Poggio al Vento Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG 2016

A Brunello of density and depth, both classic and graceful. The bouquet shows intense notes of fresh and dried cherries, cherry pits, a touch of plum and blood orange zest, followed by rose and violet, liquorice, tobacco, foliage and stone, forest floor with mushrooms, cedar and graphite.

The Poggio al Vento vineyard, the "windy hill", faces south at around 300 metres above sea level, overlooking the Orcia river. Col d'Orcia farms 142 hectares of vines in Montalcino, 108 hectares of which are Brunello, within the UNESCO World Heritage site of Val d'Orcia. Winter 2015/2016 was dry and cold, spring rains built up water reserves for July and August, and the mild September, with pronounced day-night temperature swings, brought the grapes to full ripeness.

Sangiovese, planted from 1974 as a mass selection of the Brunello clone. Hand-harvested with rigorous selection in the vineyard and on the sorting table, fermented at 25 to 28 °C in stainless steel tanks of 50 and 60 hl, kept separate by parcel. Maceration lasted 18 to 20 days with daily pump-overs and long délestages, malolactic fermentation took place in concrete tanks. This was followed by three years in Slavonian and Allier oak botti of 25 and 75 hl and around three years of bottle ageing.

Concentrated and powerful, yet supple and fresh, juicy with slightly tart cherry, berries and orange peel, along with herbs and spices, a hint of wood and stone. Structure, texture and bright, fine acidity carry balsamic and ethereal notes of maturity. 15.0% ABV, dry.

The estate's flagship wine is made only in great vintages. Since 2010, Col d'Orcia has been Tuscany's largest certified organic estate: sheep and goats graze between the vine rows, and compost from its own cycle nourishes the soils.