Podernovi

Podernovi

Brunello di Montalcino DOCG

Podernovi, San Polo’s new single vineyard Brunello, makes its debut with the extraordinary 2015 vintage. Crafted with Sangiovese grapes grown in the vineyard synonymous with the wine, it is among the most beautiful and archetypal of Montalcino. Podernovi is an elegant and poignant Brunello.

 

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Climate trend

Difficult vintages are said to reveal the true potential of the best terroirs, and never has this been more true than in the 2017 vintage in Montalcino. The winter was mild and very dry, as was the spring. This led to budding about two weeks earlier than normal. The frost that hit the area in the middle of April caused enormous damage across much of Europe, but thanks to the location of San Polo’s vineyards, with their southern exposure, 450-metre altitude and abundant air circulation, our vines suffered no damage. The summer that followed was marked by elevated temperatures and almost no rainfall, which created difficult conditions for the vines. Again, at this stage, we were able to appreciate the advantages of a particularly well-suited vine growing area, which treated us to daytime breezes and excellent day-night temperature variations, creating conditions that relieved the vines, which showed no symptoms of drought or heat-related stress. The rain that fell between the end of August and the beginning of September, not only restored the land’s water reserves, but it also gave the final ‘go ahead’ for the most important stage in the ripening of Sangiovese, the last month before harvesting.

Vintage rating

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Grape varieties

Grape varieties

Sangiovese 100%

Soil

Vineyard

Podernovi – 3 hectares

Harvest

Grapes are hand harvested in small 17 kg crates during the first October weeks

Bottle

Size

750 / 1.5 lt / 3 lt

Barrel

Vinification

Soft crushing of the grapes after careful selection of the berries

Ageing

30 months in lightly toasted 4000 L casks. This is followed by at least 6 months of bottle ageing before its market release.

Fermentation

In 2500 L tapered Slavonian oak vats

Malolactic fermentation

In 4000 L wooden casks

Awards

93

Wine Spectator

Aromas of fading rose and Mediterranean scrub are enticing in this red, which also exhibits ample cherry, plum, iron and sanguine flavors. This is embraced by a cloak of burly tannins, yet has the stuffing to find an equilibrium in 3-5 years. Best from 2025 through 2042. 800 cases made, 150 cases imported. – Bruce Sanderson

92

Wine Enthusiast

Underbrush and crushed mint aromas come to the forefront along with leather and dark spice. Elegantly structured, the linear palate features dried cherry, orange zest, licorice and coffee bean framed in polished, fine-grained tannins. Drink through 2027. — Kerin O’Keefe

91

Wine Advocate

Packaged with the green label, this is one of two vineyard-specific wines from San Polo, and I'm happy to see this estate focus on terroir, rather than Riserva status. The 2017 Brunello di Montalcino Podernovi is a certified-organic wine with a strong balsamic character (like we saw in the annata version). However, this wine is darker and more structured. I feel that those medical aromas outweigh the fruit and create a slightly more monotone final result. Production is 10,000 bottles.

4 stelle

Vini buoni d'Italia - Vini da non perdere

Per la sua piacevolezza, corrispondenza al vitigno ed equilibrio

94

James Suckling

Fresh and floral aromas such as cherry and flower with hints of sandalwood follow through to a medium body with firm and creamy tannins and a vivid finish. Tight and structured yet polished and serious. Drink after 2023.

Foglia d'oro

Guida Bio

96

Falstaff

Bright ruby red. Vibrant scent of wild berries, strawberry sweets, reminiscent of red stone fruit, and resonating candied raspberries. Very polished and elegant, coating the palate with juicy fruit. Salty, long, marked by splendid reverberations. Leuchtendes Rubinrot. In der Nase herzhaft, nach Waldbeeren, Erdbeer- bonbon, erinnert an rotes Steinobst, im Nachhall nach gezuckerten Himbeeren. Am Gaumen sehr geschliffen und sehr ele- gant, breitet sich mit saftiger Frucht über die Zunge, auch salzig, lange, prächtiger Nachhall

94

Decanter Magazine

San Polo’s two single vineyards are literally separated by a road, yet even at a casual glance, the difference is obvious. Podernovi slopes very gently to the southeast and is the more vigorous of the two sites, yielding bigger, juicier grapes. This appears to be an advantage in 2017, for the wine demonstrates lovely balance. It's not over-concentrated and alcohol is a reasonable 14%. It flows gracefully and confidently across the palate with a chalky, finessed texture and its aromas are fresh, bringing in intriguing truffly nuances. There's sweetness of fruit on the palate but with good grip and lots of acidity.” – Michaela Morris

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