Winemaker Notes
From a vintage marked by heat, with some summer rainfalls events which have reduced the impact of the high temperatures, we have achieved great results with substantial extract of the grape and an intense aromatic complexity. Therefore, the harvest started on September 2nd and it was completed on September 16th rather earlier, but useful for keeping these rich expressive notes in all the different vineyards ridges. As a direct result, their Rosso denotes a classic austerity, deep and lively aromas, strong fragrance, bright acidity, elegance and persistence. Many people define it as “Little Brunello”.
Goes well with roast and braised red meats, game and aged cheese
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
This wine has more in common with a Brunello than it does a Rosso. Made with certified-organic fruit, Poggio di Sotto's 2018 Rosso di Montalcino is a very fine and smooth expression that caresses the senses. The bouquet is enlivened by forest berry, peat moss, lilac and wildflowers. The 2018 vintage is usually understated in personality, but this wine speaks of elegance and nuance. It's just stunning.
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Wine Enthusiast
The nose is metallic, earthy and stony, with cherry undertones providing levity. Cherries take a star turn on the palate, with strawberries and raspberries playing crucial supporting roles, while a tension between astringent orange and creamy mocha emerges on the lengthy finish. Robust tannins and fiery acidity prove ageworthiness.
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Decanter
In the lighter 2018 vintage, Rosso achieves great suppleness in the southern exposure of Castelnuovo dell'Abate, sheltered by the Amiata mountain. Based on 100% Sangiovese Grosso with a yield of around 3.5 tons per hectare, this Rosso is fermented spontaneously in 70hL oak casks. After the malolactic fermentation, the wine ages for two years in 30 hL oak casks, plus an additional six months in bottle. The plush fruit is vibrant, supported by complex spices. It's a wine focused on grace, with yellow fruit, smoky woodland notes, liquorice, roasted nuts and a balsamic hint. The palate is silky and lifted by elegant acidity. Perfect balance and impressive drinkability.
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James Suckling
Aromas of redcurrants, plums, mushrooms, iodine and roasted meat. It’s medium-to full-bodied with fine tannins. Juicy, with a ripe, smoky note on the palate. Delicious finish. From organically grown grapes.
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Wine & Spirits
This Rosso is packed with flavors of red cherry and tangy raspberry that feel plush and immediately inviting, with smooth tannins and hints of thyme and licorice that add to the appeal. The purity and precision of the fruit is impressive, and the wine finishes on a bright note of orange zest.
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.