Vineyard Location: southern exposure on rolling hillsides. Vineyard age: Poggio Sant’Enrico Piccolo planted in 1978, Poggio Sant’Enrico Grande planted in 1995 at a density of 2.80x0.80 meters (~9x3 ft), equivalent to 4,464 vines/ha (1,860/ac). Trellising method: trained to a bilateral cordon with vertical shoot positioning. Grapes: 100% Sangiovese, Clone SS-F9-A 5-48 on 420A rootstock. Soil: deep, sedimentary, with sandy clay and limestone. The 2003 Vintage: Continental winter with abundant snow, strong winds and frosts. Spring and summer were fairly dry, with record breaking temperatures in the summer with peaks over 40°C (104°F). A providential rain prior to the harvest allowed the grapes to reach optimal maturation. Harvest quantities were 30% below average. Harvest: 15th and 16th of September. Grape must at harvest: sugar 23,50%, total acidity 6.80 per thousand, ph 3.30. Vinification: small lot fermentation at 25-30°C (77-86°F), using indigenous (wild) yeast in small cement vats. Twelve day maceration with frequent aerations, pump-overs and punch-downs of the cap for optimum polyphenol extraction. Malolactic fermentation: completed during the primary fermentation. Aging: placed in new French and American oak barrels on February 10th , 2004, it was taken out at the end of February 2005. Bottling: to protect the vineyard’s character this wine was bottled unfiltered on May 7 th , 2005. Production: 7970 bottles. Bottle age: in our temperature controlled cellar for over 45 months. Released September 2011. Color: dark, deep, blackish-ruby hue. Bouquet: bold and intense, with black fruit and plum aromas, black pepper, walnut and hints of vanilla. Taste: full-bodied palate with exceptional black fruit intensity. Big structure with supple tannins and a long, persistent finish Analytical data at the time of bottling: alcohol 13.70%, total acidity 5.11 per thousand, color 15.37, sugar 1.2 per thousand, polyphenols 4,488 mg/l, dry extract 35,3 g/l. Serving temperature: 20°C, 68°F Gastronomy: best served with roasts and grilled meats, especially “fiorentinastyle” T-Bone steak.