Siro Pacenti

Siro Pacenti founded the estate in 1970 with the purchase of the Pelagrilli property north of Montalcino in the Canalicchio district, a cool, clay-rich sector that has since become recognised as one of the appellation's premier zones. The Pacenti family farmed the land and made wine for several years before commercial Siro Pacenti labels emerged. The pivotal moment came when Siro sent his son Giancarlo to study oenology in Bordeaux, then the centre of modern wine science. Giancarlo returned in 1988 and immediately led the family's first major investment in winery infrastructure, modern cellar equipment, and clean fermentation practices. Wines have been released under the Siro Pacenti label continuously since the 1988 vintage. In 1990, Giancarlo expanded the estate with the Piancornello property in the warmer southern Montalcino sector.

• Estate founded 1970 by Siro Pacenti with the purchase of Pelagrilli in Canalicchio, northern Montalcino
• Son Giancarlo studied oenology in Bordeaux and returned to manage the estate in 1988
• First commercial Siro Pacenti label released from the 1988 vintage following major cellar modernisation
• Piancornello vineyard (southern Montalcino) added 1990; vines planted by Giancarlo's maternal grandfather in the 1960s

Siro Pacenti's two vineyards represent contrasting expressions of Montalcino terroir. Pelagrilli, in the northern Canalicchio district, sits on fresh, clay-rich soils where Sangiovese benefits from cooler temperatures and slower ripening, producing wines of fine acidity, elegant structure, and floral aromatics. The 15 hectares are planted entirely to Sangiovese Grosso. Piancornello, in southern Montalcino, occupies warmer, drier sites where the same variety ripens earlier and yields richer, more concentrated, fruit-forward wines with rounder tannins. The combination of the two sectors allows Giancarlo Pacenti to produce stylistically distinct cuvees from a single estate ownership, blending or bottling separately as the vintage allows. Together the holdings include roughly one-fifth of Montalcino's total plantings of vines aged 40 years or older.

• Pelagrilli (northern Montalcino, Canalicchio district): ~15 hectares, clay-rich soils, 100% Sangiovese Grosso, cooler microclimate
• Piancornello (southern Montalcino): vines planted 1960s by Giancarlo's maternal grandfather, warmer microclimate, richer wines
• Estate among the appellation's largest owners of 40+ year-old Sangiovese vines (~one-fifth of Montalcino's old-vine total)
• Two-site portfolio enables distinct stylistic expressions: refined northern vs concentrated southern

Giancarlo Pacenti's Bordeaux training informs a precision-oriented winemaking approach that combines traditional Montalcino practices with modernist details. Fermentations are conducted on the skins for extended periods to extract structure and depth, but maceration and pressing are managed carefully to avoid harsh tannin. Brunello is aged in French oak, with new barriques selected for cleanliness and aromatic precision; Giancarlo insists on wood seasoned at least 20 years before barrel-making and uses very light toasting to avoid vanilla or clove notes obscuring the fruit. This approach distinguishes Siro Pacenti from both rigid traditionalists (who use exclusively large Slavonian botti) and from heavy-handed modernists (who use newer, more heavily toasted French oak). The result is a third way: precise, expressive, modern, but still recognisably terroir-driven Brunello.

• Extended skin maceration for structure and depth, managed to avoid harsh tannin extraction
• Aging in French oak barriques; wood seasoned 20+ years before barrel-making for cleanliness
• Very light toasting on barrels to avoid vanilla/clove notes overshadowing the fruit
• Third-way style: precise modernist methodology with terroir-driven expression

Siro Pacenti's lineup is structured around the contrast between the two sites. The Brunello di Montalcino Pelagrilli (formerly the estate Brunello) emerges from the northern site, showing the elegant, structured Pelagrilli profile. The Brunello di Montalcino Vecchie Vigne is sourced from the oldest vines in the Pelagrilli vineyard, offering greater concentration and depth. The Brunello di Montalcino PS Riserva (PS for Piancornello and Sangiovese) sources from the southern Piancornello holding and represents the estate's prestige Riserva tier, produced only in exceptional vintages. Rosso di Montalcino offers an accessible introduction to the house style. The wines have received consistent acclaim from critics including Wine Spectator, James Suckling, Vinous, and Gambero Rosso.

• Brunello di Montalcino Pelagrilli: estate Brunello from the northern Pelagrilli vineyard, elegant and structured
• Brunello di Montalcino Vecchie Vigne: old-vine selection from Pelagrilli, greater concentration and depth
• Brunello di Montalcino PS Riserva: prestige Riserva from southern Piancornello, only in top vintages
• Rosso di Montalcino: accessible early-drinking expression of the estate house style

Siro Pacenti welcomes visitors by appointment at the Pelagrilli estate, offering cellar tours, tastings across the range, and access to the contrasting Pelagrilli and Piancornello terroirs in a single visit. The estate has become a reference point for sommeliers and collectors seeking precision-oriented modern Brunello with clear terroir signature. Giancarlo Pacenti is an active voice in the appellation and represents Siro Pacenti at international trade events, Brunello previews, and educational tastings. The wines age beautifully across 15 to 25 years for the Brunello bottlings, with the PS Riserva and Vecchie Vigne capable of even longer development in the cellar.

• Visitor tastings and cellar tours by appointment at the Pelagrilli estate
• Reference point for sommeliers and collectors seeking modern-traditional Brunello with terroir signature
• Critical acclaim from Wine Spectator, James Suckling, Vinous, Gambero Rosso
• Aging potential: 15-25 years for Brunello bottlings, longer for Vecchie Vigne and PS Riserva