SOLD OUT! Love Brunello di Montalcino, but hate paying $50+ for a bottle? I’ve got the solution! The 2017 Luca Brunelli Poggio Apricale offers up Brunello-like aromas and flavors at less than $25/bottle.
This Sangiovese-based blend is softer, plusher, and more “ready to drink” than a young Brunello would be. Composed of 85% Sangiovese from Brunelli’s younger vines, along with 10% Merlot and 5% Colorino, this would make a fine companion to your favorite fall stew, chili, or roast. It’s our new Wine of the Week, and it’s a ton of wine for the money.
2017 Luca Brunelli Poggio Apricale Rosso Toscana
Baby Brunello at a Great Price!
SOLD OUT
For years, Montalcino-born and bred Mauro Brunelli worked long days atop a sun-drenched tractor, tilling the soils of Biondi Santi, producer of the “original Brunello.” His work at this famed estate inspired him in 1996 to buy a small plot of land with old Sangiovese vineyards and olive groves. He immediately set about training its old vines, replanting some, and building a cellar. He put his son Luca to work, too; training him in the family vocation of winemaking. Within a decade, Brunelli Brunello would garner rave reviews from neighbors, fellow winemakers, and journalists around the world.
The estate’s Poggio Apricale was Luca’s “invention.” While Brunelli’s Brunellos require patience and time in the cellar to come into their own, Poggio Apricale offers up immediate gratification. A blend of 85% Sangiovese Grosso (the Brunello clone of Sangiovese), 10% Merlot, and 5% Colorino, the wine completed fermentation in stainless steel and then was aged for 3 months in large, neutral oak barrels.
The resulting wine shows a level of class and complexity rarely encountered at this price point. Right out of the bottle, it pours a dark ruby color and exhibits bold aromas of dark cherry, raspberry, smoky sage, and baking spices. On the palate, it’s medium to full bodied with good concentration and a seamless, balanced, refreshing personality. Like I said earlier, this one is going to go great with your fall and winter stews, roasts, and red sauced dishes.
Josh Spurling
Owner, Operator, Wine Monger
Table Wine Asheville