2011 Vin Santo di Montepulciano Occhio di Pernice

Avignonesi remains at the forefront of experimentation and in a state of constant flux. The winery continues to impress with its pursuit of wines built on terroir and its pioneering of Vino Nobile made using 100% Sangiovese. Avignonesi’s flagship bottling remains a fantastic value for first-class Vino Nobile, while the Nobile Poggetto di Sopra (a selection of parcels) has never been better. In 2021 Pogetto di Sopra was made only with the highest parcels of the vineyard, around 340 meters in elevation, because of a devastating frost earlier in the year. I can’t help but feel that the wine shows more depth and complexity than usual. The winery has also begun fermenting with 10-15% whole clusters. The results are pretty stunning. Avignonesi has adopted the same process for the In Grandi Annate, which now bears the classification of Toscana Sangiovese instead of Vino Nobile. Experiments on this label have been ongoing, and the winery will not release a 2019, 2020, 2022 or 2023. Luckily, the 2021 is a fantastic rendition of In Grandi Annate that’s worth seeking out for the cellar, while the 2018 (released late) is a lively and energetic wine that showcases the best attributes of this challenging vintage. I will again urge readers to search for the Da-Di Rosso, an incredibly fresh blend of Sangiovese, Mammolo, Alicante, Canaiolo and Ciliegiolo refined all in terracotta amphora. Lastly, readers should know that there was a 45-50% reduction in quantities for the winery’s 2023s because of Peronospora and the hot and dry conditions of the summer.