Il Poggione
Il Poggione was one of the few Montalcino wineries already selling Brunello di Montalcino as bottled wine in the 1900s. The winery has always been owned by the Franceschi family and is currently run by Leopoldo and Livia Franceschi. What is particularly noteworthy is that this remains a working farm, not merely a showcase. This single estate encompasses vineyards, olive groves, grain fields, woodlands, and livestock pastures. Most of the work in the vineyards, including the harvest, is done by hand. The wine named after this farm is Sangiovese; it is full-bodied and typically has an alcohol content of around 14.5%. There are no frills, nor are there any side projects involving foreign grape varieties.
History
This story begins with a conversation. Lavinio Franceschi, a landowner from Florence, kept hearing a shepherd talk about the area around Montalcino, where the shepherd would drive his herd every winter. Franceschi visited the area himself, fell in love with the scenery and the people he met there, and purchased land to establish a farm.
This marked the beginning of Tenuta Il Poggione. Generation after generation, the family invested in the same fields: research, the selection of grapevine clones, winemaking and aging methods, and ultimately, the construction of what was, by the standards of the time, a modern wine cellar.
In the early 1900s, Il Poggione was one of the first wineries to introduce Brunello di Montalcino to the market and was also one of the founding members of the Brunello di Montalcino Consortium. These two facts alone are sufficient to illustrate the winery's standing within the appellation.
Now, more than a century later, the estate is owned by Leopoldo and Livia Franceschi. They have maintained the traditional craftsmanship of the operation while incorporating new technologies, a change that, while not as dramatic as a complete shift in direction, has greatly benefited the vineyard.
140 hectares of vines, and 390 more of everything else
Tenuta Il Poggione spans an area of 530 hectares across Montalcino. Of this, 140 hectares are vineyards, and 50 hectares are planted with olive trees. The remainder consists of grain fields, forests, and pastureland for livestock.
This mix is not merely for show. The farm has always cultivated other crops alongside its vineyards and has limited its use of chemicals; maintaining these practices is easier when the property is this diverse and large.
Work in the vineyards is primarily done by hand. Not only the harvest, but all other tasks carried out throughout the year are done manually. Green harvesting, the practice of removing some unripe bunches to concentrate the remaining clusters, is standard practice here.
The estate's stance on all of this is very firm. The secret to great red wine lies in excellent vineyard management. Only by closely monitoring the health of the vines and providing the soil with the nutrients it actually needs can one produce decent wine even in challenging vintages, and the Montalcino region has many such vintages.
The grapes
At Il Poggione, both still and sparkling wines are produced exclusively from a single grape variety.
- Brunello di Montalcino, 100% Sangiovese
- Marchesa Clementina, a rosé wine made using the Metodo Classico method, also from Sangiovese
Since Montalcino's rules leave absolutely no room for other varieties in Brunello, the real interest lies not in the variety itself, but in how the vineyard has cultivated it. Generations of clonal selection form the foundation of the wines currently being bottled.
Winemaking
Il Poggione's Brunello di Montalcino is aged in oak barrels before release; the finished wine is full-bodied and dry, with an alcohol content of typically around 14.5%. It is sealed with a cork. There is nothing particularly special about it.
Sparkling wines take a somewhat different approach. Marchesa Clementina is aged for at least 24 months with the lees, the yeast sediment left over after secondary fermentation in the bottle, and is finished using the pas dosé method, in which no sugar is added during disgorgement. It has a dry flavor, and there is absolutely no hesitation about that.
Recently, the winery installed solar panels on the cellar roof to reduce the wine's carbon footprint. While this may seem like a minor measure on paper, it aligns well with the winery's long-standing practice of growing multiple crops simultaneously, rather than treating sustainability as a recent discovery.
The wines
Brunello di Montalcino is best known for its Il Poggione wine, which has spread the winery's reputation throughout the appellation. Sangiovese, a red, dry wine, is made for long-term aging.
However, the winery's portfolio extends beyond this flagship wine. Marchesa Clementina is a classic-style rosé named after the grandmother of Leopoldo and Livia Franceschi, who had enjoyed drinking Champagne her entire life. Thanks to her taste, it was Montalcino that gave birth to the sparkling wine. It features aromas of small red berries and citrus, with a long, dry finish. Serve chilled at 6-8°C.
The farm also produces olive oil from olive trees planted between the vineyards and grain fields.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Il Poggione?
The Franceschi family, since Lavinio Franceschi first bought land in Montalcino. Leopoldo and Livia Franceschi are the current owners.
Where exactly is the estate?
In Montalcino, in southern Tuscany, on a large property that runs to woods, grain fields and olive groves as well as vineyards.
Can you visit?
Yes, by appointment and subject to availability. Tenuta Il Poggione organises winery tours and tastings, and runs Agriturismo Il Poggione, a restored estate farmhouse divided into seven self-contained flats, with a pool and views over the Montalcino countryside.
Does Il Poggione make anything besides red wine?
It does. Alongside the Brunello di Montalcino there is Marchesa Clementina, a metodo classico rosé made from Sangiovese, plus olive oil from the estate's own groves.
