TN: A CCR that’s singin’. 1999 Castello di Monsanto Chianti Classico Riserva “Il Poggio”

TN:1999 Castello di Monsanto Chianti Classico Riserva “Il Poggio”

I stated about 3 years ago, the last time I drank a bottle of this, that my remaining bottle would need 5+ years of cellar time in order to bring out the best of the wine. Well, I became impatient and popped this with a tasty medium rare rib-eye dinner with yesterday’s lunch. This was in a great drinking form, while noting that I had my bottle sitting in a room-temp closet in the last month. It had mostly everything that I like about a sangiovese that’s turned silky-smooth, with the ripe fruit and just the slightness of tannin, happily complementing the fatty steak. Including this, I’ve had 4 (or maybe 5) different vintages of Il Poggio and don’t recall any disappointment. A-

I still have 5 of these left. I love this wine. Thanks for your note.

Byron

I love to see this. I have one bottle of the '90, standing up for near term drinking.

I thought this was going to be about John Fogerty.

nice

One of my favorite Italian wines, thanks for the update. I have some 2001 Il Poggio, but I’ve been holding off given how well older vintages developed.

Love Monsanto!!

Lucky you. This is good stuff. Enjoy.

I recall 2001 to be still in very young stage when I drank 3 - 4 years ago. Probably a good thing that my bottles are in the offsite storage.

I also have the '72, '82, '90, '97, '04, and '06. These wines have always been terrific. In 2000, I had a double mag of the '88 and it was one of the best wines I have ever had, so after that I have sought them out.

You beat me ti it, Ken!!!

Down on the corner! Both of you!

Cool! I haven’t seen that many vintages in any one time, except at the winery cellars.in 2012.

After your post, I went and bought some of the 2010! Thanks for the prompt! Byron

The 83 Il Poggio was one of the great Italian wines I’ve had. I drank my last of a 6 packs about 3 years ago and it was still going strong. Fully mature and probably at the end of its peak, but wonderful and picked up cheaply back in 2010.

Plenty of love here for Monsanto. I’ve never aged the regular CCR, always drinking them sooner rather than later, being as good as they usually are when still young.

Has anybody had aged Monsanto CCR, the regular bottling? How are they?

I buy a case every year of the Monsanto CCR. I still have some left from the 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, etc. I find they age very well. The 2004s are drinking great. My last note from this past September was:
“This is in a fantastic place right now. Bold sour cherry fruit, rich on the mid palate with plenty of grip via acids and tannins. Long finish. Glad I have a few left! 93 pts”. The 2006 is not quite as good as the 2004.

I’d suspect that select vintages of the Monsanto CCR can improve with some aging. I also buy a fair amount every year, but my storage capacity due mostly to the high local NYC costs for storage space, prevents me from stashing away for long term.