CANALICCHIO DI SOPRA

Canalicchio di Sopra is one of the most respected family-owned estates in Montalcino, Tuscany, celebrated for producing Brunello di Montalcino of exceptional elegance, structure and longevity. Established in 1962 by Primo Pacenti, the winery has become an important reference for traditional Sangiovese, combining historic vineyards, meticulous viticulture and an increasingly detailed understanding of Montalcino's diverse terroirs.

The estate is situated on the northern side of Montalcino, in the historic Canalicchio district, an area renowned for producing some of the appellation's most refined and aromatic wines. Its vineyards occupy a privileged landscape of rolling hills, limestone-rich soils and carefully exposed slopes, where Sangiovese develops remarkable complexity while retaining freshness and structural precision.

The Pacenti family's commitment to Montalcino began during a period of profound transformation for the region. When Primo Pacenti founded Canalicchio di Sopra in 1962, Brunello was still produced by a relatively small number of estates and had yet to achieve the international recognition it enjoys today.

Canalicchio di Sopra subsequently became one of the founding members of the Consorzio del Vino Brunello di Montalcino in 1967, placing the family among the producers who helped establish the identity and quality standards of the appellation.

Today, the estate remains under the stewardship of the Pacenti family, with the third generation continuing the work begun by Primo. The family has maintained an independent philosophy, focusing on estate-grown Sangiovese and the expression of individual vineyard sites rather than expanding into a broad range of international varieties.

The defining grape of Canalicchio di Sopra is Sangiovese Grosso, the traditional local expression of Sangiovese used for Brunello di Montalcino. This variety is capable of producing wines with extraordinary aromatic complexity, combining red cherry, wild strawberry, dried flowers, herbs and spice with firm tannins and vibrant natural acidity.

In Montalcino, the relationship between Sangiovese and terroir is particularly important. Differences in altitude, exposure, soil composition and temperature can produce remarkably different expressions of the same grape variety, ranging from powerful and concentrated wines to more perfumed, delicate and mineral-driven styles.

Canalicchio di Sopra has built its reputation around understanding these differences and preserving them in the finished wines. Rather than relying on excessive extraction or prominent new oak, the estate seeks to create Brunello with balance, aromatic purity, fine tannins and the capacity for extended bottle ageing.

Today, Canalicchio di Sopra encompasses approximately 60 hectares of land, including 19 hectares of vineyards, situated on the northeastern slopes of Montalcino. The estate's vineyards are divided between two highly regarded growing areas: Canalicchio and Montosoli.

These two terroirs form the foundation of the estate's identity. Although geographically close, their differences in geology, exposure and microclimate produce distinctive expressions of Sangiovese, allowing the family to explore the remarkable diversity of Brunello di Montalcino.

Canalicchio, where the winery is located, is characterised by clay-rich soils with significant mineral and calcium content. The vineyards produce wines with generous fruit, depth, supple tannins and an elegant structural framework.

Montosoli, situated on a celebrated hill to the north of Montalcino, is widely recognised as one of the appellation's most distinctive terroirs. Its complex geological composition, including marl, clay and mineral-rich soils, contributes to wines of remarkable aromatic intensity, freshness and longevity.

The estate's commitment to understanding these differences has led to an increasingly important focus on individual vineyards. Rather than treating Brunello as a single uniform expression, Canalicchio di Sopra seeks to demonstrate how Sangiovese responds to the particular conditions of each site.

The flagship Canalicchio di Sopra Brunello di Montalcino DOCG brings together selected fruit from the estate's vineyards in Canalicchio and Montosoli. The wine combines the elegance and generosity of Canalicchio with the mineral structure and freshness of Montosoli, creating a balanced and age-worthy interpretation of northern Montalcino.

Traditionally fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel and matured in large Slavonian oak casks, the Brunello emphasises the natural character of Sangiovese rather than pronounced oak flavours. The result is a classical expression showing red cherry, wild berries, dried flowers, tobacco, Mediterranean herbs and savoury spice.

Among the estate's most prestigious bottlings is Brunello di Montalcino Vigna Montosoli, a single-vineyard wine that expresses the distinctive character of the Montosoli hill.

The Montosoli vineyards benefit from complex exposures and mineral-rich soils, producing Sangiovese with exceptional aromatic definition, vibrant acidity and firm yet refined tannins. The wine is celebrated for its combination of power and elegance, often developing remarkable complexity with extended bottle ageing.

