2019 Podere Poggio Scalette Il Carbonaione Alta Valle della Greve Tuscany 750 ml

Not too long ago, Tuscany was an absolute playground for savvy collectors scouting for little-known steals. But today, collecting the most coveted icons of Sangiovese in Tuscany comes with a serious sting, as marquee names like Flaccianello, Le Pergole Torte, and Percarlo fetch $150 to $250+ per bottle.

That’s why Poggio Scalette’s Il Carbonaione is one of our under-the-radar favorites. A ruby-red triumph of gorgeous aromatics, bold taste, and smooth texture, it stands with the titans of Tuscany, but miraculously remains 60-80% lower in price. Tuscan expert James Suckling awarded today’s bottle 95 points, the same score as Tignanello—which goes for $158!

Il Carbonaione is so cherished that Antonio Galloni, perhaps the most respected American critic of Italian wines, saw fit to write about a retrospective tasting of the wine—a massive endorsement in itself. He came away from the 15-vintage marathon raving about how the “elegant, finessed wines” aged with grace, regardless of whether they were from blockbuster vintages or more humble seasons.

The grapes in Il Carbonaione, which come from vines as old as 95 years of age, are harvested in early October. The wine spends 14 months in 350-liter French oak tonneaux before being bottled, and the result is pure Tuscany: a 100% Sangiovese boasting elegance, purity, depth, and the opulence of great Brunello. 

This one will be tempting to enjoy after a 30-40 minute decant, and we encourage you to do it. But be sure to get several bottles to watch them evolve until 2040. You’ll be glad you did: between burgeoning appreciation for Italian wine and investment activity, this wine will look like an ever-bigger steal with each passing year.