On a summer day back in 2018, I was picked up by Carlo Lisini and, together with a couple of other wine writers, headed to his family winery in Montalcino for a vertical Brunello tasting in style.
Today, the winery is run mainly by cousins Carlo and Ludovica and their children, though all the cousins own it together (at least I think they do).
The tasting spanned vintages from 1970 to 2009. It was divided stylistically into “traditional” Brunello wines from before 1990 and the ones after 1990, which were Ugolaia wines, the cru they launched in 1990.
That was the first time I visited the Lisini winery. I still have the images of that tasting clear in my mind. The tasting was held in their historic building in the locality of Sant’Angelo in Colle, which houses a library of older vintages and offers wine tastings.
Upon arrival, we walked down a couple of narrow stone steps into a small, dark room where they keep the oldest vintages.
For a winelover, this is like walking up (well, here actually down) into a piece of heaven.
Right?
Since then, I have visited Lisini a couple of times. It’s always a wonderful experience.
You can read more about the vertical tasting in my article:
A Vertical Brunello Tasting Like No Other At Lisini Winery
A new Brunello wine is released…
Fast-forward 8 years until a couple of weeks ago, January 2026, when I was invited to another tasting, which was the launch of their new wine, Poggio Severo.
The tasting was in the centre of Florence this time.
Poggio Severo Brunello di Montalcino 2021 is the beautiful result of two decades of planning, work, and experimentation.
The two hectares of very isolated vineyard plots where they planted Sangiovese about 20 years ago are surrounded by forest.
Imagine going for a walk in a deep forest, and suddenly you arrive at an opening or clearing that turns out to be a vineyard of Sangiovese grosso. Consider the special microclimate and terroir.
When you stand in this isolated vineyard at an elevation of 500 meters, you feel the winds blowing that are coming from the direction of the sea. Perhaps you can even spot Mount Amiata in the far distance.
Keep these images in mind when you pour a glass of Poggio Severo Brunello di Montalcino 2021.
It can help to explain what you smell and taste.
Let’s now talk a bit of history…
A family legacy rooted in centuries of Tuscan history
The current owners descend from the noble Clementi-Lisini family, which has owned the Clementi estate in Montalcino since the early 1600s, beginning with land acquired in Sant’Angelo in Colle. Meanwhile, the Lisini family held land elsewhere in Radda. The two families united in the mid-1800s through the marriage of Francesca Clementi and Lodovico Lisini.
The estate experienced some neglect in the early 20th century, but Carlo’s grandfather revived the family’s focus on it. In 1929, following the phylloxera outbreak, he began planting vines and dedicated himself to wine production. During WWII, the estate served as a German headquarters, and many of their wines were appreciated.
After the war, the estate steadily regained strength, experiencing a significant revival in the early 1960s. During this period, Elina, Carlo, and Ludovica’s aunt assumed control of the estate. She was instrumental in establishing the Brunello di Montalcino Consortium in 1967, partnering with 24 other wineries from Montalcino. In 2009, Carlo and Ludovica took on the estate’s responsibilities.
Tasting Poggio Severo Brunello di Montalcino with fellow wine writers
At my table, my fellow tasters, Paolo, Riccardo, and the in-house enologist at Lisini, Alessandro, discussed what we find so special about Poggio Severo. Thanks to Alessandro, we were also able to ask questions and learn more about the wine and its production.
What emerged about Poggio Severo:
- It has an exceptional freshness
- Austere…yet a certain softness
- Tannins that are present but well incorporated
- Slim yet structured and complex
- Contemporary, yet the continuance of a legacy
It feels like the natural evolution of the Lisini legacy. In a sense, it feels like a wine of the era of “metamodernism”, as the hero wine in a great narrative. It is the continuance of the other Brunello wines in their catalogue.
I find it fascinating when a winery understands its identity, history, and value, and finds a way to move forward and communicate them. Lisini is a historic winemaking family in Montalcino and one of the consortium’s founding fathers in 1967. In 1990, they released Ugolaia, which was both a break and a continuation of the past.
The same applies here to Poggio Severo: it is a continuation of the past, a legacy, and a break, all at once. It’s a way to stay current, remain relevant, and preserve their identity and value.
In short, I “dig” the Poggio Severo Brunello di Montalcino 2021.
In this period after the holidays, when I am still feeling a bit like I’m in hibernation, resting a lot, and in slow mode, it was a wonderful event to get me out of the house.
It felt good to see fellow wine people again. Above all, to hang out with the Lisini family again.
