Poggio Antico Brunello di Montalcino Altero 2012
-
Robert
Parker -
James
Suckling -
Wine
Spectator -
Wine
Enthusiast
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Starting with the 1995 vintage, the aging period in wood required for Brunello was reduced to two years. Because from the very first vintage Altero had always conformed to these new requirements (and all the others), it automatically gained the status of Brunello di Montalcino. For these reasons Altero is referred to as the estate’s more "modern" Brunello.
Professional Ratings
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Here's a richly concentrated expression from one of the highest sites in Montalcino. The wine shows excellent balance and suppleness. The 2012 Brunello di Montalcino Altero flaunts the best characteristics of the hot vintage including beautifully saturated color intensity, seamless aromas and good texture richness. On that last point, I feel that the mouthfeel has been positively impacted by oak tannins. Dark cherry and dried blackberry are followed by spice, tar, licorice and grilled rosemary or Mediterranean herb. The wine is youthful and tight but should obtain a more polished approach with a few more years of bottle aging.
-
James Suckling
A pretty and ripe Brunello with lots of plum and cherry aromas. Full body, soft and chewy tannins and a flavorful finish. Some dustiness within the texture. Dense and enticing.
-
Wine Spectator
A lean, tightly wound version, with the tannins gaining the upper hand on the cherry, tobacco, orange peel and iron flavors. Though brooding, this is vibrant, delivering power and length. Best from 2022 through 2033.
-
Wine Enthusiast
Aromas of French oak, coconut, toast and a whiff of menthol follow through to the medium-bodied palate along with sour cherry, raspberry, star anise and clove. Close-grained tannins leave a firm finish. Some may find this too oak-driven but others will find it attractive.
Other Vintages
2017-
James
Suckling -
Wine
Spectator -
Robert
Parker
-
James
Suckling -
Robert
Parker -
Wine
Spectator -
Wine
Enthusiast - Decanter
-
Wine
Spectator -
Robert
Parker -
James
Suckling - Decanter
-
Wine
Enthusiast
-
James
Suckling -
Wine
Enthusiast -
Robert
Parker -
Wine
Spectator
-
James
Suckling -
Wine
Spectator
-
Wine
Spectator -
James
Suckling -
Robert
Parker
-
Wine
Spectator
-
James
Suckling -
Robert
Parker
-
James
Suckling -
Wine
Enthusiast
-
Wine
Enthusiast -
James
Suckling -
Wine
Spectator -
Robert
Parker
-
Wine
Enthusiast -
Wine
Spectator -
Robert
Parker
-
Wine &
Spirits -
Wine
Spectator -
Robert
Parker
-
Wine
Spectator
-
Wine
Spectator -
James
Suckling
Poggio Antico is one of Montalcino's most elevated estates, with vineyards averaging 1476 feet above sea level, southwest of the famed medieval citadel. Both the unique location and altitude privilege the wines of Poggio Antico, which benefit from the perfect exposure and enjoy favorable overnight drops in temperature, ideal conditions that increase finesse and intense bouquet.
Poggio Antico was founded in 1976 and consist of 50 clayey, calcareous acres of Brunello di Montalcino. The estate has seen a phenomenal growth, going from 50 to the present 80 acres under vine, developing two parallel Brunello worlds – the more traditional, larger-barrel Brunello, aged longer in Slavonian oak and the modern, finesse-driven Altero, aged in tonneaux of French oak; securing a stellar position in the global market and extending and upgrading the facility to ultrahigh-tech standards.
In 2017 Poggio Antico changed hands and was purchased by Atlas Invest, and it is now directed by the new General Manager Federico Trost. Poggio Antico recently lead a soil survey to approach the plot-by-plot management which started with the 2018 vintage by identifying, and consequently harvesting and fermenting separately, the micro terroirs inside each vineyard. All the estate is currently under organic conversion and a renovation of the cellar and of the hospitality center are part of the new plans.
Among Italy's elite red grape varieties, Sangiovese has the perfect intersection of bright red fruit and savory earthiness and is responsible for the best red wines of Tuscany. While it is best known as the chief component of Chianti, it is also the main grape in Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and reaches the height of its power and intensity in the complex, long-lived Brunello di Montalcino. Somm Secret—Sangiovese doubles under the alias, Nielluccio, on the French island of Corsica where it produces distinctly floral and refreshing reds and rosés.
Famous for its bold, layered and long-lived red, Brunello di Montalcino, the town of Montalcino is about 70 miles south of Florence, and has a warmer and drier climate than that of its neighbor, Chianti. The Sangiovese grape is king here, as it is in Chianti, but Montalcino has its own clone called Brunello.
The Brunello vineyards of Montalcino blanket the rolling hills surrounding the village and fan out at various elevations, creating the potential for Brunello wines expressing different styles. From the valleys, where deeper deposits of clay are found, come wines typically bolder, more concentrated and rich in opulent black fruit. The hillside vineyards produce wines more concentrated in red fruits and floral aromas; these sites reach up to over 1,600 feet and have shallow soils of rocks and shale.
Brunello di Montalcino by law must be aged a minimum of four years, including two years in barrel before realease and once released, typically needs more time in bottle for its drinking potential to be fully reached. The good news is that Montalcino makes a “baby brother” version. The wines called Rosso di Montalcino are often made from younger vines, aged for about a year before release, offer extraordinary values and are ready to drink young.