Poggio di Sotto

Poggio di Sotto was founded in 1989 by Piero Palmucci, a shipping entrepreneur who brought to Montalcino a clear ambition: produce Brunello that prioritized elegance, freshness, and complexity over power. The estate achieved organic certification from its very first year of operation, establishing an early commitment to minimal intervention that shaped every subsequent decision. Palmucci enlisted the legendary Sangiovese consultant Giulio Gambelli, whose deep understanding of the grape helped define the restrained, aromatic house style from the outset. The first Brunello vintage was released in 1991, and over the following two decades Poggio di Sotto built a devoted following among collectors who prized its transparent, site-driven approach. When Palmucci sold the estate in August 2011, he did so with the winemaking team and philosophy fully intact.

• Founded 1989 by Piero Palmucci; organic certification obtained in the estate's inaugural year
• First Brunello vintage: 1991
• Legendary consultant Giulio Gambelli worked with Palmucci to shape the elegant, Sangiovese-focused style
• Estate sold to ColleMassari group in August 2011 with continuity of staff and methods as a stated condition

Claudio Tipa and his sister Maria Iris Bertarelli acquired Poggio di Sotto through their ColleMassari group in 2011, adding it to a portfolio that includes Grattamacco, Castello ColleMassari, and Tenuta San Giorgio. Despite the change in ownership, the winemaking team remained in place: Luca Marrone continued as co-winemaker, and Federico Staderini stepped in as consulting winemaker following the death of Giulio Gambelli. Leonardo Berti subsequently joined as head winemaker. Claudio Tipa has been recognized as Vignaiolo dell'Anno by major Italian wine guides, reflecting both his personal commitment to the estate and the quality trajectory it has followed. ColleMassari has acquired approximately 30 additional hectares in the region since 2011, but Poggio di Sotto production has been kept intentionally constant, with new vineyards not yet incorporated into the label.

• Acquired August 2011 by siblings Claudio Tipa and Maria Iris Bertarelli via the ColleMassari group
• Winemaking team retained post-acquisition: Luca Marrone (co-winemaker), Federico Staderini (consultant), Leonardo Berti (head winemaker)
• Claudio Tipa named Vignaiolo dell'Anno by major Italian wine guides
• Poggio di Sotto production held constant despite 30 hectares of additional regional acquisitions by ColleMassari since 2011

Poggio di Sotto farms 20 hectares of vineyards within a 48-hectare property, all situated in the Castelnuovo dell'Abate subzone in the southern reaches of Montalcino at the foot of Mount Amiata. The 25 vineyard parcels span elevations from 190 to 440 meters on steep south-facing slopes, and the three distinct altitude bands are blended in the cellar to balance the warmth of the valley floor with the cooler conditions found higher up. Soils vary across the parcels and include clay, sand, gravel, galestro (a schistous clay), and sandy loam, adding further textural diversity to the wines. Between 2011 and 2014, in collaboration with the University of Florence, the estate identified 182 distinct Sangiovese biotypes from older plantings dating to 1975, 1979, 1982, 1985, and 1989. These biotypes are now the genetic foundation for all replanting, planted as a randomized field blend rather than separated by clone, providing both resilience and complexity.

• 20 hectares of vineyards across 25 parcels in Castelnuovo dell'Abate subzone; elevations 190-440 meters on south-facing slopes
• Soils include clay, sand, gravel, galestro (schistous clay), and sandy loam
• 182 Sangiovese biotypes identified in 2011-2014 University of Florence research project; planted as randomized field blend in all new parcels
• Source vineyards for biotype research dated to plantings in 1975, 1979, 1982, 1985, and 1989

Poggio di Sotto's winemaking is uncompromisingly traditional and deliberately transparent. Fermentation relies exclusively on indigenous yeasts, and macerations run up to 45 days to extract structure and complexity from the Sangiovese skins without resorting to concentration techniques. All wines are aged in large-format Slavonian oak barrels: 24 months for Rosso di Montalcino, 30 months for Brunello, and 45 months for the Riserva, with no barriques used at any stage. One of the estate's more distinctive practices is its refusal to predetermine the Rosso-Brunello split at harvest; the decision is deferred to the second year of barrel aging, based on how individual lots are developing. The Riserva is produced only in exceptional vintages, having been made in just 11 vintages since 1989, with approximately 4,000 bottles per release. An early harvest strategy, beginning in late August, preserves natural acidity and contributes to the freshness and elegance that distinguish Poggio di Sotto despite the warmth of the southern Montalcino climate.

• Fermentation with indigenous yeasts only; maceration up to 45 days
• Aging: Rosso 24 months Slavonian oak; Brunello 30 months; Riserva 45 months; no barriques used
• Rosso vs. Brunello lot classification deferred to second year of barrel aging based on wine development
• Riserva produced in only 11 vintages since 1989; limited to approximately 4,000 bottles per release

Poggio di Sotto occupies a rare position in Italian wine: a small, organically farmed estate that combines rigorous traditional methods with serious viticultural research, producing wines that command immediate critical attention and strong secondary market prices. Its 2019 Brunello di Montalcino was named Decanter's Wine of the Year for Italy in December 2024, a recognition that reflects years of consistent quality rather than a single outstanding vintage. The estate's 182-biotype Sangiovese field blend program represents one of the most scientifically thorough approaches to clonal diversity in the appellation, with direct implications for long-term genetic resilience as the climate warms. Production challenges are real: the 2017 vintage required a 40 percent reduction in output, and 2018 saw a 55 percent crop loss from August rains. That selectivity, combined with intentionally limited production, makes Poggio di Sotto wines difficult to source and increasingly sought after by collectors and students of Italian wine alike.

• 2019 Brunello di Montalcino named Decanter's Wine of the Year for Italy, December 2024
• 182-biotype Sangiovese field blend program among the most scientifically rigorous clonal diversity initiatives in Montalcino
• Production reduced 40% in challenging 2017 vintage; 55% crop loss recorded in 2018 due to August rains
• Consistently cited among top three Brunello producers; limited availability drives strong collector demand