Tasting & Dinner with Poggio di Sotto: A Journey Back to 1995 – Monday 19th October

For an estate that was only founded in 1989, it’s astonishing to think that Poggio di Sotto today stands as one of the benchmark names in Brunello di Montalcino. How has it achieved such status? Through an uncompromising focus on Sangiovese and a traditional approach to winemaking, yielding wines that combine the structure and longevity of great Brunello with an unusual elegance and aromatic finesse. Rather than planting a large contiguous holding, di Sotto is notable for forming an estate around a careful selection of different vineyards, in the cooler, southern part of Montalcino, a region which has proved particularly well suited to its desired style. The acquisition by Claudio Tipa’s ColleMassari group in 2011 brought greater resources, allowing the estate to deepen its understanding of the vineyard, notably through a study that identified an astonishing 182 distinct Sangiovese biotypes within the property. And while the propagation and preservation of such material continues to be explored, the wines remain deliberately traditional in conception: long maceration, large Slavonian oak and extended ageing, with the emphasis on texture, perfume and finesse rather than overt power or oak. Over an intimate dinner with a dozen of us around the table, winemaker Leonardo Berti will outline as much – or as little – detail on such topics as Members wish, while pouring a range of wines going back to 1995. Having graduated in Viticulture and Enology at the University of Florence, Leonardo went on to work as an assistant winemaker at Antinori’s Tignanello estate. He arrived in Montalcino as winemaker at Tenuta San Giorgio, which was also acquired by ColleMassari in 2016, since when he has overseen the winemaking at both San Giorgio and Poggio di Sotto. The wines we will be tasting: 2024 Grattamaco Bianco, Toscana IGT 2023 Rosso di Montalcino, Poggio di Sotto (from magnum) 2006 Rosso di Montalcino, Poggio di Sotto 2021 Brunello di Montalcino, Poggio di Sotto (from magnum) 2020 Brunello di Montalcino, Poggio di Sotto (from magnum) 2009 Brunello di Montalcino, Poggio di Sotto (from magnum) 2004 Brunello di Montalcino, Poggio di Sotto (from magnum) 2019 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, Poggio di Sotto (from magnum) 1995 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, Poggio di Sotto (from magnum). The Menu: Five-course seasonal menu created by Executive Chef Dan Page, to be released shortly.