Poliziano

Poliziano was founded in 1961 by Dino Carletti, who purchased an initial 22 hectares in Montepulciano. The estate takes its name from Angelo Ambrogini, the renowned Renaissance humanist and poet born in Montepulciano in 1454, known to history as 'Il Poliziano.' Federico Carletti took over management in the late 1970s and established the estate's defining philosophy: using exclusively estate-grown grapes. This commitment to single-estate viticulture placed Poliziano among the founding fathers of the modern Vino Nobile di Montepulciano appellation.

• Founded 1961 by Dino Carletti with 22 hectares
• Named after Renaissance poet Angelo Ambrogini (Il Poliziano, 1454-1494)
• Federico Carletti introduced estate-only grape sourcing in the late 1970s
• Recognized as a founding force in shaping modern Vino Nobile di Montepulciano

Poliziano farms 170 hectares of vineyards spread across four distinct regions: Montepulciano, Montefollonico, Maremma, and Cortona. Elevations range from 300 to 450 meters above sea level on southwest-facing slopes benefiting from a Tuscan continental climate. Soils are a complex mix of clay and silt with pebbles, limestone, and iron and magnesium salts, with fossils scattered throughout the vineyard land. The flagship single-vineyard site, Asinone, covers 12 hectares on a sunny clay hill, with 7 of those hectares planted to vines over 50 years old. Across the estate, vines range from 3 to 53 years of age.

• 170 hectares across Montepulciano, Montefollonico, Maremma, and Cortona
• Southwest-facing slopes at 300-450 meters elevation
• Clay-silt soils with pebbles, limestone, iron and magnesium salts, and fossils
• Asinone vineyard: 12 hectares, with 7 hectares of vines over 50 years old

Sangiovese, known locally as Prugnolo Gentile, forms the backbone of Poliziano's wines and makes up 85% of the flagship Vino Nobile blend, with Canaiolo, Colorino, and Merlot completing it. The estate also grows Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. All grapes are hand-harvested with selection carried out both in the field and in the cellar. Vinification takes place in cone-shaped vats using indigenous yeasts at a controlled 26°C. Wines are aged 14-18 months in French oak barriques and tonneaux, followed by 6-8 months of bottle aging. Organic cultivation follows the Simonit & Sirch vine management method.

• Flagship blend: 85% Prugnolo Gentile with Canaiolo, Colorino, and Merlot
• Fermentation in cone-shaped vats with indigenous yeasts at 26°C
• Aged 14-18 months in French oak, then 6-8 months in bottle
• Organic viticulture using Simonit & Sirch vine training principles

Poliziano's Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG range sits at the heart of the estate's production, with the Asinone single-vineyard bottling representing the top expression. The Asinone wine inspired the creation of a dedicated oenophile club in 2015. Producing 20,000-30,000 bottles of Vino Nobile annually, the estate maintains a clear focus on quality over volume. Poliziano stands alongside Avignonesi and Fattoria del Cerro as one of the benchmark producers of the appellation.

• Asinone single-vineyard Vino Nobile is the prestige bottling
• Oenophile club for Asinone members established in 2015
• Annual production of 20,000-30,000 bottles of Vino Nobile
• Peer producers include Avignonesi and Fattoria del Cerro