The estate’s 2004 Brunello di Montalcino Pianrosso possesses striking depth as endless layers of sweet, perfumed fruit emerge with tons of grace. This, too, is an intense, full-bodied wine. The balance here is utterly exceptional, and the wine’s sheer plumpness makes for a highly rewarding glass of Brunello. Succulent dark cherries, spices, underbrush, minerals and new leather come to life as the wine sits in the glass, yet this remains a backward, structured Brunello in need of serious bottle age. The Pianrosso is a terrific effort from proprietor Paolo Bianchini. Ciacci’s Pianrosso is an old-vines selection that spent 36 months in Slavonian oak. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2024. Proprietor Paolo Bianchini has a lovely set of wines on his hands with these new releases. Fans of the estate can also look forward to the 2004 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, which will be released next year.Importer: Indigenous Selections, Fort Lauderdale FL; tel. (954) 530 4021

The estate’s 2004 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Vigna di Pianrosso Santa Caterina d’ Oro is rich and sensual in its layers of dark fruit. Ripe and perfumed , the wine reveals tons of persistence, great depth, fine, silky tannins and an expansive, multi-dimensional personality that emerges over time. Menthol, pine, spices and a host of other balsamic nuances swirl around in the glass, adding further complexity to the dark fruit and rounding out the wine beautifully. Readers who are patient will be rewarded with a superb Brunello. This is a terrific effort from proprietor Paolo Bianchini. Ciacci’s Pianrosso is an old-vines selection that spent 36 months in Slavonian oak. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2024. Proprietor Paolo Bianchini has turned out a gorgeous set of wines. In 2005 Bianchini elected to forgo his top Brunello, Pianrosso, and bottle just his straight Brunello, which has all of the best fruit he was able to bring in that year. The result speaks for itself. I also tasted a number of Brunellos in cask from vintages 2006 through 2008 that appear quite promising. As good as the Brunellos are, value-conscious readers will want to pay special attention to Ciacci’s entry-level wines, which are just as noteworthy. Importer: Indigenous Selections, Fort Lauderdale FL; tel. (954) 530-4021