2012 Poggio di Sotto Brunello di Montalcino
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Tasting notes
Showing a thick, velvety texture and more aggressive tannins, the Poggio di Sotto 2012 Brunello di Montalcino comes from a dry and hot growing season. The vintage saw lower yields as a result. The bouquet is more compact and harder too, with dark berry fruits, earth, medicinal herb and crushed stone. Both the 2012 and the 2011 vintages share similarities. But I thought the 2011 vintage was a little bit more interesting compared to this wine. Poggio di Sotto pulled leaves in 2012 and in the 2017 vintage, and this turned out to be a mistake because both vintages were quite hot and the ripening fruit remained exposed to the strong sunlight. That mistake was not made in 2015.
Critic scores
Monica Larner, Wine Advocate
Walter Speller, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
The dark ruby 2012 Brunello Di Montalcino has a forward savory profile, with notes of licorice, rosemary, cherry lozenge, and wildflowers. Medium to full-bodied and fleshy, it saturates the palate with a hearty texture, bright vibrant acidity, salty earth, ripe tannins, and a savory finish. It is going to have a good deal of longevity over the next 15 years. This was a very low-yielding vintage where production levels were cut in half.
The 2012 Brunello di Montalcino is zesty and intense, with a bright bouquet of dried strawberries and minty herbs complicated by exotic spice. It’s energetic with an intense tart red berry and sour citrus core, further elevated by a wave of vibrant acidity. Still gently tannic and with a cheek puckering tension, the 2012 finishes long yet also quite fresh, leaving a tart cherry pit resonance to linger. While from a similarly warm vintage as 2011, yet a bit rainier, the 2012 maintains abundant energy and continues to mature slowly in bottle.
A taster would never know that the 2012 Brunello di Montalcino hailed from a warm vintage, with its bright and airy bouquet that blends mentholated herbs with exotic spice, worn leather and dusty dried strawberries. This coasts across the palate with ease, zesty and fresh, with tart red berries and sour citrus tones that add tension, yet also maintains a marvelous vibrancy. While long and gently structured still, there’s a finesse here that keeps me looking back to the glass for more, as the 2012 leaves the mouth watering with a tart cherry pit twang. Production was down around 30% in 2012, with a strict selection in the vineyards and a much earlier harvest that ended around September 15th. While drinking this today is certainly an option, there are still many years of evolution in store.
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.