Winemaker Notes
The Riserva is exclusively produced during the best vintages following an even more scrupulous grape selection. A wine of outstanding structure, it is enhanced by a very long aging period in French and Slavonian oak barrels.
The 2018 vintage experienced a very cool and windy climate, registeringtemperatures below average even during summer. This led maturation to last throughout September and benefit from the remarkable diurnal temperature variation. At the end of the month, they harvested perfectly fragrant Sangiovese grapes distinguished by a well-balanced phenolic concentration, hinting to a solid and phenomenal aging.
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
Smells incredible, like a box of fragrant chocolates, profound florality on the nose, so scented and expressive. Thick and juicy, full, and so vibrant, wow, really expands and enlivens in the glass. Such high, almost piercing acidity before the chalky, slightly grippy mineral tannins come into play, covering the entire mouth in a mineral coating. Some salinity, iodine notes countering the bright, almost sour cherries. Bright, forward, so intense, yet so fresh too. Lifted and juicy, with such zing and bite and overall precision. I love this. Great structure, character and confidence and will last for decades such is the tannic make up and the acidic backbone.
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James Suckling
Bold, ripe aromas of raspberries, black cherries, oak bark and black pepper. On the palate the acidity carries the finish of blood orange and cherry notes, with chalky yet ripe tannins and a full body. Longer finish than expected. Drink or hold.
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Jeb Dunnuck
A saturated red color, the 2018 Brunello Di Montalcino Riserva is sunny and ripe with aromas of baked red plum, licorice candies, balsamic herbs, and violets. Medium-bodied, it offers a tangy snap of acidity on the palate, with fine tannins and a clean citrus note on the finish. Offering a refreshing lift and floating off the palate nicely, it’s a very charming Riserva to enjoy over the next 10 or so years.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2018 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva has dried spice over dark fruit and hints of campfire ash. The wine is smooth and velvety in terms of texture with fine, chalky tannins and a drying sensation on the close. Only 5,800 bottles were made. All of these new releases show a high 15% alcohol content, but perhaps you feel the heat most in this Riserva.
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Wine Spectator
Cherry, raspberry, eucalyptus, menthol and iron flavors mingle with dense, dusty tannins in this intense red. There's plenty of fruit at the center, but it's locked in a strong embrace of tannins today. Be patient. Best from 2027 through 2042.
Nestled on the highest vineyard hill south of Montalcino, Poggio Antico spans 91 acres at an average altitude of 1,804 feet. The estate predominantly cultivates Sangiovese, with smaller plots of Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. The unique calcareous and Galestro soils enhance the Sangiovese grapes, producing the complex and elegant Brunello.
Founded in 1976, Poggio is divided into four main areas, is fully certified organic, focusing on sustainable practices like green manure and permanent grassing to nurture soil health and biodiversity. Poggio Antico's vineyards, managed with meticulous care, have been divided into 15 Units of soil. These precise agricultural practices ensure each vine's optimal expression, with plot-by-plot winemaking and aging to preserve the unique characteristics of each soil unit and express the real identity.
The diversity of soils, different but always high altitudes (1,640–2,034 feet asl), different exposures, Sangiovese biotypes, separated cultivation, harvest, vinification, and aging, create a symphony that is carefully directed by a specific winemaking style where elegance, freshness, and identity of the terroir are the principles of the winery. Poggio Antico’s commitment to quality is evident in their selective harvesting and organic cultivation, aiming to create wines that truly embody the essence of the terroir.
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.