Poggio Antico Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG 2016

Poggio Antico is one of Montalcino's most storied estates, a sprawling property on the southwestern slopes of the hill that has been producing benchmark Brunello since the 1980s. The estate's high-altitude vineyards — among the highest in the appellation at over 500 meters — produce Sangiovese of exceptional freshness and aromatic complexity, and the wines have long been celebrated for their elegance, longevity, and the distinctive mineral character imparted by the estate's galestro and clay soils. The Riserva is the estate's flagship, produced only in the finest vintages from the oldest and most expressive vines.

The 2016 Poggio Antico Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG is widely regarded as one of the greatest Brunello vintages of the modern era — a year of near-perfect conditions that produced wines of extraordinary balance, concentration, and longevity. This Riserva, aged for an extended period in large Slavonian oak casks before additional bottle aging, is a wine of commanding presence and remarkable finesse. Deep garnet with a luminous clarity, the nose is complex and layered: ripe cherry, dried rose, and iron-rich earth intertwined with tobacco, leather, and a deep mineral depth. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied and structured, with firm, fine-grained tannins, vibrant acidity, and a finish of exceptional length and complexity that will continue to evolve for decades.

The Poggio Antico Brunello Riserva 2016 is a cellar candidate of the highest order — already magnificent alongside roasted lamb, aged Parmigiano, or white truffle preparations, and built to reward patience for 20 years or more.