Winemaker Notes
Parallels to the red wines of Burgundy abound in discussions of Poggio di Sotto. The Sangiovese wines released from this special property do always favor elegance and restraint over opulence and power, yet they never lack depth. Normally a paler hue of ruby than other Brunello wines, Poggio di Sotto’s tameness of color belies concentrated aromas and flavors. A profile anchored in bright cherry fruit is framed by highlights of balsamic tones and candied orange peel. The tannin structure is firm yet ripe and will carry the wine well through decades of cellaring. A classic wine from one of the world’s great wine regions.
Equally at home with flavorful meats from the grill as with refined and layered dishes. Considered a "Vino da Meditazione," Poggio di Sotto Brunello is also enjoyable on its own.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
From one of my favorite vintages ever comes the Poggio di Sotto 2016 Brunello di Montalcino. What I love about this wine is that citrusy note of orange zest that appears so beautifully on the bouquet, giving it lift and energy. You also get dark fruit, cherry and a finely chiseled mineral note that comes from schistic galestro soils. With this vintage, the winemaking team started harvesting in phases as a way of mitigating any possible adverse weather conditions.
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Wine Spectator
Alluring aromas of macerated cherry, strawberry and rose give way to a core of red fruit framed by iron, earth and tobacco in this elegant red, which is silky, but also well-structured, balanced and intense in a stylish profile. Very complex and promising. Best from 2024 through 2047.
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Decanter
There is always something so recognisable and pure in Poggio di Sotto. The estate has made a great effort to preserve the genetic material of the vines, and the Sangiovese is a massal selection of its own biotypes. Aromas drip with ripe red cherry, Mediterranean herbs and white pepper. The fruit is sumptuous and very juicy – all raspberry and nectarine flesh. Beautifully weightless yet mouthfilling, it’s racy and fluid with powdery tannins that cleanse the palate, and a lingering finish of orange blossom and tea.
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James Suckling
A chewy, dusty-textured red with lots of intense tannins and fresh blue fruit, as well as black cherries and some orange-peel undertones. It’s full-bodied and tight with firm tannins at the end. Closed. Give it another two or three years to come around.
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.