The 2017 Brunello di Montalcino opens to a saturated and shiny dark ruby color. This edition is loaded with black and purple fruits, such as blackberry preserves and plum. Those more robust tones are followed by spice, tar and campfire ash. The tannins are young (but not stemmy or bitter), and you'd be best served by letting this wine age and relax with more cellar aging. Il Poggione always makes some of the smoothest and most texturally enriched wines in the appellation, and this vintage is no exception.\n Producer Information\n Tenuta Il Poggione is an estate in the Montalcino DOCG appellation of Tuscany, particularly known for its rich, dense Brunello wines balancing ripe fruit, savoury elements and a classic structure. These are considered to be some of the greatest wines produced in Italy. The estate covers 530 hectares (13000 acres), with 140ha (336 acres) planted to vines and 50ha (124 acres) to olive trees. The remainder is dedicated to cereals, livestock and forestry. A new winery was built in 2004, but winemaking is a mix of modernity and tradition with a focus on larger French oak barrels aged in underground cellars. The younger Brunello vines – less than 20 years old – provide the fruit for the Rosso di Montalcino. This is aged for 12 months in barriques and large oak oaks. The standard Brunello is aged for three years in large French oak barrels. The Riserva Vigna Paganelli is only produced in the best years from the oldest vineyard on the estate, planted in 1964. It is aged in the same way as the "normale" but for (at least) an extra year. Cuttings from the Paganelli vines are used for any new plantings. Il Poggione makes a range of wines outside of the Brunello DOCG as well. These include a Sangiovese-Merlot-Cabernet blend under the IGT Toscana designation, and a Vin Santo from Sant'Antimo. A white Toscana IGT combines Vermentino and Chardonnay, while the rosé is made entirely from Sangiovese. There is also a Moscadello di Montalcino and a sparkling wine. The estate was founded in the late 19th Century by Lavinio Franceschi, a landowner on the hills above Florence, who bought land and began planting Sangiovese vineyards and introducing modern farming methods. Il Poggione remains in the same family. Today it is owned by Lavinio's descendents, Leopoldo and Livia.
