Poggio al Vento Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG

As one of the original estates of Montalcino and now the largest certified organic vineyard in Tuscany, Col d’Orcia is a leader in Brunello di Montalcino helping to define and promote one of Italy’s most prestigious wines. Tradition, integrity, and sustainability are the pillars of the estate, whose classic style wines are marked by balance and elegance. Planted in 1974, the single vineyard Poggio al Vento - meaning “windy hill”- lies 350m a.s.l. Demarcated for its exceptional quality, this wine is produced only in the best vintages and is the icon of the estate. The first vintage in 1982 was aged in large barrels and it soon became apparent that only a slow, long maturation could do justice to the powerful tannins of the wine, drawn from the sandy, limestone-rich soils of this vineyard.

The estate’s name translates to “the hill overlooking the Orcia River,” due to its position in between the undulating hills of the Orcia River and Sant’Angelo in Colle. Here, vineyards are comprised of limestone and marl soils. The 2008 vintage experiences good rainfall in spring. Summer temperatures were in the average. On the 15th of August, an exceptional hailstorm damaged the estate causing a significant reduction in production. The dry period that followed allowed for the manual removal of the damaged bunches. Fornutely, the healthy remaining grapes were of high quality , with an unusual level of concentration.

Manual harvest with rigorous selection of the best grapes in the vineyard and cellar. Grapes from different parts of the vineyard were kept separate in order to select the best batches after fermentation. Fermentation occured in steel tanks at controlled temperatures, with a long, 25-day maceration period, ensuring optimal polyphenolic extraction. Malolactic fermentation in concrete. Aged three years in 25 and 75hl Slavonian and Allier oak barrels, followed by approximately three years refinement in bottle before release.

Ripe, ruby fruits of cranberries and cherries are enhanced by the classic spicy aromas originating from the long ageing in barrel. Powerful and elegant profile, the soft and ripe tannins are balanced with a pleasant acidity. A long spicy-driven, yet fruity finish.