Wines Brunello di Montalcino Poggio Nardone - 2019

Poggio Nardone’s Brunello di Montalcino 2019 is a classic embodiment of the prestigious Tuscan appellation. While the grape variety is typically Sangiovese, Brunello di Montalcino is renowned for its particular local clone, Sangiovese Grosso, which yields wines of remarkable structure, elegance, and longevity. The 2019 vintage benefited from a balanced growing season, enabling both freshness and ripeness in the resulting wine. Expect a bouquet that might blend dark cherry, wild berry, dried herbs, and a touch of leather or spice, complemented by the hallmarks of lengthy ageing: subtle oak, refined tannins, and a pronounced, savoury depth. Vinification for Brunello is meticulous, often involving extended fermentation and maturing for at least four years before release, ensuring complexity and structure.

The Montalcino region of southern Tuscany boasts a storied viticultural heritage. Its Mediterranean climate, with warm days and cooler nights, helps to develop both concentration and finesse in the wines. The soils, dominated by a patchwork of marl, limestone, and clay, encourage depth and minerality, lending the wines a sense of place unique even within Tuscany. The region first gained DOCG status in 1980 and quickly established itself among the world’s top red wines, consistently appreciated for their ageing potential and nuanced expression.

As for food pairings, the robust nature and elegant tannin profile of Brunello di Montalcino make it ideally suited to rich and flavourful dishes. Traditional Tuscan fare—such as wild boar ragù with pappardelle, bistecca alla fiorentina, or slow-cooked lamb with herbs—would be excellent. Aged cheeses like Pecorino Toscano also make a superb match, as do dishes featuring truffle or porcini mushrooms, which mirror the wine’s earthy complexity.

For optimum drinking, decant the wine well in advance, ideally one to two hours before serving, to allow the aromatics to unfold. Serve at a temperature of 16-18°C, which will highlight both its vibrancy and depth. While the wine is already showing well at this youthful stage, patience will be rewarded over the coming years as further tertiary notes develop in the bottle.