Wine Advisor
Poggio di Sotto, Brunello di Montalcino 2011
Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Monica Larner
The 2011 Brunello di Montalcino offers an immediate sense of generosity and openness that makes it attractive on first impact. In this regard, 2011 is very different from the slow-to-reveal-itself 2010 vintage that proceeds it. Bold tones of dark cherry, plum, spice and resin rise to the top with enthusiasm and intensity. The wine holds back nothing. It shows a velvety texture that is rich and enduring. All the while, this Brunello remains faithful to its time honored traditions and its territorial roots.
Reviewed by: Monica Larner
The 2011 vintage represents the first growing season farmed by its current owner, Claudio Tipa, and the ColleMassari team. The previous owner, Piero Palmucci, started the season by dropping fruit, and this helped push ripening forward. However, this vintage is remember for the hard work required to bring clean fruit into the winery. "Each cluster took about five minutes to trim and clean," says winemaker Luca Marrone: "This was one of the most expensive vintages ever because of all the cutting required." The 2011 Brunello di Montalcino has a sweet theme that comes from hot weather and sirocco winds that blew hot like a hair dryer throughout the summer. The vines were left with ripening fruit and no leaves, and some of the berries dried on the vine. The grapes were completely destemmed to avoid bitterness. (Since 2014, the winery has been working with whole berries.) This wine shows surprising freshness, nonetheless, and it is in terrific form today. There is a tannic pinch at the end, but the wine remains ample and generous in terms of mouthfeel. It's not overripe per se, but it is quite broad.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
Savory and delicious with balance and finesse for a 2011 Brunello. Very fine indeed. Medium to full body, fresh and clean finish. Love the plum, berry and hazelnut character. A delicious successor to an superb 2010. This is the first vintage of the new owners of this fine estate. Drink or hold.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2011 Brunello di Montalcino is rich, sensual and inviting. Wonderfully open-knit and polished, the 2011 Brunello di Montalcino is one of the most intriguing wines of the year. High-toned aromatics, with a touch of volatile acidity, give the wine much of its unique personality. Macerated cherries, licorice, hard candy new leather and mint are all pushed forward. Readers should expect a somewhat eccentric Brunello. I have seen Brunellos with elevated volatile acidity develop into spectacular wines with years in bottle, but readers should know what they are getting into.
About the Producer
Majestic Location of the Winery That is not a secret how much we all love Tuscany for its mesmerizing landscapes and rich red wines. Founded in 1989, near Montalcino, Poggio di Sotto is as a perfect embodiment of what wine tourists all over the world look for in Tuscany: 48 hectares of vineyards on the hills, sea breeze in the air, soils that remember the times when the nearby volcano was exploding. The vineyards are accompanied by olive groves and forest. Poggio Di Sotto: the Temple of Sangiovese For its fair organic practices and continuous loyalty to local winemaking traditions, the winery can be entitled as “”The Temple of Sangiovese””. 100% of grapes grown in Poggio Di Sotto are nothing but the most widespread grape varietal in Tuscany – Sangiovese. Brick red colored Sangiovese is obtained by aging the wine in Slavonian oak casks for 2 years, Dark Garnet – for 4 years, and Dark Garnet Riserva – for 5 years. The interesting fact: Sangiovese is also used for producing Grappa. It is characterized by cherry, tomato, oregano, and coffee aromas. Served at the temperature of 16-18 degrees Celcius, it is best paired with florentine steak and mushroom or truffle risotto. Top Ranked Wines The crown on the top of the brand emblem is not a coincidence. The wines of Poggio Di Sotto have a small range of wines, but all are of the highest and widely acknowledged quality. That helped those wines to receive the highest grades from Wine Spectactor, Wine Advocate, Vinous and many other honored wine assessment organizations.