4/23/26 - 

Lately, I have been tasting some excellent wines, but I was particularly charmed by two Brunello producers, Caprili and Castello Tricerchi. Both are historic estates representing the diversity of style found around Montalcino, Caprili to the South West and Tricerchi to the North. In addition to each grower's Brunello, I have their beautiful Rosso di Montalcino. These four wines remind me why I fell in love with Italian wines early in my career. They're quintessentially Tuscan with notes of sour cherry, woodsy herbs, layers of spice, incense, deep textures with lifting acidity.

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Caprili
 
South West of Montalcino sits an historic estate by the name of Caprili. While this part of Brunello is a bit warmer than the North, sandy soils and cooling winds from the sea bring lift and freshness to the wines. Today we have their Rosso di Montalcino 2024 and Brunello di Montalcino 2021.
 
2024 Rosso di Montalcino - A lovely balance of cherries, anise seed, perfume, earth, and spice, this is my perfect Italian red wine. This is the bottle I reach for to take to a dinner party or sip on at home over the course of a few days.
 
2021 Brunello di Montalcino - A vintage with an exciting buzz around it, this wine proves 2021 will be a year to remember due to the wines' approachability while young and potential to age. A cool September with intense diurnal shifts allowed grapes to acheive full ripening, good acidity, and aromatic complexity. A blend of three vineyards with sand, clay, and limestone soils. Woodsy herbs like rosemary and sage, with licorice, tobacco leaf, green peppercorn, and a full body. Underneath is a rocky, gravelly minerality. I recommend decanting for 2-3 hours.

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Castello Tricerchi
 
When I tasted Castello Tricerchi for the first time a few weeks ago, I was surprised I had never heard of them before. I think that might change, as we have been seeing a stylistic return to the elegant and expressive Brunellos of decades past. This is especially true to the North of Montalcino where the higher elevation and well draining rocky soils create wines of freshness and finesse more comparable to Burgundy or Northern Rhone.
 
Castello Tricerchi's history goes back to 1441- the date the castle was built. The Squarcia family have been the continuous owners up to modern day! Their style is marked by traditional techniques like emphasis on vineyard work over cellar work, long macerations, and aging in large neutral barrels. Tommasso Squarcia represents the new generation of the Castello, helping to get their organic certification.
 
Their 2020 Brunello di Montalcino is very pretty, with olive and blackberry aromas reminding me of Syrah. Rose, fresh cut herbs, tobacco, and cedar come to mind with a power in the finish to remind us this is in fact Sangiovese! The wine ferments for 30 days, followed by 30 months of aging in very old, large Slavonian oak barrels.
 
Their 2024 Rosso di Montalcino is made in a partial whole cluster style, where destemmed grapes are layered with whole clusters. I've heard this method referred to as 'millefeuille' and it allows for a long, gentle maceration so you achieve finesse while still allowing the full spectrum of Sangiovese to show. The fruit is sourced from two Brunello sites and is declassified due to shorter aging. Aging is in a mix of stainless steel and neutral barrel. Very fresh and bright, with strawberry, raspberry jam, and roses on top of a savory soy & seaweed note. 
 
While Sangiovese is widely planted through Italy, Montalcino continues to be my gold standard for wines of tension, character, and gastronomy.
 
-Marisa Licandro

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