Tuscany

“The Salcheto 2016 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Vecchie Viti del Salco (made from organic fruit) occupies that special place between primary and tertiary intensity. The bouquet reveals plum and dried cherry aromas, but it also shows oxidative aromas of tar, spice and a touch of dried fruit or apple skin. This open-knit wine is drinking nicely right now, and I wouldn’t recommend that you wait much longer. Made from old vines, this is an accessible wine of personality. Drink: 2020-2025. 93 points

Salcheto is one of the first and most fervent organic farmers in this beautiful part of Tuscany. These wines are the product of a totally sustainable winery operation, down to the columns of natural light that penetrate deep underground, foregoing the need for lightbulbs in the fermentation and barrel rooms. If you come for a visit (and there are charming rooms to rent), you will not be disappointed. The Salcheto property enjoys beautiful views of the Montepulciano skyline.”

Monica Larner, Wine Advocate (12/20)

“Somehow, Poderi Sanguineto I e II remains under the radar, even though their bottles are hunted worldwide. Much of this has to do with the fact that Dora Forsoni has absolutely no interest in marketing herself or her wines. While happy to spend some time with the occasional visitor to taste, Forsoni’s heart is in the vineyard. Dora Forsoni started on her father’s farm in 1968, working a total of fifty hectares, with only six devoted to vines, yet estate bottling only began in 1997. Sanguineto is traditional to the core, farming old vines with individual care. They follow organic practices out of respect for the health of the vineyards and themselves, not to achieve a label of status. The blend for each wine remains 80% Prugnolo Gentile with a 20% blend of Canaiolo Nero and Mammolo. Each year the fruit is harvested, fermented and placed into a mix of French and Slavonian oak botti ranging from 18 to 30 hectoliters, at which point the barrels are selected for their qualities. The Rosso spends one year in barrel, the Vino Nobile see two years in wood, and the Riserva (when the vintage warrants it) ages for three years in oak.”

Eric Guido, Vinous (02/23)

“The 2015 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva pulls you close and holds your attention firm. This opens with an initial earthy, almost-animalistic burst, at first unleashing notes of crushed ashen stone, musk and smoke. Only with time in the glass does it reveal depths of black cherry, dusty rose and cloves, all offset by a spicy whiff of blood orange. It enters the palate silky in texture, with a pure and vivid display of red currants and savory herbs nicely contrasted by hints of sour citrus and juicy acidity. Nuanced tannins linger, framing the experience well, as rosy inner florals and savory nuances of minerals and young plum resonate throughout. What an incredibly beautiful yet understated expression this is. The Riserva is a classic blend of 80% Sangiovese to 20% Canaiolo and Mammolo. Wow. Drinking window: 2023-2029. 93 points

There are few producers who, when you visit them, you can actually feel the energy and passion that they bring to the vineyard and winery; and so it was with Dora Forsoni, of Poderi Sanguineto I & II. If you want to talk about under-the-radar in Montepulciano, then you’re in the right place. When looking at the team at Poderi Sanguineto I & II, all four of them on the day I was there, what you see are salt-of-the-earth farmers, as well as a small village of vineyard dogs and cats that peer down at you from barn windows, balconies and perches. When you speak to them, you might be surprised to find that they’re amazed that you came to visit them instead of one of the many well-marketed and funded producers of the region. Dora Forsoni, now at the age of 72, makes honest wines using the same traditions that her father taught her as a child in the vineyards and cellars. The family farm covers fifty hectares, yet only six are planted to vines. Having started working in the vineyards in 1968, she knows these vines like they are a part of her family, and treats them as such. You won’t see any organic certification on these wines, but that’s because they simply don’t believe in the same guidelines of what an “organic” wine is. In the end, Dora Forsoni will tell you that she lives amongst these vines and loves to drink her own wine, so why add anything unhealthy to them? The primary red grape planted here is obviously Prugnolo Gentile (Sangiovese), but also Mammolo and Canaiolo. There’s also Malvasia Verde, Malvasia Bianca, Biancame, Trebbiano and Grechetto planted, which today go into the Bianco, but were originally used by her father long ago to soften the Vino Nobile. An all-natural approach continues in the winery with indigenous yeast fermentations completed in cement, at which point the juice is moved to large oak botti of various sizes. From there, she decides which barrels will be Rosso, which will be Vino Nobile and which will be Riserva. Other than the moment that decision is made, the only difference is the amount of time each of these wines matures in barrel. Dora Forsoni will tell you, “one year, one wine, three expressions”. It’s really that simple, or is it? Because the fact is that some of the region’s best wines are being made by this group of humble farmers who prefer honest work and indulging in the fruit of their labors at the end of the day over technology and trends. Tasting the incredibly pretty 2018s here made me feel like swooning, but even more exciting was a preview of the 2019 Vino Nobile from barrel and the Rosso from bottle.”

Eric Guido, Vinous (10/21)