Brave New World Pricing $44.99 with shipping included on 6 bottles or more 

LIMITED, First Come, First Served

Capanna is, of course, one of Montalcino’s true blue chips with a history that goes back the very beginning of the Brunello appellation itself. In fact, the late Giuseppe Capanna was one of the original founders of the Consorzio di Brunello di Montalcino. Now in their fourth generation, it’s a property at the very peak of its powers. One of the big reasons is, of course, geography. The Capanna farm sits on the slopes of Montosoli Hill, at the northernmost sector of the Montalcino appellation- a higher altitude and, importantly, one of the coolest zones in the entire region. With summer temps climbing every year, this little hill has found itself as the perfect confluence of perfect climate and excellent grower, and thanks to properties like Livio Sassetti-Pertimali, Canalicchio di Sopra, Altesino, Valdicava and Capanna working these vines, Montosoli has become Ground Zero for a lot the top Brunellos being made these days. Capanna farms their 20 hectares organically and works with extraordinary care in the cellar, producing, from the powerful 2017 harvest, three incredibly successful Brunellos. The so-called Brunello Normale (‘basic’ Brunello) is one of our very best sellers every vintage as it combines power and elegance about as well as it can be done. Never the biggest, baddest or highest scoring Brunello on the block, it seduces with understatement, obvious depth and a sense of gravitas rather than with the sheer bombast we saw in a lot of wines from this harvest; it’s a throwback to the style of wine that made Brunello di Montalcino one of the world’s great collectibles in the first place. That being said, and this is also a testament to the new climate and a better sense in the cellar of how to handle Sangiovese’s tannins, with decanting, I am betting you will find this a marvelous glass of wine already and perfect tonight to accompany, say, a rare-grilled Tomahawk bistecca, a braised pork shoulder or a wild mushrooms and polenta dish. And with a long-cooked Bolognese, it is one of the world’s best combinations! Love the Brave New World pricing too. This is not gray market! 

The Wine Advocate: The Capanna 2017 Brunello di Montalcino shows fresh primary fruit initially, but the bouquet is otherwise footed in ethereal tones of balsam herb, cola, crushed flowers and autumnal leaf. The wine delivers purity and a nice level of complexity that flirts with both varietal and territory-specific characteristics. It registers 15% alcohol, but thankfully it's not too intrusive. That power and the wine's structure, with some mild tannic bitterness, plays against the delicate quality of fruit you get here. 93 points

James Suckling: Lots of ripe berries and sandalwood with nutmeg. It’s full-bodied with chewy tannins and a big, juicy finish. Needs time to soften. Chunky. Try after 2025. 93 points