Another important single-vineyard expression is Brunello di Montalcino Vigna La Casaccia, produced from a parcel planted in 1990 within the Canalicchio cru.

Situated at approximately 297–315 metres above sea level, La Casaccia occupies clay-rich soils containing substantial calcium and mineral elements. These conditions produce Sangiovese of considerable depth, structure and aromatic complexity, while maintaining the freshness and elegance essential to the estate's philosophy.

Vigna La Casaccia demonstrates how richness and precision can coexist. Its generous red fruit, savoury complexity and silky tannins are supported by natural acidity, creating a wine capable of developing beautifully over many years.

The wine is traditionally fermented in stainless steel with extended skin contact before undergoing approximately 36 months of maturation in large Slavonian oak casks. This restrained approach to oak allows the vineyard's distinctive fruit and mineral character to remain central.

At the summit of the collection is Canalicchio di Sopra Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, produced only in vintages that offer the exceptional balance, concentration and ageing potential required by the family.

The estate first produced a Riserva in 1985, establishing a tradition of selecting outstanding Sangiovese for extended maturation. Over time, the Riserva has become closely associated with Vigna Vecchia Mercatale, one of the estate's important vineyards within the Canalicchio cru.

Planted in 1988, Vecchia Mercatale occupies approximately two hectares of clay-rich, mineral soils with a northerly exposure. These conditions contribute aromatic complexity, savoury depth and the balance between fruit and acidity necessary for long-lived Brunello.

The Riserva represents a more concentrated and contemplative interpretation of the estate's philosophy. Its combination of depth, structure and freshness allows the wine to evolve over many years, gradually revealing complex notes of dried cherry, leather, tobacco, forest floor and spice.

Alongside its Brunello wines, Canalicchio di Sopra produces Rosso di Montalcino DOC, offering a more immediately approachable expression of the estate's Sangiovese.

Rosso di Montalcino shares the same fundamental grape variety and regional identity as Brunello but is released earlier, allowing the wine to retain a particularly vibrant and youthful character.

The Canalicchio di Sopra Rosso combines bright red fruit, floral aromatics, lively acidity and finely integrated tannins. Although designed to be accessible in its youth, the estate's careful vineyard selection gives the wine more depth and ageing potential than many conventional examples of the appellation.

Across the entire portfolio, Sangiovese remains the sole grape variety. This deliberate specialisation reflects the family's belief that the complexity of Montalcino is best understood through a detailed exploration of its individual vineyards rather than through the introduction of international varieties.

Winemaking remains rooted in traditional Brunello methods. Fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, with careful extraction designed to preserve fruit purity and tannin balance. Extended maturation in large Slavonian oak casks allows the wines to develop gradually without the dominant flavours associated with heavily toasted new barrels.

The estate's philosophy is equally evident in the vineyards. Careful management of vine growth, yields and harvest timing ensures that grapes achieve phenolic maturity while preserving the natural acidity and aromatic freshness essential to Sangiovese.

This balance is particularly important in the context of modern Brunello di Montalcino. As warmer growing seasons create greater potential for ripeness and concentration, the ability to maintain freshness, elegance and structural precision has become increasingly valuable.

Canalicchio di Sopra has remained committed to this classical interpretation of Brunello. Its wines are not defined by excessive extraction or overwhelming richness, but by the interaction of ripe fruit, savoury complexity, mineral structure and finely integrated tannins.

For collectors, the distinction between Canalicchio and Montosoli provides a particularly compelling opportunity to explore the influence of terroir within Montalcino. The estate's Brunello blends offer a harmonious interpretation of both areas, while the single-vineyard bottlings reveal their individual personalities.

The estate also holds an important place in the history of Brunello itself. As one of the founding members of the Brunello di Montalcino consortium, Canalicchio di Sopra helped establish the foundations of an appellation that would become one of Italy's most prestigious fine-wine regions.

More than six decades after Primo Pacenti founded the estate, the family continues to combine traditional winemaking with an increasingly sophisticated understanding of individual vineyard sites. This continuity has allowed Canalicchio di Sopra to develop a distinctive identity among the leading producers of northern Montalcino.

From the vibrant Rosso di Montalcino to the classical Brunello di Montalcino, the distinctive single-vineyard expressions Vigna Montosoli and Vigna La Casaccia, and the exceptionally age-worthy Brunello Riserva, Canalicchio di Sopra offers a remarkable exploration of Sangiovese at its finest.

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