95pts Wine Enthusiast

Earth and fruit play off of each other on the nose, where first soil and herbs are more present, then cherries and strawberries, finally meeting somewhere in between with dark chocolate and coffee aromas that follow onto the palate. The wine is clearly defined by robust tannins.

94pts James Suckling

I like the bitter chocolate, oreo and dried earth undertones to the dark cherry and mushroom fruit. Dense and compact, with a full body and firm, chewy tannins. Tannic. Give it a few years to calm down. Try after 2025.

93pts Wine Spectator

This red strikes a nice balance between ripe cherry and strawberry fruit, a rich texture and a dense yet refined structure. Reveals mineral, eucalyptus and Mediterranean scrub notes as this winds down on the lingering finish. Best from 2025 through 2040.

92pts Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Packaged with its distinctive black label, the Poggio Antico 2017 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva reveals an accessible or open-knit character that is commonly found in wines from this scorching hot and dry growing season, even in the Riservas that are built for long aging. Despite those aspirations, I would recommend a near or medium-term drinking window for this bold Sangiovese that is laced with ripe cherry, baked plum, balsam herb and cured tobacco. Indeed, very few producers took the courageous decision to produce a Riserva in 2017. The wine shows soft tannins and a note of fruity sweetness on the finish.

Winemaker Notes

The Riserva is exclusively produced during the best vintages following an even more scrupulous grape selection. A wine of outstanding structure, it is enhanced by a very long aging period in French and Slavonian oak barrels.

Winery Notes

Poggio Antico is one of Montalcino's most elevated estates, with vineyards averaging 1476 feet above sea level, southwest of the famed medieval citadel. Both the unique location and altitude privilege the wines of Poggio Antico, which benefit from the perfect exposure and enjoy favorable overnight drops in temperature, ideal conditions that increase finesse and intense bouquet.

Poggio Antico was founded in 1976 and consist of 50 clayey, calcareous acres of Brunello di Montalcino. The estate has seen a phenomenal growth, going from 50 to the present 80 acres under vine, developing two parallel Brunello worlds – the more traditional, larger-barrel Brunello, aged longer in Slavonian oak and the modern, finesse-driven Altero, aged in tonneaux of French oak; securing a stellar position in the global market and extending and upgrading the facility to ultrahigh-tech standards.

In 2017 Poggio Antico changed hands and was purchased by Atlas Invest, and it is now directed by the new General Manager Federico Trost. Poggio Antico recently lead a soil survey to approach the plot-by-plot management which started with the 2018 vintage by identifying, and consequently harvesting and fermenting separately, the micro terroirs inside each vineyard. All the estate is currently under organic conversion and a renovation of the cellar and of the hospitality center are part of the new plans.