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Siro Pacenti Brunello di Montalcino Pelagrilli 2021

$7999
Use code 10OFF to get 10% off 12+ bottles
Pelagrilli is the entry point to one of Montalcino's great modern estates, and it's still the bottle that tells you most about the place — it's named for the original vineyard Siro Pacenti bought in 1970, and it remains the house's flagship Brunello. Pelagrilli sits at 350 meters on clay and sand at the base of the Montalcino hill, north and east of the village in the Canalicchio district, a cooler corner of the appellation. Giancarlo Pacenti, who took over from his father in 1988 after training in Bordeaux, has never used Slavonian oak — it's French barriques here, 225 liters, 24 months, with new barrels folded in every year — and farming is sustainable, with biodynamic principles alongside organic practice. The restraint is real: of roughly 60 hectares, only about 20 are planted to Sangiovese, the rest olive groves and cereal, and the winery bottles around 66,000 bottles a year when Brunello rules would let them make well over 100,000 from the same number of vines. Fruit is picked and sorted entirely by hand, before and after destemming. Bottled unfiltered, so expect some sediment and give it a decant — that's the producer's own advice. For what comparable Brunello costs, this is one of the appellation's genuine insider buys.

Shipping

Every step of the journey is managed to uphold the integrity of each bottle.

  • Nationwide Access: Flat-rate shipping available to most U.S. states with delivery in 3-5 business days.
  • Temperature-Monitored Shipping: We closely monitor weather conditions and make informed decisions to ensure shipments travel safely, with insulated packaging and refrigerated transport available when required.
  • Wine-Specific Protective Packaging: Specialized materials designed to maintain label integrity and prevent breakage during transit.
  • Provenance Assured: All wines are maintained in climate-controlled conditions at our shop until the moment of dispatch.

Returns & Exchanges

We stand behind every bottle we sell.

  • If the wine is less than 10 years old and it is corked, you may return it to us for a full refund or exchange within 60 days of purchase. You must show us proof of purchase. We understand that you may not live near a shop and that it is difficult to ship open bottles of wine to us, so if there's any problem feel free to Contact Us and we'll work it out.
  • For wines older than 10 years, the consumer bears the risk of a faulty cork, but we accept returns of older bottles if the wine is faulty as a result of improper storage. Please come by the store or Contact Us if there is a problem.
  • We may, at our discretion and to the extent permitted by law, accept returns of unopened wines within 30 days of purchase if they were properly stored by the purchaser, subject to a 15% re-stocking fee.

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Antonio Galloni

94 points

"Balsamic black cherries blend with nuances of mocha, brown spice and minty herbs as the 2021 Brunello di Montalcino Pelagrilli dominates the glass. It has the weight of velvet yet remains lifted and serene, with crisp red and black fruits that slowly penetrate, complemented by a twang of citrus. A bitter dark chocolate tinge adds tension through the close, further enhanced by edgy tannins, yet the 2021 leaves the mouth watering for more. Beautifully done." —Eric Guido

Robert Parker

93 points

"The Siro Pacenti 2021 Brunello di Montalcino Pelagrilli shows concentration with dark fruit flavors framed by powdery tannins that extend through a medium- to full-bodied finish. Following fermentation in stainless steel, the wine matures in French barrique, a choice that adds structure and polish to this bold expression. Sourced from 10 hectares of moisture-retaining clay soils in the northern part of the appellation at 330 meters above sea level, the wine delivers notable power and warmth, closing with an evident 15.5% alcohol. This is a release of 24,000 bottles." —Monica Larner

Jancis Robinson

16.5 points

"Mid ruby that already looks a little developed. Deep and brooding with hints of dark fruit and sour cherry. Spice and sour cherry with plentiful, slightly drying tannins, but displaying considerable length on the finish." —Walter Speller

Wine Spectator

95 points

"Broad and dense, this muscular red evokes cherry, raspberry, tar, iron, sanguine and eucalyptus aromas and flavors. Youthful and reserved, with plenty of potential in two to three years. Shows fine balance and length."

More about Siro Pacenti

Siro Pacenti, the highly rated and reviewed estate in Montalcino is a perfect example. 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.

Giancarlo is very much focused on the farming, and has been using biodynamic principles along with organic practices for many years. Clean, ripe, healthy fruit is the key to producing wines of transparency and terroir, which is the only goal in the cellar. There is nothing “international” at all in this pursuit of producing the finest wines of Brunello.

So where should we place Siro Pacenti on the spectrum between modern and traditional? I don't think it matters. What does is that wines are poised, elegant, powerful and delicious. And purely Montalcino.

Wine Details

  • Grape Variety

    Sangiovese

  • Vintage

    2021

  • Size

    750ml

  • Farming Practice

    Biodynamic

  • Style

    Earthy

  • Sweetness

    Dry

  • Body

    Full Bodied

Flatiron's Take

From the Importer

Tasting Notes & Food Pairings

Perfect Pairings

Bistecca alla fiorentina, wild boar ragù over pappardelle, roast duck with cherries, porcini risotto, braised short ribs, aged pecorino and Parmigiano.

Tasting Profile

Dry, medium- to full-bodied red. Sangiovese's red cherry and dried plum with floral and spice notes, plus a fine grain of French oak. Firm, polished tannins and bright acidity, with a long savory finish. Decant before serving; it's unfiltered, so a little sediment is normal.

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