2001 Chianti Classico Riserva Il Poggio
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Tasting notes
The 2001 Chianti Classico Riserva Il Poggio is the first wine in this tasting that starts to show that Monsanto magic that appears in older wines. The aromatics alone are exquisite. Behind that lies a core of dense, wonderfully vibrant fruit. Kirsch, dark cherry, tobacco, incense and cedar lend nuance through to the deep, intensely satisfying finish. There’s a real feeling of density in 2001, likely related to spring frosts that reduced the crop dramatically. Superb,
Critic scores
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Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
Barberino Val d'Elsa. Medium deep ruby with orange-tinged rim. Must have been a blockbuster once. Nutty, vanilla spice, quite opulent too and lifted. Palate also in the grip of oak, but great acidity and concentrated, lingering fruit. Rather brash winemaking but with prime raw material. (WS)
A five-star-rated vintage by the consortium of Chianti Classico. A mild winter was followed by a relatively warm spring speeding up the budbreak, but the growing cycle slowed down due frost on 13 April and drastically reducing the anticipated crop levels. Summer was dry and with little rain. Substantial differences between day and night-time temperatures allowed for an even maturation of the grapes. Although Il Poggio is only five ha, harvest was executed at three different moments in order to achieve the best overall ripeness. The wine was fermented in tronconic temperature-controlled stainless steel and aged for 18 months in barrique. 19,000 bottles made. Mid ruby just beginning to show some orange tinges. Sweet, earthy, nutty, cherry and quite rich and clearly oaked. Great tactile palate feel with crunchy tannin and almost integrated acidity, which pulls up the almost rich finish. Very modern, perhaps even a little bit 'unPoggio-like' in its modernism. Very, very long with bitter note on the finish. (WS)
Monsanto's 2001 Chianti Classico Riserva Il Poggio reveals earthiness, menthol, spices, leather and ripe dark fruit in a full-bodied expression of this wine. The 2001 remains an intense Il Poggio with an additional dimension of volume and sweetness from the French oak, which is very prominent in this vintage. That said, this is a wine that offers considerable upside from further cellaring. In 2001 Il Poggio was aged in French oak barriques of which 40% were new.