Il Poggione's Brunello di Montalcino 2019 is a full-bodied dry red wine produced in Montalcino, in the southern part of Tuscany, made from 100% Sangiovese grapes harvested from the winery's oldest vines, planted at elevations ranging from 150 to 450 meters above sea level.
The 2019 growing season in the Montalcino region was warm but measured. Rainfall occurred at appropriate intervals, nighttime temperatures remained cool throughout the long ripening period, and the hand-harvest continued into September. This combination manifests in the glass not as simple weight, but as fragrant aromas and ripe, supple tannins. However, with an alcohol content of 15%, no one would call this a light wine.
The aging process follows the slow rhythm characteristic of this appellation. After aging in oak barrels for at least two years, followed by bottle aging, this wine is finally released to the market in the fifth year following the harvest. Sangiovese from the Montalcino region requires this patience, and even more time is needed once it is bottled. Fruity notes of cherry and plum sit atop aromas of tobacco and dried herbs, with acidity providing overall balance.
The 2019 vintage of Brunellos is generally rich in tannins. It is best enjoyed between 2026 and 2042.
Robert Parker (94)
The Il Poggione 2019 Brunello di Montalcino shows an evolved bouquet with aromas of dried fruit, forest floor, crushed flower and autumnal leaf. On a second nose, you get dark licorice, wet slate, cola and grilled rosemary. The tannins are powdery and dry. I recommend a medium-term drinking window as a result. You do feel the powerful 15% alcohol content in this ample 200,000-bottle release.
Winespectator (94)
Features ample plum, cherry, iron, tobacco and underbrush flavors buoyed by a plump texture to match the dense structure, plus vibrant acidity to keep it all focused. Another year of aging should allow the finish to stretch out and this wine to reach its full potential. Best from 2026 through 2042. Tasted twice, with consistent notes.
Jancis Robinson (17.5)
Dark, youthful ruby. Very closed and brooding with only hints of perfumed raspberry, tea leaves and oak. Generous and composed at the same time on the palate. A layer of suave cherry and raspberry fruit lined with quite powerful tannins that demand more time. Carries its 15% with ease. Closes up on the finish and in need of more time. Walter Speller
Vinous (96)
The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino pulls the taster close to the glass with its dark and earthy blend of crushed ashen stones, giving way to rosemary, cedar, exotic spice and a core of raspberry preserves. Enveloping and serene, this flows across the palate like pure silk, steadily building in tension as tart wild berries and orange hints give way to a sweet herbal thrust. The 2019 finishes with tremendous length and is classically structured, as crunchy tannins resonate and violet inner florals slowly fade over a tactile coating of minerality. Il Poggione has captured the radiance of the vintage, yet this is just a baby today.
Jeb Dunnuck (94)
Saturated dark red in color and coming from 25- to 60-year-old vines, the 2019 Brunello Di Montalcino is a brooding and serious wine on the nose and needs a little air on opening at this youthful stage, with aromas of cigar box, vanilla, smoky cedar, blackcurrants, tobacco leaf, and charred rosemary. Opulent and rich, this full-bodied Brunello reveals rich, velvet tannins, warming richness, and spice, and its oak-noted frame enhances the richness. It’s deserving of several years of proper cellaring to harmonize and is a lovely, warming wine to enjoy over the coming 15- 20 years. It was raised for 3 years in large French oak barrels.
