POGGIO ANIMA SAMAEL MONTEPULCIANO D'ABRUZZO

Tasting notes:

Opaque ruby. Smoky black plum, earth and brown sugar on the nose, along with a hint of blackberry liqueur and mint. Sweet fruit, concentrated and yet refreshing, with an attractive note of dark berries and chocolate with lingering acidity. Finishes strong with pronounced tannins.

About the wine:

In Jewish texts, Samael is better known as the ‘Angel of Death.’ It is believed that Samael is both good and evil in that he does the work of God but desires man to do evil. Samael is viewed as a seducer as was first spoken of in the Talmud as assuming the role of the serpent and tempting Eve in the Garden of Eden. The correlation here is that Montepulciano can be a very alluring and seductive grape that lends itself to pleasurable drinking. That said, often time Montepulciano is simple, thin and insipid. In many ways it offers both the good and bad of wine.

The grapes were handpicked and pressed to tank for fermentation. Fermentation was carried out over nine days on skins with frequent pumpovers. A further week on skins post-ferment brought a little more structure and actually softened the tannins of this ripe vintage. The wine was pressed to barrel to age for six months prior to bottling.

About the producer:

Poggio Anima is a joint venture between one of Tuscany's rising stars, Riccardo Campinoti of Le Ragnaie in Montalcino and his U.S.A. importer Ronnie Sanders of Vine Street Imports. The idea is straightforward: to source great vineyards from existing relationships and produce a real wine that conveys a place and a grape. These wines are not bulk wines or leftover juice from a winery; instead, they are the result of long-standing relationships with reputable and respected growers throughout Italy.