With the crew at the 2025 Christmas Celebration

When we were planning the wines, I had deliberately chosen the Siro and Castel pair (hehe) because I wanted to experience the juxtaposition. I’m pleased.
The Castel is pure and balanced. The Siro is intense, rich and decadent.

In the glass: a much richer ruby, with just a tiny touch of garnet around the rim. Almost a maroon tone? Body was surprisingly mid-

On the nose: this is deep, dark and intense. Beyond the classic sour cherry Sangiovese notes, there’s significantly more dark fruits/berries characteristics. Like a dense blackberry. Distinct sweet oak and mild spices. Tons of floral which I always don’t really know how to place

On the palate: intense, rich and silky body. Tannins are very grippy. Long finish. Very palate coating, and surprisingly near-perfectly integrated alcohol. Again, I noticed the residual sugar, but this specific vintage was much better balanced.

What a damn good Brunello – my meek palate doesn’t always cope well with something like this, but the winemaker has done some magic with achieving balance.