Poggio Stella Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2011

Montepulciano is a very confusing to American wine drinkers. It can mean the Montepulciano grape, found in Montepulciano d' Abruzzo from the region of Abruzzo. It can also mean a wine from the area around the village of Montepulciano in southern Tuscany such as Vino Nobile di Montepulcio, made predominantly from the Sangiovese grape.

Poggio Stella is 90% Sangiovese and 10% Canaiolo with an alcohol content of 13.5%. This is a crisp, lively, lightly oaked wine with fine tannins. This is a little richer than an average Sangiovese with flavors of dark cherry, spice and a little earthiness. It has been aged for at least 2 years plus several years in the bottle.

This is a terrific wine, not well known in the US and Costco is selling it for $14.99. Wine Enthusiast gave it 88 points and Wine Spectator rated it at 92 points. Not surprisingly, I am in the middle but slightly closer to Wine Spectator.

SC Wine Joe rating = 90 points

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