2019 Brunello's are starting to roll out, but before you jump on those, you might want to take down a Rosso di Montalcino that can compete with most people's regular Brunello, if not best them!  Poggio di Sotto is one of the best name in the region and has slowly risen to the top echelon over the last 15 or so years, while they continually refined their growing and winemaking process (and still do) to churn out one fo the best expressions that collectors go ga-ga for like Stella and Soldera.  We also have a look at a beautiful 2016 we just tasted in the shop that is from one of the best vintages of the 21st century.

95 pts Vinous Media
"Shavings of cedar, blood orange, crushed cherries, dried flowers and stone dust form a mesmerizing bouquet as the 2019 Rosso di Montalcino slowly opens in the glass. There are depths of ripe textural fruits here, offset by zesty spices and bright acidity that sweeten the expression while energizing it as well. A web of fine tannins coats the palate through the finish, coupled with a core of primary concentration and sweet inner florals that seem to never truly fade. What a glorious achievement from Poggio di Sotto. The 2019 spent a whopping 43 days macerating on the skins, followed by 29 months of refinement in cask. It’s undoubtedly a baby Brunello. (Drink between 2025-2031)"
 
94 points - Aldo Fiordelli (Decanter, June 2022)
"Poggio di Sotto is well known for its Rosso as well as for its Brunello. One of the most expensive and celebrated Rosso labels in Montalcino, it's also one of the few with real ability to age. Peach skin vibrancy, restrained floral character, medlar and cardamom dominate the nose. The attack is velvety and thick, showing potential due to great mid-palate extraction and concentration of fruit. The acidity is long and integrated, keeping the wine in great balance. A stony, mineral finish is its crowning glory."

This wine is produced from averagely 25 years old vineyards, placed at 200, 300, and 400 meters above sea level, with various expositions. The soil is poor and rocky, mainly composed of clay and limestone. The production area is located in Castelnuovo dell'Abate, facing the valley of the Orcia River. The harvest is made manually, and the grapes' selection follows the same precision adopted for Brunello. Vinification is in oak vats, with spontaneous fermentations led by indigenous yeasts and extended macerations. This wine aged 26 months in 30 hl oak casks and was bottled in March 2022.