08/05/2026
For an anniversary dinner at an Italian restaurant, I'd lean toward the 2014 Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona Brunello di Montalcino.
Here's why:
🍷 2014 Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona Brunello
Why I'd choose it:
Age: At around 12 years old, it's likely entering a beautiful drinking window. The tannins should be softened, and you'll start getting those wonderful secondary notes of leather, dried cherry, to***co, forest floor, and spice that make Brunello so romantic.
Food pairing: Brunello is incredibly versatile with Italian cuisine. It shines with:
Steak or bistecca
Lamb
Osso buco
Mushroom dishes
Truffle pasta
Aged Pecorino or Parmigiano
Tomato-based sauces
🍷 2019 Virna Barolo
Also an excellent bottle, but:
2019 is considered a fantastic vintage, and many Barolos from that year are still quite youthful. They often benefit from several more years in the cellar, or at least a long decant (2–4 hours).
If you enjoy powerful structure and firm tannins, it could still be wonderful, but it's probably not showing all it has to offer yet.
For an anniversary...
I'd choose the Brunello because it will likely be:
More expressive right now
More elegant and approachable
Better suited to a celebratory evening without wondering whether it's still too young.
Tickets for Practical Magic 2 go on sale next week!
