Wine Spectator:  Rated as Outstanding - a wine of superior character and style. "Really powerful for the vintage, with plenty of ripe fruit and cedary new wood, yet balanced and pretty. Full-bodied, with polished tannins and a long finish. Needs a year or two to come completely together. Best after 2011. 3,335 cases made." Jun 2010

Winery:  "Obtained from Sangiovese Grosso, a strong and generous vine, it is a wine that expresses the intensity and the strength of the soil where it comes from.  The colour is ruby red verging to garnet-red.  Bouquet is very intense, lingering, with hints of cherry fruit and spices with a taste that is well-balanced, with velvety tannins and a long aromatic grip on the palate."

Wired For Wine:  We can't resist a really good Brunello, and this Poggio il Castellare is no exception.  The intense personality and beautiful balance of fruit, cedar, spice and gorgeous tannins of this Brunello require a good, hearty meal. While you ponder the possibilities, pour a garnet-red glass and enjoy it with thin skewers of lamb "satay" and a earthy pesto dipping sauce. Or, shave some Parmesan or Pecorino over a crisp salad to start.  Toss a little finely grated lemon zest into the dressing; it will balance the ripe fruit of the wine beautifully.  For the luscious full body of this Tuscan Brunello, we suggest a linguine with a robust Bolognaise, and shake things up a bit by adding duck or rabbit to the sauce.  Bistecca alla Fiorentina, steak prepared the Florentine way, is another great option to highlight the polished tannins of the Sangiovese.  Oven-roasted potatoes tossed with olive oil and a generous sprinkling of sea salt, with mixed, grilled vegetables are a great accompaniment. Open another bottle of this delicious Brunello di Montalcino and serve it with a firm, vital Italian Asiago d'Allevo cheese.  Perfetto!

Size:  750 ml
Vintage:  2005
Varietal:  100% Sangiovese Grosso
Alcohol:  14.5%
Barrel aging: 3 years
Region:  Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy
Production: 3,335 dozen