($55, MW Imports): Il Poggio, a 13-acre single-vineyard that sits about 1,000 feet above sea level, is the source of Monsanto’s flagship wine.  The 2009, from a ripe vintage, is positively explosive with a captivating smoky and mineraly quality.  Racy acidity balances the ripeness so there’s no mistaking it for anything but great Chianti Classico.  Monsanto’s Il Poggio has a track record of evolving beautifully over a decade and more with bottle age so I’d put this one in the cellar instead of on the dining table.
94 Michael Apstein Feb 25, 2014