2016 Col d'Orcia Poggio al Vento Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, Tuscany

The epitome of a true Riserva, Col d'Orcia’s just-released 2016 Poggio al Vento has brilliantly endured long ageing in both cask and bottle. It is only just coming into its own, and in fact, it should continue to develop leisurely and captivatingly for many years. As it sheds chestnut, flint and tobacco nuances, a heady bouquet of exotic potpourri and dried Mediterranean herbs emerges. The palate is laden with red summer berries, while long, textured tannins flex their commanding muscles but remain classy. With all the depth and detail that distinguishes 2016, this filled me with nostalgia for that glorious vintage.

96 points Michaela Morris decanter.com

The nose is primarily savory, with aromas of old leather, dirt and mixed spices, like a general store in the Old West with cherry and licorice candy in bins. The palate is more fruit-forward, with notes of cherries and figs, with currents of coffee and sambuca mingling to create a subtle sense of edginess. Tannins and acid oversee affairs without intruding, like a good party host. 

96 points wineenthusiast.com

Col d’Orcia Poggio al Vento Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is one of the great traditional Brunello bottlings, a wine that captures the wild, windswept beauty of the Montalcino hills and the estate’s unwavering commitment to heritage. Poggio al Vento means “hill of the wind”, a name that perfectly suits this singular vineyard perched in the Sant’Angelo in Colle zone, where constant breezes, warm days, cool nights and ancient, iron rich soils produce Sangiovese with incredible purity, structure and longevity. Col d’Orcia has long been a guardian of classic Montalcino style, and this Riserva is crafted only in exceptional vintages, always from low yielding old vines and always with minimal intervention so the vineyard can speak with full clarity.

Hand picking and rigorous sorting ensure only pristine berries make the cut. Fermentation is traditional, long and slow, extracting fine, noble tannins rather than overt power. The Riserva then ages patiently in large Slavonian oak botti for years, followed by an extended period in bottle before release, allowing the wine to knit into something harmoniously complex. Poggio al Vento has earned a reputation for producing some of the most ageworthy expressions in all of Montalcino, capable of evolving for decades.

The aromas are profound and multifaceted. Sour cherry, red plum and dried cranberry mingle with rose petal, violet, dried herbs and fennel seed. Beneath the lifted fruit lie layers of leather, forest floor, tobacco leaf, warm terracotta, spice and crushed stone. With air, notes of orange peel, cedar, balsamic tones and subtle truffle appear, offering a glimpse of the long life ahead.

The palate is powerful yet exquisitely balanced. Bright red fruit runs through firm but refined tannins, guided by vibrant acidity that keeps the wine energetic and focused. Flavours of cherry, pomegranate, redcurrant, savoury herbs, tea leaf, earth and warm spice unfold in slow, elegant waves. Structure and finesse work in perfect tandem, and the finish is long, resonant and deeply savoury, with lingering mineral detail. This is a Brunello for the cellar, easily capable of twenty to thirty years of development, gaining extraordinary tertiary depth.

An ideal partner for bistecca alla Fiorentina, slow cooked wild boar, truffle dishes, porcini risotto, aged pecorino, hearty ragù, roast lamb or anything involving herbs, game and slow heat.