Brunello di Montalcino, Riserva, 2006

Extremely intense with a razor sharp focus, ripe fruit gripped by as fine but firm tannic backbone, wonderfully flavours plum, damson, bullace cherry mixed with savoury salt stone and mineral character, vivid powerful and so precise. This is a deep, tight-packed, ethereal Brunello that will require patience. From vines that face south 450 metres above se level, therefore ranking among some of the highest in Montalcino, Poggio Antico make refreshing pure and elegant Brunellos. The Riserva is only produced in exceptional vintages. In those years the grapes from the oldest and lowest altitude vineyard are picked, crushed, fermented and aged separately. Ageing is for three and a half years in wood; the first year of ageing takes place in 500-liter French tonneaux while the remainder is in new Slavonian oak barrels. The wine is then bottle-aged for one and a half years before release to complete the mandatory five years of total ageing.