2021 Poggio di Sotto Brunello di Montalcino

Defined by a noble mineral precision that remains subtly in the background, the Poggio di Sotto 2021 Brunello di Montalcino delivers beautiful clarity to the bouquet and freshness to the palate. Within that framework, the wine reveals layers of cassis, red rose and grilled rosemary, offering impressive complexity inside a full-bodied but elegantly streamlined structure marked by vibrancy and energy. The wine is produced using the estate’s long-standing approach of fermentation and aging in Slavonian oak and cement, a formula that preserves finesse and site expression. Production totals approximately 35,000 bottles plus larger formats, and while the price is undeniably high, the quality fully supports the ambition. 98 points

Expertly focused and intense in the glass, the 2021 Brunello di Montalcino tempts the imagination with depths of black cherry elevated by a minty herbal thrust, shavings of pine and a grounding note of dusty earth. Its seamlessly silken textures envelop the palate with polished, mineral-infused red fruits as nuances of clove add a pleasantly bitter tinge and rosy inner florals swirl throughout. Sweet tannins add an exceptional framework through the long and potent finish as a tart raspberry saturation lingers. The harmony within makes it hard not to drink instead of taste. That said, the 2021 is painfully young. 96 points