Poliziano, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano (Tuscany, Italy) 2021 ($29, Dalla Terra)

The Tuscan hill town of Montepulciano has been a source of fine wine for centuries. The Poliziano estate was founded in 1961 and now ranks among the best producers. They meticulously tend their hectares of vines, adjusting the clonal selection, vineyard layout and planting density to maximize quality. The clone of Sangiovese grown here is called Prugnolo Gentile. Poliziano’s Vino Nobile is 85% Prugnolo Gentile blended with small amounts of Canaiolo, Colorino and Merlot. The 2021 Poliziano Vino Nobile is a lovely expression of Sangiovese, offering scents of pure red cherry, raspberry and plum fruits interwoven with lovely floral, herb, earth and spice elements. The flavors show the pure ripe red cherry fruit of the Sangiovese backed by hints of plum, dried flowers, herbs, vanilla and spice. This delightful combination of pure fruit with herbal and earthy complexity makes this a superb example of Sangiovese.
92 Wayne Belding