The 2018 Brunello di Montalcino Vecchie Vigne opens with hauntingly dark florals and balsamic tones, as swirling brings about hints of black currant and crushed stone. This is supremely soft-textured, yet lifted by cooling minerality and bright acidity that guides its crunchy wild berry fruits across the palate. It tapers off with amazing length and potency, drenching the senses with primary concentration, as a framework of fine tannins gently tug at the cheeks. The 2018 Vecchie Vigne is a radiant Brunello in need of cellaring to fully blossom. That said, I don’t remember ever tasting a VV from Siro Pacenti with this much energy. I’m very eager to taste this again with some bottle age.

From old vines, as the wine's name suggests, the 2018 Brunello di Montalcino Vecchie Vigne is spicy and very savory. The bouquet introduces a lot of exotic elements that you won't find in any of its peers. These include cumin, clove and cardamom. These spicy notes frame a core of black fruit. This is a medium to full-bodied Brunello with a big sense of inner power that is underlined by a high 15% alcohol content. It does, however, finish a bit short. Some 18,000 bottles were released.

Deep ruby. Exotic, lifted raspberry and cassis nose and a hint of passion fruit, and oak that is almost completely absorbed by the fruit. The nose description might sound completely bizarre, but it is hugely attractive. Succulent and ripe but with real fruit focus on the palate. Tons of dry, but not rough, tannins and fantastic depth and balance. Super-compelling but needs more bottle age for the tannins to settle and integrate. My bet is it will be more than worth the wait. (WS)