POGGIO ANIMA poggioanima.com

Poggio Anima ‘Samael’

Montepulciano

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC - Italy 2015

A collaboration between famed Brunello di Montalcino producer Riccardo Campinoti and his importer from Vine Street Imports, Ronnie Sanders, whose wines attract as much attention for what's on the label as what's in the bottle. Poggio Anima is designed to over-deliver for its modest price point.

Uriel, the archangel of repentance. Uriel played a very important role in ancient texts as the rescuer of Jesus' cousin John the Baptist from the Massacre of the Innocents ordered by King Herod. The translation of Uriel is ‘God of Light.’ Uriel was the angel who checked each of the doors during the Passover in order to ensure safety for God’s people. Grillo is a very resilient grape and one that withstands a lot of heat and wind on Sicily. It is probably best known as the foundation for Marsala but in its ‘dry’ form has many interesting characteristics. It is the most important white grape on Sicily and therefore the ‘principal light.’

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. It is both good and bad.

This is 100% Montepulciano, from a single vineyard in Chieti located less than half a mile from the Adriatic Sea. The grapes were handpicked and fermented in stainless steel tanks with frequent pumpovers to soften tannins. Don't be fooled though as this is not some simple, light Montepulciano. If 2014 was characterized as a near disaster in Abruzzo, 2015 represents the exact opposite. Temperatures soared in July to near record levels rivaling 2003, however winter and spring rains deposited just enough water in the soils to bring balance.

Composition Soil Type Vine Age 100% Montepulciano Clay over Limestone 22 years old

Élevage Production 9 months in Stainless Steel 3,000 cases

Tasting Notes This has a lovely purple color to it, with ripe plum and blackberry aromas. In the mouth the black fruit is joined by some darker chocolate notes and a hint of spice. This is smooth and drinkable, great value for drinking now but enough grip to lay down for a couple of years.

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