Poggio Antico Altero Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2016 Red Wine

Poggio Antico Altero Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2016

Tuscany, Italy

96 pts. Wine Advocate:

"If you have visited the site that gives birth to this wine, it's impossible to forget the view. This is one of the only (maybe the only) vineyard in Montalcino from which you can see the twinkle of light that reflects off the Tyrrhenian Sea in the far distance. That altitude, exposure and open panorama shapes the very elegant Poggio Antico 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Altero. Specifically, the fruit comes from Il Vignone, located in the I Poggi area, at 500 meters in altitude (very high for Montalcino). Il Vignone measures just under five hectares and sees loose, well-draining soils. The wine reveals dark fruit intensity and concentration with black cherry, plum and tilled earth. There's a tangy hint of tilled earth or dried lilac as well. The character of this wine is more robust for sure, but that elegance that we saw in the classic Brunello is also present here. Production is 10,000 bottles." - Monica Larner, 11/20/2020

95 pts. Wine Enthusiast:

"Rose, citrus, wild herb and new leather aromas come to the forefront. Enveloping and loaded with finesse, the linear, full-bodied palate delivers juicy cherry, orange zest, licorice and a hint of graphite alongside taut, close-grained tannins that leave a firm finish. It's balanced, with vibrant acidity. Youthfully austere. 2026-2041." - Kerin O'Keefe, 5/2021

FROM THE WINERY

Varietal Composition: 100% Sangiovese

Elaboration: A cold soak was done for 3 days. The fermentation lasted 10 days with temperatures never exceeding 28°C and was followed by a 20-day maceration. Aged for 30 months in French oak tonneaux (500 l), followed by 18 months of bottle refinement.

Tasting Notes: Juicy red currants, cherries, and sprigs of fresh rosemary are robed in vanilla and baking spice with just a wisp of smoke.

Poggio Antico was founded in 1976 and consists of 50 clay, calcareous acres of Brunello di Montalcino. The estate has seen a phenomenal growth, going from 50 to the present 80 acres under vine, developing two parallel Brunello worlds – the more traditional, larger-barrel Brunello, aged longer in Slavonian oak and the modern, finesse-driven Altero, aged in tonneaux of French oak; securing a stellar position in the global market and extending and upgrading the facility to ultrahigh-tech standards. In 2017 Poggio Antico changed hands and was purchased by Atlas Invest, and it is now directed by the new General Manager Federico Trost. Poggio Antico recently lead a soil survey to approach the plot-by-plot management which started with the 2018 vintage by identifying, and consequently harvesting and fermenting separately, the micro terroirs inside each vineyard. All the estate is currently under organic conversion and a renovation of the cellar and of the hospitality center are part of the new plans.