2021 Vino Nobile Di Montepulciano Poderi Sanguineto Riserva

Dora Forsoni is not interested in pleasing the international palate; she is interested in making wine that tastes like Montepulciano. In a region often crowded by polished, over-oaked bottlings, the Sanguineto Riserva stands apart as a rustic, unapologetic homage to tradition. Dora, a winemaker who is as likely to be found hunting wild boar as she is pruning vines, crafts this red with a fierce dedication to the old ways.

The liquid here is Prugnolo Gentile (the local, thick-skinned clone of Sangiovese) supported by Canaiolo and Mammolo, all farmed organically on soil that feels alive. Fermented in concrete and aged in massive, neutral Slavonian oak casks, the wine is allowed to breathe, evolve, and settle without the makeup of new wood. It’s a wine with dirt under its fingernails. This 2021 Riserva captures the sun-drenched intensity of the vintage while maintaining the signature Sanguineto tension—a balance between raw power and a savory, almost feral elegance that you simply cannot manufacture in a lab.

Nose: The glass opens with a brooding, guttural earthiness that is impossible to ignore. It smells of iron and crushed violets, mingled with the scent of wild cherries that have been left on the tree just a day too long. As it breathes, savory notes of cured leather and a distinct, gamey meatiness emerge, grounding the fruit in something ancient.

Palate: On the palate, the wine is nervous and energetic. The acidity is high and whipping, cutting through a dense core of dark plum and blackberry fruit. It feels tactile, with tannins that are firm and gripping—like the texture of rough velvet—refusing to let the experience slide by unnoticed.

Finish: The end is long, dry, and savory. It leaves a lingering impression of dried herbs, tobacco leaf, and a stony minerality that pulls the saliva from your cheeks, begging for a bite of fatty meat.

This wine requires fat and protein to tame its structure. It is the spiritual companion to Bistecca alla Fiorentina or a rich wild boar ragu (pappardelle al cinghiale). If game meat isn't on the menu, try it with a hunk of Pecorino Toscano cheese aged until it crumbles, or a roasted leg of lamb with plenty of rosemary.