Shows superb complexity in terms of aromas with cedar, berry, ginger, flower and plum character. Full body and firm and very silky tannins that have been polished to near perfection. This wine just gets better and better with each sip. Better in 2018. THE TOP 100 ITALIAN WINES OF 2016.
Poggio di Sotto has released one of the wines of the vintage. The 2010 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva fulfills the promise of its category. Brunello Riservas are aged for six long years before their release, thus insuring extra intensity and complexity. This wine delivers both in abundance. The bouquet is more sophisticated and deeper than the Annata and in addition to dark fruit and blackberry, this wine shows an extra dose of clove and spice. In the mouth, the wine is smooth and silky, but it also shows impressive power and length. This Riserva will deliver its best performance for those who are willing to wait ten years or more.
Crushed berry, leather, tilled soil, blue flower and a whiff of fennel lead the nose. The ripe palate offers juicy black cherry, black raspberry, white pepper and anise alongside firm, close-grained tannins. Give this time to fully develop and reach its full potential. Drink 2022-2032.
The 2010 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is rich, powerful and explosive. Dark cherry, plum, spice, menthol and a host of balsamic, mentholated notes flesh out in the glass. As is often the case with the Poggio di Sotto wines, the Riserva has noticeable volatile acidity, but here, is a thread in a very rich fabric with many, many strands. In 2010, the Poggio di Sotto Riserva is unusually dense and virile. It will be interesting to see if it gains a bit more finesse over time.
TOP 100 WINES OF 2018 - From the excellent 2010 vintage, this combines succulence and savor in a powerful yet lithe frame. The fruit comes from the estate’s organically farmed vineyards in Montalcino’s southern sector, near Castelnuovo dell’Abate, where the slopes rise from 650 to 1,300 feet in altitude-cool heights that help the fruit preserve acidity. Aged for five years in large Slavonian casks, the wine needs a little air to get past its initial notes of volatility, then reveals a dense core of black-cherry fruit infused with fresh herbs and spices. The flavors turn savory as the wine evolves in the glass, picking up notes of smoked meat and fire-roasted tomatoes even as saline acidity freshens the finish. Built for the long haul, it should rest at least five more years in the cellar.
Initially shows acetone aromas, then opens up to reveal complex flavors of sour cherry, spice and leather matched to a racy, elegant profile. Silky in texture and almost ethereal, with a long, minerally aftertaste. Best from 2018 through 2033.
Winery 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.