2001 Brunello di Montalcino

Both of the 2001 Brunellos from Il Poggione showed wonderfully. While the 2001 Annata was delivered directly from the cellar, the Riserva came from a private collection, but it was purchased in Italy upon release. Placing these two wines next to each other was a beautiful representation of the house style and vineyard sources. The Brunello was a selection of fruit sourced throughout Il Poggione’s vineyards from vines that were no less than twenty-five years old, and it was refined for three years in large casks of both Slavonian and French oak. The Riserva, which didn’t carry the name Vigna Paganelli in 2001, but was indeed sourced from its old vines (at that time around thirty-five years old) was refined for four years, again in both large Slavonian and French oak.

Alessandro Bindocci credited the success of the vintage to the long growing season and late harvest, the result of a balanced summer and cooler-than-average temperatures during the spring. Since 2001, Il Poggione has been focused on improving practices in the vineyards to deal with global warming while also avoiding the use of herbicides. Like many producers, they have started to plant at higher elevations in order to maintain elegance even in the warmest vintages. Il Poggione completed their new winery in 2004, and moved entirely to large French oak, 3,300 to 5,200 liters in size, for the maturation of the wines. Having regularly tasted the wines of Il Poggione across many vintages, I can tell these developments improved upon their already impressive portfolio. When asked how Montalcino has changed since 2001, Alessandro Bindocci responded that the increase in communication between producers and the acceptance of the younger generation’s opinions have helped the region as a whole.

This historic property located in Sant'Angelo in Colle traces its roots back to the late 1800s. Today the wines are made by Fabrizio Bindocci, who cut his teeth working alongside Piero Talenti, one of the most famous figures in the world of Montalcino oenology. Although some small concessions are made to modern tastes the wines remain quite classic in their expression of Sangiovese.