Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino 1998

One of the most highly regarded wineries in all of Tuscany, Tenuta Il Poggione makes incredibly powerful wines for collectors and everyday drinkers alike. Located in Sant' Angelo in Colle in the commune of Montalcino, Tenuta Il Poggione was established at the end of the 19th century by Lavinio Franceschi and is still owned today by the 5th generation of its founder, siblings Leopoldo and Livia Franceschi.

One of the original three producers of Brunello di Montalcino, Il Poggione and has helped to establish the standards of excellence for Montalcino. The estate covers a surface area of 1,500 acres, of which 350 acres are planted to vine, 175 acres with olive groves and the rest are sowable land and woodland used for grazing and raising cattle and pigs to promote biodiversity and a natural approach to farming. Many of the vines are grown at more than 1,315 feet above sea level and Il Poggione owns one of the oldest vineyards in Montalcino, Vigna Paganelli, planted in 1964. The estate is also blessed by its proximity to the Tyrrhenian Sea (about 30 minutes distance by car) to the west and the Orcia River Valley and Mt. Amiata in the south.

Led by father-son winemaking team, Fabrizio and Alessandro Bindocci, Il Poggione's guiding principle is to pay great care to the vines, because the secret to producing great red wines lies in the high-quality vineyard work. Harvest is conducted entirely by hand and the wine is made in the traditional method, though modern, state-of-the-art equipment is used. Total control of the vinification process is guaranteed, thanks to the new cellar built in 2004 and the introduction of extremely advanced technology, but as tradition is important, the company keeps the large Allier French oak barrels used for aging its wines five meters below ground. The winery is also committed to sustainable viticulture and 100% estate-grown, hand-selected fruit.