Canalicchio-Franco Pacenti is a family-owned winery in the Canalicchio area in the northern part of the Montalcino region of Tuscany, Italy. 

Owner: Franco Pacenti and his sons. Contact: Lisa Pacenti.

Background: The estate was established in the 1960’s by Franco Pacenti’s father Rosildo. When Franco took over in 1988 with his wife, they renamed the estate by adding the term Canalicchio to reflect its position in the Canalicchio area on the north-eastern side of Montalcino (the Canalicchio di Sopra winery is nearby). Their children are Lisa (who is married to a fireman), Serena and Lorenzo.

Vineyards: 36 hectares (89 acres) of land in total, on the north-eastern side of the town, at the foot of the hill of Montalcino, on the north-eastern side, in the basin of the Canalicchio, below Montosoli, near Valdicava and next to Lambardi (Canalicchio di Sotto) on the lower part of the hill where this gives way to arable crops. There are 10 hectares (24.7 acres) of vineyards which are 100% Sangiovese. The altitude is probably around 300 metres (1,000 feet).

Other crops: 1 hectare (2.47 acres) of olives for olive oil. Also land for sowable crops (‘seminativo’).

Winemaking: Stainless steel for fermentation. Ageing in Slavonian oak botte (27hl- 50hl).

Red wines

IGT Toscana Rosso, Il Bersaglio: 100% Sangiovese. 6-8 months in steel. 3,000-5,000 bottles.

Rosso di Montalcino DOC: 10,000-15,000 bottles. | 2011 Tidy fruit, tannin with refreshing fruit flavours tasted blind at the Brunello Consorzio Tues 27th May 2014 with Ian d’Agata and others. | 2012 8,666 bottles. Bottled very recently. Smooth, ripe, warm, concentrated, depth, seductive style, I’d like to see less weight and more elegance, fruit a bit primary but still good (Anteprima 2014). | 2012 Savoury, well weighted, floral red cherry, decent length, well done (Anteprima 2015). | 2013 8 months in botti. Nice bright fruit, nice tannins, twisty sweet fruit, lovely tannin, very savoury (Anteprima 2015). | 2014 Very nice fruit and weight, delicious, fresh, perfumed (Anteprima 2016). | 2016 Very individualistic red fruit at Osticcio in Montalcino on Friday 16th February 2018 with Michaela Morris. | 2017 6,500 bottles.

Brunello di Montalcino DOCG: Average production 15,000-20,000 bottles. | 2000 Light, evolved style, nice crisp flavour (Anteprima 2005). | 2007 36 months in cask. | 2009 Nice garnet colour, plenty of savoury fruit, almost exuberant traditional style in a modern vein (Anteprima 2014). | 2009 14.5%. L03/13. Evolved palid ruby garnet. Shy nose, not giving much away. Shows classicism in terms of its mid-weight fruit and clarity tasted blind at the Brunello Consorzio Tues 27th May 2014 with Ian d’Agata and others. | 2009 Lovely fruit, moreish, beautiful weight, some of the best tannin today, lovely clarity, very very good (Anteprima 2015). | 2011 Levity and denseness, lots of depth, but weightless (Anteprima 2016). | 2012 Lovely wild fruit nose, chewy tannins, very youthful, very savoury (Anteprima 2017). | 2014 One of the best 2014 Brunellos, showing clarity, depth and tannins whose weight perfectly matches the fruit (Anteprima 2019). | 2015 24,000 bottles.

Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Rosildo: 2015 1,000 bottles.

Brunello di Montalcino DOCG Riserva: 2010 Very deep but not over-extracted, lovely ripe fruit underneath some evolved aromas (Anteprima 2016).

Spirits: Grappa di Brunello.

Contact

Azienda Agricola Pacenti Franco

Loc. Canalicchio di Sopra, 6

53024 Montalcino (SI), Italy

Tel+39 0577.849277 | Website: www.canalicchiofrancopacenti.it