Poggio Antico Brunello di Montalcino 2019

Lots of bark, mushroom and forest-flower aromas with crushed cherries. Complex. Medium body with lovely acid tension and a racy and pretty finish. Very fine tannins. Lots of energy here. Drink after 2025.

A deeply savory, almost briny nose of balsamic, seaweed, salt, pepper and black sesame draws just enough sweetness from ripe black cherries. The palate brings more incisive notes of blackberry, along with more salt, more pepper and an emergent earthiness, which, along with symbiotic tannins and acid, create a sensation of easy balance.

The Poggio Antico 2019 Brunello di Montalcino has a pretty bouquet with a unique set of aromas that recall dried cherries with hints of rose potpourri or fragrant acacia wood. Those delicate floral notes give lift and energy to the bouquet. The only distraction is the 15% alcohol content. Otherwise, this wine is a good example of a classic vintage. Production is 37,800 bottles.

A blast of pure cherry fruit erupts from the glass, with iron, tobacco and spice notes adding complexity. Lively and balanced, showing a chalky feel to its tannins on the lingering finish. Best from 2026 through 2042. 3,150 cases made, 660 cases imported.

Poggio Antico’s high-altitude vineyards are almost dead centre in the appellation. They are characterised by constant breezes – both from the Tyrrhenian Sea to the west and Monte Amiata to the southeast – as well as significant diurnal temperature differences. Very fragrant and animated, this brings together scents of Mediterranean forest, pine and garden-fresh mint with cooler juniper and pepper notes. Very smooth and polished, the palate sports almost a glossy sheen. It is deliciously plump and weighted with layers of ripe, macerated cherry countered by chinotto bitters. There is more tension coming from the tangy acid than the soft tannins. Finishes with cinnamon spice.

Dark ruby with orange tinges. Deep, dramatic balsamic nose with a hint of oak. The palate is sheer precision without being short of concentration. Polished, tangy fruit with a layer of sandy tannins streamlining the whole. Generous but still a little embryonic.

Balancing intensity and grip, thoroughly enjoyable if a little subdued. The focus here is on tightly-knitted red cherry, blackberry and damson fruits, laced through with soy and liquorice notes and hidden concentration. Tannins are present but not intrusive. 30 months in barrel then 18 months in bottle, but even with this, it will benefit from a few more years softening.