Very much still a baby at the time of my tasting, the Poggio di Sotto 2020 Brunello di Montalcino shares many similarities with the epic 2016 vintage in terms of its pretty perfumes and polished length. However, this elegant wine does not have the same sheer inner power. This bottle ultimately offers a fresh and charming interpretation of Sangiovese. This is a delicate wine with floral aromas, wild rose, crushed stone and white cherry. Aged in large Slavonian oak casks, it requires more time to flesh out. Harvest started the last week of August and finished the first week of October, which represents a conscious decision to start picking earlier than most. The vineyards are planted on schistic galestro soils, and that territorial imprint comes through strongly in all of these wines. I love that refreshing hint of lemon rind or navel orange at the very end.

Incredibly floral and mineral, the 2020 Brunello di Montalcino displays a cascade of rose petals, violets, white smoke, underbrush and dried strawberries. This is wickedly fresh and feminine in style, with a vibrant core of acidity and juicy red berry fruits that swirl throughout, complemented by a sweet herbal thrust. It finishes with lovely length and concentration yet is still potent with crunchy tannins and a resonance of savory spice that lingers on and on. This understated yet drop-dead gorgeous Poggio di Sotto Brunello should put on more weight with cellaring, but today, it's already enjoyable on its potential alone.