2008 Fattoria Poggio di Sotto Rosso di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy

Poggio di Sotto is one of Montalcino’s benchmark traditional estates, farming Sangiovese on the steep hillsides of Castelnuovo dell’Abate, where elevations reaching roughly 440 meters and complex soils of galestro, clay, gravel, and marl help preserve freshness in this warmer southern sector. The estate gives its Rosso unusually serious treatment, and the 2008 spent 23 months in cask, approaching Brunello-level élevage while retaining a more graceful, immediately expressive profile. Dried cherry, raspberry, strawberry, mint, sweet herbs, spice, and earthy mineral notes unfold across a lithe, beautifully balanced palate with silky tannins, bright acidity, and an elegant, persistent finish.

92 points -Wine Advocate
90 points -James Suckling