Poggio Mandorlo is a winery located on the slopes of Mount Amiata, an extinct volcano that rises between the Val d’Orcia and the hills of the Tuscan Maremma. The dream of four friends to produce wine became a reality in 2001, the year in which the company was founded, and today it has the collaboration of the well-known oenologist Filippo Paoletti. The estate covers an area of 38 hectares, where varieties such as Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Franc are grown. Great work in the vineyard and in the cellar, combined with a unique terroir, are the ingredients of Poggio Mandorlo wines: a perfect synthesis of power and elegance.

Winemaking

Il Guardiano, whose production begins with the 2009 harvest, represents the expression of terroir, born from the encounter between the rigour of Sangiovese and the softness of Merlot. The winery’s basic wine, Il Guardiano does not age in wood, maintaining a direct link between the vineyard and the bottle, limiting the hand of man as much as possible. Vineyard planted between 2001 and 2002. Soil of sandstone marl and limestone. North/west exposure and altitude of 400 metres above sea level. Spurred cordon training system with a planting density of 6,000 vines per hectare. Manual harvesting with grape selection. Yield of 5000 kg/ha. Fermentation in steel tanks at controlled temperature between 20 and 22° C. with multiple daily punching-downs. Maceration period of 16 to 18 days with chemical and sensory analysis throughout. Ageing 18 months in steel.

Tasting notes

Intense ruby red with violet hues. Well balanced fruity and floral olfactory notes. The pleasant acid vein, the medium structure and the moderate tannins make Il Guardiano a wine for the whole meal.Recommended serving temperature: 16° — 18°C

Food pairing

It goes perfectly with pasta with meat or mushroom sauces, red meat and cheese polenta crostini.