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| ~ Nella Cantina di Tenuta il Poggione ~ |
Tenuta Il Poggione, along with the iconic Biondi Santi and Frescobaldi, is one of three original producers of Brunello di Montalcino. For over a century, the Franceschi family has been tending their farm southwest of Montalcino and producing wines of stature and elegance. With vineyards at 400 meters above sea level, the cool breezes from the Mediteranean, which is only 30 minutes by car from this portion of the Brunello zone, allow for cool nights and even ripening as the gentle winds help to prevent rot and fungus in the vineyards.
At a recent dinner, I was fortunate enough to enjoy the 2006 Tenuta Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino. Purchased from a wine list, the wine was decanted about 40 minutes before we got to tasting it. We were finishing a different bottle at the time and the sommelier assured me this wine was showing well, even at this young age. He was right.
The color is a deep dark garnet red with that typical brick/copper hue at the rim. In the decanter, the taster can easily discern aromas of flowers, fresh tobacco and copius amounts of rich, ripe berry fruit. In the glass, the aromas are more precise, more intense and with careful attention, you can find a hint of fennel.
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| ~ Entrance to the Barrel Aging Rooms ~ |
On the palate the structure of the vintage is readily apparent. The dominant core of rich, ripe wild berry fruit is accented wonderfully by sweet pipe tobacco, briary herbs, new leather and a hint of espresso. The tannins are fairly substantial which is to be expected, but they were easily tamed by the roasted rack of lamb and short ribs that accompanied the wine. The one fleeting aspect of this experience is the finish on the wine. It sits on your palate and lasts and lasts. This is where the wine most expresses the espresso component and it’s absolutely amazing.
I’ve tasted many examples from the 2006 Brunello vintage, but this one easily stands among the best of the vintage. 95 points, about $75 at retail.
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| ~ The 2006 Brunello resting in the Decanter ~ |
Finito!
John, just how Kool is that doorway into the barrel aging room!
John, as you know, I try and taste wines that will interest friends and family in the tiny State of NH, and my exploration in, except for just a few, PN wines has been a disappointment, combined with not having had a Brunello in months accentuates my frequently made statement that Brunello is the most consistently "great" wine I drink. That is what Brunello has earned by being true to its style, soul, and heritage.
Not long ago I had two of the Tenuta Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino wines, and though so many dislike to quantify wine with a numerical score, I find them helpful not Scriptural. 95 points was the score I gave for the 2007 vintage, the other was 94, and I think that means we agree: These are great wines indeed.
Dennis, I would agree, this was a splendid wine. And on your remarkrs about consistency, wait until you see my report on the 2008's. That is consistency across the board almost to the point of being homogenous.