Brunello di Montalcino Il Poggione 2021 (750ML)

Il Poggione makes a Brunello that leans warm and generous, and the 2021 is true to form. It is 100% Sangiovese from the estate's oldest vineyards, which sit between 150 and 450 meters and are trained to spur cordon and doppio capovolto. Hand-harvested fruit ferments 15 to 20 days in steel on indigenous yeasts, with a submerged cap at 25–28°C, and finishes malolactic there before long aging in 30- to 50-hectoliter French oak casks, then bottle. Ruby in the glass, it offers stewed strawberry, dried black cherry and plum with leather, star anise, sage and a flash of blood orange. The palate is broad and velvety, with enough acidity to keep the weight in check. Critics would start drinking it anywhere from 2027 to 2030, and one sees it lasting to 2046. Its natural company is Tuscan peposo, beef cheeks braised in red wine or roast pheasant.