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. The Brunello Riserva reflects the characteristics of its vintage, but with a degree of power and purity that is incomparable. 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.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Very leafy and spicy in a positive way, with notes of kiwi peel, stone fruit, leather, straw and licorice. Supple palate with a full body, almost silky tannins and refreshing acidity. Fresh fruit flavors of orange peel and peaches. Tight, youthful finish that’s precise and long.
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Wine Enthusiast
An umami nose is subtle at first with damp soil and underbrush, then unfolds to revealsour cherry and orange peel, then balsamic vinegar drizzled over wild strawberries. Sweet wild cherries and wild strawberries roll over the palate, with a squeeze of Cara Cara orange, then that depth that the umami delivers comes out, adding an abyss of complexity. Intense,pure fruit tamed by grippy, forceful tannins and bright acid. There’s a lot of time left on this wine. Cellar Selection.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The Poggio di Sotto 2018 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva was reticent when I tasted it, probably owing to a period of awkwardness for such a young sample. The immediate suggestion is to give this bottle more time because, tasted now, it was definitely poured before its prime. The bouquet starts off with austere aromas of oil painting or waxed antiques, but those blow off. After that, you get an exciting compilation of redcurrant, cherry skin, rose petal and floral potpourri. This wine is very sprightly on the palate with fresh berry crush, integrated acidity and fine, chalky tannins. Again, this wine needs more time in bottle.
Rating: 97+ -
Vinous
The 2018 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva has blossomed beautifully over the past year, savory and intense, with an enticing bouquet of cedar dust, savory herbs, crushed rocks, underbrush and wild strawberries. It's feminine and cool-toned in feel, with soft textures and a pretty inner sweetness up front as wild berry fruits are guided by juicy acidity and a saline mineral staining forms toward the close. The finish is perfumed and exotic with hints of blood orange and violet inner florals that cascade across with a sensation of liquid stone and a coating of sweet tannins. Rating: 96+
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Wine Spectator
Sweet, ripe cherry is at the center of this light-bodied, elegant red, with tomato leaf and iron accents joining in. Vibrant, firming up with a light dusting of tannins on the finish, this is charming and effortless. Drink now through 2029. 500 cases made, 25 cases imported.
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.