2016 Poggio di Sotto Brunello di Montalcino
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Tasting notes
Poured at a retrospective tasting going back to 1999 held at Gramercy Tavern in NYC. Aged 40 months. Winemaker Leonardo Berti describes this as an easy vintage for the winery; it was the first time they could harvest everything in just two parts, the first pass for the bigger berries, which have more acidity – too acidic even to make a good wine on their own, but excellent for blending with the wine from the riper, smaller berries of the second pass. It’s almost as if this choice is perceptible in the final wine, which has bright, vibrant acidity riding through the fruit that makes it lively and incredibly youthful. The fruit is ripe – red cherry and raspberry, not in the least bit overripe. The tannins are fine but present, the acidity linear and strong, the wine lean and elegant and just beginning to come into its own. (TQT)
Critic scores
Walter Speller, jancisrobinson.com
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
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. In other words, some of the fruit is harvested early to avoid bad weather and some might be harvested later if weather conditions proceed nicely. This is a technique that the winery continues to practice today.
The 2016 Brunello Di Montalcino has a bright ruby hue and offers lifted and focused aromas of red cherries, orange zest, fresh roses, and stony earth. Medium-bodied and linear, it offers a vibrant energy with fresh acidity, refined, compact tannins, and a long finish. An outstanding vintage from Poggio di Sotto, this is one for the long haul. Drink 2026-2056.
It's such a pleasure to taste the 2016 Brunello di Montalcino from Poggio di Sotto; this is easily one of the wines of the vintage. Its bouquet is pure class, balsamic, exotic and spicy. A blend of dried orange and cloves gives way to sweet lavender and black cherries. Elegant and silky, yet with cooling acidity and depths of tart red berry fruits, the 2016 impresses further with a salty savoriness and a sense of sheer energy. It leaves a coating of dusty tannins and dark florals to resonate, displaying a youthful concentration slowly easing as traces of licorice fade through the incredibly long finish.
About the producer
There are few names in Brunello di Montalcino that rank higher than Poggio di Sotto. The estate's obsession with clonal quality, combined with its incredibly elegant winemaking style has garnered a loyal fanbase.