2007 Poggiarellino Rosso di Montalcino

This wine grows on you, and it keeps getting better and better. It is classic, tighly wound, earthy, tannic red-fruited Sangiovese out of the shoot, but it softens with air into the most gorgeous, velvety, blackberry and cherry deliciousness, with such length! It is a food wine, but I can't resist the temptation to sip it solo (maybe with a little cheese to soften the tannins in the mouth) and be transported to the Tuscany of my imagination. Hey, it's cheaper than a flight, right?

Lodovico and Anna Ginotti have to be two of my favorite people in Montalicino (I hope our newsletter is not mailed to this town or I could be in trouble next year). They never cease to amaze me with their wines and that it is almost just a husband and wife team production. As Greg & I taste with them every year, their eyes are glued upon us as we take our notes… As always we give our Kudos and a Huge smile comes across Anna’s face and she comes over and gives me a kiss on the cheeks and tells me every year that their wine is like her students and every year she wants them to succeed and they do! O.K., I LOVE this wine, I think the best they ever made. This is old world Rosso, leather, spice, cranberry and lots of minerals and Tuscan dust and soft tannins on the very long finish. We bought a lot of this to get this price and at fifteen bucks this will go fast, you are fairly warned!!!

Amazing value at wine club price of $12.50. This is the best Poggiarellino rosso d' that I have tried so far (of three). It is classic, old style sangiovese on a great vintage year. SUGGESTION: tannins are firm and dusty. Serve only with food...that can stand up to them, or, wait for a few years for them to calm down, which I assume they will. I'm buying a case, and going to forget about it for at least a year.

While lighter than a true Brunello, this wine is so much better than the Friggiali above. No comparison.