Poggio di Sotto

Origins and the first wines

In 1989, Piero Palmucci acquired Poggio di Sotto. Its vineyards already predated the 1970s and formed a contiguous body of land around the winery. The estate released its first Brunello di Montalcino vintage in 1991, followed by the first Poggio di Sotto Rosso di Montalcino vintage in 1994 and the first Brunello di Montalcino Riserva vintage in 1995.

ColleMassari Wine Estates

Claudio Tipa acquired Poggio di Sotto in 2011, bringing it into ColleMassari Wine Estates. Vineyard expansion began under the new ownership, while the aging cellar was modernized.

Conserving Sangiovese diversity

During 2012–2013, an extensive ampelographic study identified 182 Sangiovese biotypes growing among the estate’s vines. These locally distinctive biotypes were studied, catalogued and incorporated into a genetic-conservation program intended to supply new vineyard plantings.

In 2014, the research led to the establishment of Poggio di Sotto’s first experimental vineyard and was followed by further plantings. From the same year, a massal-selection project conducted with the University of Florence used ripening curves and physicochemical analyses to classify Sangiovese biotypes. Most new vines planted at the estate now originate from the massal selection of native biotypes that demonstrated strong enological performance.

Recognition

In 2022, Wine Advocate awarded 100 points to the 2016 Poggio di Sotto Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG.

Location and relief

Poggio di Sotto occupies the southern hills of Montalcino at Castelnuovo dell’Abate. Its estate-owned plots climb steep ridges on the lower slopes of Mount Amiata, ranging from 190 to 440 metres above sea level.

Mount Amiata is a 1,738-metre extinct volcano. It shields the vineyards from unstable maritime weather and generates cool nocturnal winds descending from its summit, followed by warm rising currents during the day. The resulting day–night temperature changes support the development and complexity of grape aromas.

Geological variation

Clay soils with abundant rocky material form the estate’s geological foundation. Galestro—the clay-schist associated with the central Tuscan hills—is a central component, but the soil pattern changes with elevation.

Areas near the winery contain more organic matter and reddish, pebble-strewn soils rich in microelements. Compact clays containing mineral conglomerates predominate toward the hilltops. At approximately 200 metres, the lower plots have rocky soils composed of galestro and grey marl.

The principal Brunello and Rosso vineyards, described at 200–400 metres, average 20–25 years of age. Their higher sectors contain gravel, iron-bearing minerals and organic matter; lower sectors show white and grey clays, galestro and loamy portions. In the selection of Riserva material, looser, gravel- and organic-matter-rich vineyards at 300–400 metres tend to perform best in cooler, wetter years. In hot, dry years, lower clay- and galestro-rich plots are valued for preserving freshness and balance during ripening.

All estate-owned plots are managed organically. Viticulture is devoted exclusively to Sangiovese: no international varieties or white grapes are planted. Some vines are more than 50 years old, and 182 Sangiovese biotypes have been recorded among the rows.

The estate rejects a uniform vineyard protocol in favour of adapting work to each plot, row and individual vine. Decisions draw on sustained field observation, repeated tasting and analytical investigation. Selection in the vineyard concentrates attention on the best bunches.

A major ampelographic survey in 2012–2013 studied and catalogued the estate’s Sangiovese diversity. Since 2014, a massal-selection program with the University of Florence has used ripening curves and physicochemical analyses to categorize biotypes. Native selections with demonstrated enological value provide most of the material for new plantings.

Vineyard parcels are harvested separately so that their performance can be followed through maturation. This parcel-by-parcel approach permits the cellar team to identify the site that most clearly expresses the character of a particular vintage and, in exceptional cases, elevate its wine to Riserva.

Fruit integrity and vineyard selection are paired with spontaneous fermentation in truncated-cone oak vats. Cement tanks are also used for vinification. The overall vinification and maceration period lasts at least one month.

Macerations proceed slowly, without forced extraction. Delicate pumping over accompanies the process; for Brunello, long and frequent pumping over in contact with air continues throughout maceration. This is intended to extract aroma, structure and tannin evenly but thoroughly.

Parcels are harvested and matured separately. All wine is initially designated in the vineyard for Brunello di Montalcino, and the final hierarchy emerges through tasting during maturation. Brunello matures for 36 months in 30-hl Slavonian oak vessels. Rosso di Montalcino is selected later from barrels containing wine that had the potential to become Brunello and averages 24 months in the same 30-hl Slavonian oak format.

Riserva is selected at the end of Brunello’s aging period. The outstanding barrel—the one showing the desired character and clearest expression of the house style—continues in wood for another 6–12 months. Riserva is made only in exceptional vintages; because quantities are limited, it may represent a single vineyard or, as in the 2020 vintage, a single cask selected from separately harvested and matured parcels.