Il Poggione

High on its perch overlooking the lush Maremma, Tenuta Il Poggione has been synonymous with top quality Brunello for more than a century. Its dramatic scenery proved irresistible to Florentine landowner Lavinio Franceschi in the late 19th century, drawn to the area by the tales of a local shepherd whose sheep spent the summer months on the sunlit slopes between Montalcino and Sant’Angelo. Now in the capable hands of fifth-generation owners L & L Franceschi, Il Poggione has about 125 hectares of the finest Brunello vineyards going, and a 10-year-old winery that combines modern equipment with a traditional approach, not least in the large French oak barrels so vital to the development of its classic Brunello and Rosso di Montalcino.