TN: 1993 Canalicchio di Sopra Brunello di Montalcino

WINE TALK
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  • 1993 Canalicchio di Sopra Brunello di Montalcino - Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino (12/22/2009)
    Opens with a medium bodied red fruit nose with notes of fir and cedar needles… reminiscent of the scent of walking in a forest in spring (fresh notes vs the old leaf notes). Medium boddy and light red fruit on the palate, a bit transparent - good with food and fine for my palate but those who crave palate density will be disappointed. The nose stays consistent over an hour plus taking on some spice and seeing the green recede a bit with more floral notes too. Lovely wine, not blockbuster or OMG but also nice, balanced and with life yet to go.

Posted from CellarTracker

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Neat. What do you know about the producer? I just bought a bottle of their '97 because it was labeled “Le Gode di Montosoli.” Figured if it was Montosoli dirt, it would be worth a try.

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Fwiw, the standard label CdS '97 is my favorite '97 Brunello I’ve yet tasted (out of quite a few). In a tasting with some monstrous, new-school producers (La Serena, for example), the CdS was the class of the group. Elegant, long, complex.

Very nice tasting note.

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Keith,

The Le Gode is a kind of riserva I believe. Note that there are 2 Canalichio’s, Primo Pacenti and Franco Pacenti. Related, but diff vineyards and wineries. This was the Primo (black label at the time). In general the wines are driven more by aromatics than palate density and more by minerality than fruit. Even young they have a lovely nose and medium body. They’re fairly traditional and so get lost in all the hype over Soldera, Valdicava etc, but are quite nice wines with complex noses and good palates. They’re food wines in the best sense of the word - wines that reach higher with food that matches them. I quite like them but don’t buy Brunello anymore since the US prices are out of control. These were ~$35ish and while the dollar was strong relative to the lira most Brunello were a good buy. At the current exchange rate and with the the demand for Brunello most that I like are closer to $75 and the wines aren’t worth the premium over good Chianti like Felsina.

EDIT: This held up very well on night 2 (corked, in fridge). Still fresh, with perhaps a bit of the fruit more high toned and penetrating. Quite nice.