100% Sangiovese

Food pairing: bistecca alla Fiorentina (pictured above), roasted venison saddle, braised lamb shanks, herb-crusted roast beef, porcini mushroom risotto, aged Pecorino Toscano

"Pelagrilli" receives delicate attention on the sorting table (in multiple tries) and in the cellar. Pelagrilli walks the razor’s edge between elegance and power with uncommon depth and complexity.

Siro Pacenti

Siro Pacenti, the highly rated and reviewed estate in Montalcino is a perfect example (pictured above). They are not classically “traditional” for a couple of reasons. First the estate is relatively new, founded in 1970 just as Brunello was finally beginning to shake off the damage of 2 world wars and a long economic recession. And second, Siro’s son, Giancarlo, was trained in Bordeaux and has from the time he took over in 1988 insisted on using winemaking methods that are clearly more, well, French.

What this boils down to is a choice of barrels for aging the wine. Giancarlo has always used French oak instead of Slavonian, and he adds new barrels every year into the mix in order to maintain strict standards of cleanliness. But that’s about it. The estate itself is run very much in line with tradition, having only about 20 of the 60 hectares planted to Sangiovese (yes, just Sangiovese) and the rest is olive groves and cereal grains.

The winery's banner item, "Pelagrilli" receivesvdelicate attention on the sorting table (in multiple tries) and in the cellar (pictured above). Pelagrilli walks the razor's edge between elegance and power with uncommon depth and complexity