Greetings from Verona!

Agents Cru, Noir, and Vine are at Vinitaly this week, putting their secret identities and livers at great risks on a mission to bring you the best Italian deals possible.

(They MAY just be chillin’ at a piazza with half Aperol half Campari spritzes in hand after walking 20 thousand steps each, in full unwind il dolce far niente mode!)

Proprietor Luca Belingardi believes in making a traditional Brunello that expresses its unique terroir in the best possible way. After all, his grandfather Pierluigi Tagliabue created Villa Poggio Salvi in 1979. And was in a partnership with Biondi-Santi - yes, that cult winery known as the beacon of classicism in Montalcino.

So, we stopped by Luca’s VinItaly booth to say hi and taste the tremendous lineup. You can find more intel on that and watch a recap video of their mission here on our Facebook Group.

To create the best possible Brunello that truly reflects prized terroir, Belingardi chose Vittorio Fiore to make the wines. He was the Director of the Italian Association of Enologists in the 1970s, and rightfully credited as “the inventor of the profession of consulting winemaker.” He’s helped make Caparzo, Conti Costanti, Vecchie Terre di Montefili, Poggio Scalette, and many more.

Per Antonio Galloni’s Vinous “Higher elevation and limestone-rich soils are the key to success at Poggio Salvi. This winery and vineyard, which is found close to the town of Montalcino, it looks to the northwest, and the wines are produced in a traditional style, aging for 30 months in large Slavonian oak barrels.”

And that’s for the entry-level Brunello. This Riserva has seen a whopping 40 months in barrel, and it so shows in the beautiful, silky tannins, the potpourri of sweet spices interspersed within layers and layers of complexity. The red fruits go on for miles, while there’s plenty of freshness and verve running through the marathon of a finish. Truly the stuff of dreams, hauntingly beautiful and elegant while seriously deep and very age-worthy. Lay a few down for a couple of years or enjoy soon with Bistecca alla Fiorentina.

The trouble is, Brunello Riservas are super limited, so we secured all that we could, but not enough.

94 Points – Wine Enthusiast

“The nose is a campground, where soft, fresh aromas of herbs, cherries and strawberries are cut by the harsh minerality of gravel crushed beneath car tires. The palate brings more cherries and berries, while chalky tannins bring out the astringency of citrus pith, and acid provides a welcome warmth.”

For those of you that aren’t sharing your cellars with your fellow Operatives on the Facebook group, here’s our whirlwind tour of Vinitaly: