An Emblematic Expression of Poggio di Sotto’s Style
February 2025 – From the estate in Castelnuovo dell’Abate, on the southern hills of Montalcino, Poggio di Sotto (link) unveils its Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2019. The result of a vintage that highlighted the full evolutionary potential of Sangiovese, this Riserva encapsulates the genius loci of Poggio di Sotto. The estate is home to remarkable geological diversity, hosting a unique collection of over 180 Sangiovese clones – a unique feature in the Montalcino viticultural landscape.
2019 Vintage: A Symphony of Balance and Expressive Power
The 2019 vintage was marked by a perfect balance of intense heat and refreshing rains, which favored a harmonious maturation of the grapes. After a mild winter and a rainy early spring, the summer’s high temperatures were mitigated by well-timed rainfall, ensuring ideal growing conditions throughout the season. The harvest, which began on September 5th and ended on October 4th, was carefully managed with parcel-based picking to highlight the qualities of each vineyard.
“2019 was a vintage of great balance, with wines showcasing structure, freshness, and remarkable aging potential. We achieved a perfect balance between fruit, body, and acidity, confirming this vintage as one of the most promising in recent years. Given the exemplary growing conditions, we chose to produce the Riserva, a decision made only in vintages capable of bringing out the full expressive potential of Poggio di Sotto,” explains oenologist Leonardo Berti.
An Unrivaled Terroir
Poggio di Sotto stretches across a diverse and complex mosaic of soils, ranging from 190 to 440 meters above sea level. Overlooking the estate, the extinct volcano Monte Amiata plays a crucial role in the microclimate, with its cool nighttime breezes and warm daytime currents creating optimal conditions for Sangiovese. The estate serves as a natural archive of biodiversity, home of 182 distinct biotypes of Sangiovese – an invaluable heritage preserved through a rigorous mass selection project carried out in collaboration with the University of Florence.
The vineyards selected for the Riserva vary with each vintage, guided by nature itself. In cooler, rainier years, the choice falls on vineyards situated between 300 and 400 meters above sea level, where loose, rocky soils rich in organic matter encourage slow, gradual ripening, preserving both aroma and acidity. Conversely, in warmer, drier years the lower vineyards, between 180 and 250 meters, are preferred, with their clay and galestro-rich soils ensuring greater freshness and a perfectly balanced organoleptic profile.
For the 2019 vintage, the vineyards of Terra Rossa and Pietranera were selected. Terra Rossa, situated at 220 meters above sea level, sits on reddish soils rich in pebbles, organic matter, and microelements that lend Sangiovese both structure and complexity. Pietranera, named after the estate’s historical toponym, lies near the Orcia River, where the vines thrive in soils with an exceptionally high galestro content, resulting in naturally low yields. The proximity to the river and its cool currents foster a slow, gradual ripening process, resulting in wines of great finesse and elegance.
Vinification and Aging
At Poggio di Sotto, winemaking is an art of listening—one that honors the soul of the vineyard.
Fermentation takes place in wooden and concrete vats, with long macerations and frequent pump-overs. The wine then ages for 40 months in 30-hectoliter Slavonian oak barrels, a process that enhances its depth and elegance and imbues it with an aging potential that defies time. The Riserva is the result of an uncompromising selection, preserving the purest expression of Poggio di Sotto’s terroir. Only after the long maturation period of Brunello di Montalcino are the barrels carefully tasted to identify those with the greatest character, complexity, and refinement – destined to become the Riserva and undergo further aging. Given the remarkable expressive power of the 2019 vintage, aging was extended to approximately 48 months, allowing the Riserva to fully unfold its layered complexity and consolidate its timeless evolution.
Poggio di Sotto Brunello di Montalcino DOCG Riserva 2019
„The ultimate expression of Poggio di Sotto’s potential and style in a vintage widely regarded as one of Montalcino’s most memorable. Austere and reserved at first glance, it reveals a brilliant, intensely hued ruby red. On the nose, it is an anthology of sensations and emotions – the very same that set it apart during aging, earning its place as a Riserva among the Brunello barrels“, explains Leonardo Berti. „Its endless aromatic nuances unfold in the glass and continue seamlessly on the palate, leading to a lingering finish where aromatic and textural elements intertwine and enhance one another.“
Produced in just 5,500 bottles, the Poggio di Sotto Riserva 2019 represents the pinnacle of the estate’s production – a wine that celebrates the singular heritage of Sangiovese and reflects Poggio di Sotto’s dedication to preserving an extraordinary winemaking legacy.
The wines produced by Poggio di Sotto are available in Switzerland at Granchateaux, Millesima, Ullrich and in Germany at Lobenbergs, Superiore, Tesdorpf, Traditional Wine, Millesima,
