all the wines of Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona always have very high scores. Also highly recommended to taste the wine of this house vertically. The lifespan is always very long in all cases, so it is nice to taste a number of vintages next to each other (vertical) and to taste the climatic differences in the wine. This estate is also certified for organic farming. Fact: Of course we buy directly, so safe, direct and conditioned transport from winery to our conditioned Wine Warehouse. Given the very high 2015 and 2016 scores, there is a lot of NEP in circulation. This wine is protected by a hologram on the capsule so you can check that you have an original Ciacci Brunello Pianrosso