Poggio Antico Brunello di Montalcino Altero 2001

Professional Ratings

• 94 Wine & Spirits
  From an estate near the town of Tavernelle, just southwest of Montalcino, this brunello makes a powerful statement. It is both heady and rich in its black fruit, while giving no ground on brooding tannin and acidity. The structure developed through aging two years in 500-liter French tonneaux, followed by two years in bottle. It feels tough and austere, yet it also feels fresh, the fruit balancing that toughness with gentleness. Tremendously long, extremely concentrated, powerfully extracted and still elegant, this has a long life ahead.
• 91 Wine Spectator
  Lots of bright fruit and licorice with just a hint of wood. Full-bodied, with silky tannins and a long, caressing finish.
• 91 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
  The 2001 Brunello di Montalcino Altero is the estate's more modern Brunello. A saturated ruby, it offers an expressive, perfumed nose along with nuances of scorched earth, toasted oak, licorice and sweet dark fruit in a richly concentrated, expansive style. This deeply-flavored Brunello will require a few years to integrate and should drink well for at least another decade. Extended aeration is not suggested with this wine, however. Tasted alongside the regular bottling a day after opening, the Altero was less impressive than it was the day before, while the regular bottling was still developing positively. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2019.