About this WINE
Poggio Lamentano
Poggio Lamentano, located in the rural coastal region of Bolgheri, was acquired by the Żyw family in the 1960s. Aleksander Żyw, a War Artist for the Polish army during WWII, and his wife Leslie moved to Tuscany to manage the property. While Aleksander painted, Leslie worked the olive grove, producing the first single-farm olive oil sold in the UK, praised by cookery writer Elizabeth David. Since 1962, they have produced EVOO every harvest, which is sold on strict allocation today.
Though Poggio Lamentano has a long history with olive groves, its potential for world-class wine production has always been evident. The estate boasts the second-oldest Cabernet Sauvignon vines in the region, next to Sassicaia. However, they did not produce wine for sale until the 2020 vintage, with help from Luca Marrone of Grattamacco and Giorgio Meletti of Cavallari. Their wine blends ancient Tuscan traditions with contemporary influences.
Situated on one of the region’s few hills, Lamentano neighbours exceptional vineyards like Gaja’s Ca’Marcanda and Grattamacco. These higher-altitude vineyards benefit from cooler winds and complex, mineral-rich soils. Lamentano’s use of amphora instead of oak results in a wine with clean, savoury Mediterranean flavours, lighter and without sweet oak influence. Their “Extra Tuscan” style emphasises the character of the vineyards, blending native Sangiovese.
Producing around 1,333 bottles annually, Lamentano is pioneering a new regional style. Jancis Robinson scored their 2021 release 18/20, her second-highest for a Bolgheri wine that year, marking them as a promising investment for collectors and enthusiasts alike.
Bolgheri
Bolgheri is a new DOC in the coastal Maremma region which first rose to prominence during the 1970s with the emergence of the so-called Super Tuscan wines like Ornellaia and Sassicaia. These new ventures had rocked the DOC establishment by using high proportions of Cabernet Sauvignon, opting out of the DOC system and relabeling their wines as simply Vino da Tavola (table wine).
Having won universal acclaim and exchanging hands for unprecedented prices (higher even than Tuscany's finest examples), the authorities relented and awarded Bolgheri its own DOC. The actions of the Super Tuscans inspired a generation in Italy, even if some of the wines here have lost a little of their lustre since.
Cabernet Sauvignon blend
Cabernet Sauvignon lends itself particularly well in blends with Merlot. This is actually the archetypal Bordeaux blend, though in different proportions in the sub-regions and sometimes topped up with Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot.
In the Médoc and Graves the percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend can range from 95% (Mouton-Rothschild) to as low as 40%. It is particularly suited to the dry, warm, free- draining, gravel-rich soils and is responsible for the redolent cassis characteristics as well as the depth of colour, tannic structure and pronounced acidity of Médoc wines. However 100% Cabernet Sauvignon wines can be slightly hollow-tasting in the middle palate and Merlot with its generous, fleshy fruit flavours acts as a perfect foil by filling in this cavity.
In St-Emilion and Pomerol, the blends are Merlot dominated as Cabernet Sauvignon can struggle to ripen there - when it is included, it adds structure and body to the wine. Sassicaia is the most famous Bordeaux blend in Italy and has spawned many imitations, whereby the blend is now firmly established in the New World and particularly in California and Australia.
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Description
The 2022 Poggio Lamentano is a wine of utter joy: racy, energetic and ultra expressive. The blend is 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and 30% Sangiovese grown on Galestro, calcareous and sandy soils. The wine undergoes a natural three-week fermentation, with soft infusion on skins, before spending 12 months in Tava amphora. This helps retain the purity of the fruit, while keeping the natural texture of the tannin. After this, it rests for 12 months in bottle before release.
It’s a superbly aromatic wine, with damson plum, tomato stalk, and petrichor-like joy. The palate flows with vibrant, juicy red and black cherries, sage-like sanguinello with dried garden herbs and earthy Tuscan charm. The ripe, velvet texture from the vintage is balanced with a crunch of tannin and succulent acidity, leading to a sapid finish. Each bottle is individually numbered, and produced in small quantities of around 1,333 bottles per year.
Drink 2024 - 2034
Davy Żyw, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd (July 2024)
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