# Poliziano Vino Nobile di Montepulciano (2023)

- **Producer:** Azienda Agricola Poliziano
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Sangiovese, Merlot, Canaiolo
- **Region:** Toscana, Italy
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 14.5%
- **Average price:** €24
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 16–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** cherry, plum, strawberry, elderflower, rose, violet, black pepper, vanilla, cloves, cedar, smoke, toast, chocolate, leather, tobacco, forest floor, mushroom, game

## About this wine

Azienda Agricola Poliziano, founded in 1961 by Dino Carletti, is a benchmark estate in the historic Tuscan town of Montepulciano. Today, the estate is managed by Dino's son, Federico Carletti, alongside his children Francesco and Maria Stella. The winery's name is a tribute to the 15th-century humanist and poet Angelo Ambrogini, nicknamed 'Il Poliziano', who was born in Montepulciano. Situated at elevations between 300 and 450 meters, the estate's vineyards thrive on clay-limestone and silty clay soils rich in marine fossils. Poliziano has transitioned to fully certified organic farming, reflecting Federico's philosophy that great wines are truly made in the vineyard.

## Interesting facts

- The estate is named after 15th-century poet Angelo Ambrogini, nicknamed 'Il Poliziano', who was born in Montepulciano.
- Starting with the 2021 harvest, all estate wines from Poliziano are formally certified organic.
- The winery uses a 'pied de cuve' method with indigenous yeasts harvested early from their own vineyards to start fermentation.

## Food pairing

This full-bodied, high-acid, and firmly structured Sangiovese-based wine pairs beautifully with rich, savory, and fatty dishes. The high acidity cuts through the richness of wild boar ragù and marbled steaks, while the robust tannins are softened by the proteins in red meat and aged cheeses.

## Wine making process

The winemaking process for this Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is highly structured and precise. Grapes are harvested entirely by hand and undergo rigorous sorting. Fermentation takes place in truncated conical concrete vats and stainless steel tanks using indigenous yeasts selected via a 'pied de cuve' from the estate's own vineyards. Maceration lasts between 20 and 25 days, utilizing traditional punch-downs and pump-overs to extract color and structured tannins. The wine is aged for 14 to 16 months, with two-thirds maturing in French oak barriques and tonneaux, and one-third in traditional large oak casks (botti grandi) to maintain fruit purity. It is refined for an additional six months in bottle before release.