Poggio di Sotto reaches lofty new heights with the 2013 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva. I spent a lot of time studying this wine and I tasted it at different intervals and from different bottles. Fruit ripened slowly over a long period of time over the course of this cool vintage, resulting in bright acidity and a firm tannic backbone. This wine follows the classic promise of traditional Brunello that, above all, softens and improves with age. This wine will meet those important goals. The bouquet offers evolved tones of dried cherry and crème de cassis with lovely spice, tar, licorice and balsam herb that culminate in increased complexity and persistence. I also taste some of the sharpness of the vintage, although it should subside with time. That point of tannic thorniness (that I associate with 2013) is the only thing preventing this wine from scoring even higher. Only 2,700 bottles were produced.

Luminous deep red. Scented aromas of raspberry and blueberry lifted by violet, incense and cinnamon. Wonderfully sweet and penetrating but light on its feet, showcasing real class and energy, not to mention powerful minerality to the densely packed flavors of red berries, pomegranate, tobacco and wild herbs. Finishes very long, suave and subtle, with tannins that are very fine.

Five years in botti. Pale-medium garnet, with brick tones. Mellow, nutty, fresh earth and old leather, with chocolate and a touch of meat. Rich, dried sour-cherry palate, with some baked tones and chocolate. Multi-layered but not yet fully mature – in more of a secondary than tertiary phase. Beautifully polished, moderate tannins and a long, savoury finish. Fine. (TJ)

Just mid ruby. Intense and ripe marasca nose. Bags of ripe, sweet fruit contained by energetic acidity and a layer of crunchy tannins. Gorgeous balance and style. Enormously long, intense and yet contained. (WS)