The winery. Tenuta Il Poggione is one of Montalcino's oldest and largest estates — 530 hectares total, 140 under vine, owned by the Franceschi family since 1964. Its winemaking lineage traces back to Piero Talenti, one of the founding figures of modern Brunello (his name is still legend in the appellation). Today Alessandro Bindocci runs the cellar alongside his father Fabrizio, carrying that tradition forward with modern technique layered on old-school farming. This is a house critics treat as a benchmark for what Brunello and its little brother Rosso should taste like — consistent, traditional, built for the table rather than for hype.
The wine. 100% Sangiovese from the estate's younger vineyard parcels (150-450m elevation), hand-harvested, fermented with submerged-cap technique in temperature-controlled steel, then aged in a mix of large old-style French oak botti (30-50hL) and smaller barriques. This is Il Poggione's "baby Brunello," built to drink now rather than cellar.
Tasting notes (90 points, both Jeb Dunnuck and Wine Spectator): Deep ruby color, red berry and cherry fruit with cedar and oak spice notes, plum and a touch of iron/tobacco, smooth velvety tannins, well-structured but approachable.
Food pairings: Classic Tuscan trattoria lane — pasta with meat ragù, grilled or roasted meats, medium-intensity cheeses (pecorino, aged provolone). This is a food wine first.
Certification note worth using: Il Poggione isn't organic certified yet — but 2025 will be their first certified organic vintage, after years of sustainable groundwork (solar power, drip irrigation since 2016, soil-focused farming).
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