Product Information:
The Canalicchio di Sopra Rosso di Montalcino 2022 is crafted primarily from the estate's younger vineyards and serves as a captivating introduction to their style. This energetic, fruity, and versatile expression of Sangiovese showcases the estate's sole variety. The wine is long and deep, with ripeness reflecting the warmer year, but balanced beautifully by Canalicchio's signature freshness. Wine critic Walter Speller described this release as an "overachiever." Its bouquet offers sought-after notes of rose, deep cherry, white pepper, and tobacco leaf, followed by succulent fruit and polished, cheek-tugging tannins on the palate.
The Rosso di Montalcino is predominantly sourced from the vineyards located in the Canalicchio Cru (300m elevation), where soils rich in clay and intermediate elements like magnesium, iron, and manganese shape the wine's character. In certain vintages, a small percentage of grapes may also come from the Montosoli Cru, where marl soils contribute added sapidity and minerality.
Fermentation occurs in steel vats under controlled temperatures, with daily soft pumping over. The wine undergoes a 15-20 day maceration on the skins, followed by 12 months of aging in Slavonian oak barrels (50 hl and 25 hl) and French oak barrels (750 litres).
Maker:
Founded by Primo Pacenti in 1962, Canalicchio di Sopra has been a family-run estate for over six decades. In 1987, Primo was joined by his son-in-law Pier Luigi Ripaccioli, and since 2001, Pier Luigi's children—Francesco, Simonetta, and Marco—have taken the helm. The estate produces both Rosso di Montalcino and Brunello di Montalcino, drawing from the esteemed Canalicchio and Montosoli parcels on the northern side of Montalcino, which together total 19 hectares of vineyards.
The soils in the Canalicchio parcels are predominantly clay with pebbles and a strong mineral content, resulting in wines with aromatic intensity, opulence, and minerality. The Casaccia parcel is particularly notable for its extraordinary elegance, latent power, balance, and silky tannins, which often see it bottled separately. The Rosso di Montalcino is made from the estate's younger vineyards and represents the winery's calling card—a fresh, fruity, and versatile expression of Sangiovese. The first vintage was produced in 1975, when it was still referred to as "Red Wine from Brunello vines."
Philosophy:
For over 50 years, Canalicchio di Sopra has pursued the quest for elegance, which lies at the core of their winemaking philosophy. From cultivating their own Cru vineyards to choosing unique microclimates that naturally limit grape yields, every step is taken with care and precision to highlight the distinctive characteristics of their terroir.
The estate focuses solely on Sangiovese, embracing the grape’s ability to express the unique traits of their Canalicchio and Montosoli vineyards. By working closely with these differences in terrain, exposure, and microclimates, Canalicchio di Sopra has built a strong identity, defined by their classical yet distinct wines. Their 19 hectares of vineyards yield wines that are elegant, powerful, mineral-rich, and refreshing, with notable acidity and purity—a true reflection of the land, climate, and people who shape them.
Nose - Rose Petals, Savoury Berries, Iron
A bouquet of rose petals and wild strawberries offset by white pepper. Savoury berries and plums with touches of iron and minerals.
Palate - Ripe Wild Berry, Dusty Tannins, Saline
Remarkably pretty and spicy to the core. Lush, succulent fruit and polished tannins on the palate.
Finish - Tense, Sour Cranberry, Dry Herbs
It finishes tense and structured, with a trace of sour cranberry and citrus that tugs at the cheeks. An over achiever.
Savory berries and plums with touches of iron and minerals on the nose. Juicy on the palate, with a medium body and a mouthful of dusty tannins. A solid Rosso di Montalcino. - James Suckling, 92 Points.
Remarkably pretty and spicy to the core, the 2022 Rosso di Montalcino blossoms in the glass with a bouquet of rose petals and wild strawberries offset by white pepper. This is lifted and graceful in style with a salty, saline core that grumbles beneath its ripe wild berry fruits. It finishes tense and structured, with a trace of sour cranberry and citrus that tugs at the cheeks. The purity of Sangiovese is on full display here. Have patience with the 2022 because the best is yet to come. - Eric Guido, Vinous, 91+ Points.
Lustrous mid ruby. Perfumed, deep cherry nose with a hint of complex oak and just the beginning of tobacco leaf. Lush, succulent fruit and polished tannins on the palate. Long and deep and clearly from a hot year, but well balanced. Overachiever. - Walter Speller, JancisRobinson.com, 17 Points (Superior)
The Finer Details
Style - Red Wine
Varietal - Sangiovese
Country - Italy
Region - Montalcino, Tuscany
Vintage - 2022
Bottle Size - 750ml
ABV - 14.5%
Closure - Cork
