Colle Santa Mustiola Poggio ai Chiari 2013
Colle Santa Mustiola Poggio ai Chiari 2013
Our Tasting Note: Deep ruby at the core with vibrant red edges. The nose rises easily from the glass—pronounced but refined—with fresh cherry and raspberry alongside darker currant fruit and the first hints of maturity. Savory notes, a touch of sweet balsamic, orange peel, baking spice, fine leather, and sandalwood add complexity. The palate is medium-plus in body, with long, fine tannins and acidity that gives the wine wonderful energy. The fruit is still fresh and expressive, and the long, complex finish suggests there is plenty more to come with age.
This is outstanding Sangiovese. If you love wines like Pergole Torte, Percarlo, Cepparello, or Fontalloro, Poggio ai Chiari deserves your attention—and a place in the cellar.
Region: IGT Chiusi, Tuscany
Variety: 100% Sangiovese from 28 different clones
Land: 4 hectares of north and east facing hillside Sangiovese vineyards in Chiusi, just east of Montalcino. The climate here is mitigated by the cooling effects of the nearby huge Chiusi Lake. Wide diurnal temperature variations between day and night.
Soil: Alluvional/Sandy w/marine Pliocene deposits and pebbles
Viticulture: Practices organic; super low yields of 35/ha, crazy high vine density of 10,000 plants per hectare!
Vines: 28 different Sangiovese clones (4 pre-phyloxera) in the late 80s, early 90s. Planted at 300 meters asl. Manual harvest by hand.
Fermentation: with native yeasts at cool temperature in stainless steel vats.
Maceration is typically 40 days, 25 days w/submerged cap
Aging: 6.5 years (78 months) in mostly used (a tiny % is new) French oak barriques and huge 20/30hl botti, plus 24+ months in bottle
Production: A microscopic 800+ cases
3 Gambero Rosso Glasses for 5 years (Tre Bicchieri)
94 Points RP for the similar vintage 2009
(NOT the 2013 here which is NOT yet rated)
"The 2009 Poggio Ai Chiari, 100% Sangiovese, is a bold, flavorful wine. Deceptive in its mid-weight structure, the 2009 hits the palate with tons of Sangiovese sweet red cherry, game, anise, tobacco, worn-in leather and cedar. The aromatics are starting to show the first sign of development. As always, Poggio Ai Chiari is one of the most distinctive wines in Tuscany.” – Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media, April 2018
Proprietor & winemaker Fabio Cenni believes that the nature of the land and the climate are essential factors when naturally combined with diligent vineyard work and hands off attention in the cellar to the production of great wine. This is why his first step was to select by massale selection the 28 clones that exist today from the original vineyard planted in 1950. While many new world vineyards come from one mother plant, many in Europe take from their best plants, not just 1 mother plant to propagate their vineyards. The diversity of this selection process reinforces that natural defenses of the plants to the different ill effects a vineyard faces, whilst also allowing for a diverse and more complex source of fruit.
Fabio Cenni began his Mustiola winemaking journey in the early '90s when he decided to devote himself full-time to the old family business and pursue making the heritage wines more widely available. He began restoring vine quality by reproducing the most select Sangiovese plants present in the old vineyards. By harvesting low yields, using scrupulous grape selection, having long maceration during fermentation, and implementing advanced maturation methods Fabio has produced wines of beautiful balance and complexity.
