There is a new chapter in the history of the Lisini family, and it smells of tall woods, fresh wind, and pure Sangiovese. It is called Poggio Severo, the new Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2021, a creation that combines memory and future, tradition and intuition, and which carries with it all the essence of one of the most suitable territories in the world.
A long-awaited, precious debut in numbered bottles. The first vintage is 2021, and the presentation to the press took place at the Hotel Albani in Florence.
A wine that has been carefully thought out and shaped step by step by the Lisini family together with the winery’s oenologist Alessandro Margioni and Paolo Salvi, technical supervisor since 2019.
Poggio Severo was born as a legacy of oenological sensitivity preserved for generations: from the first vinifications of grandfather Lodovico in the 1930s, to the contribution of master Giulio Gambelli, to the current interpretation that remains faithful to the Lisini style while opening up to a new voice.
“Our wines are born in the vineyard,” says Carlo Lisini Baldi, who now runs the company together with his brother Lorenzo and cousins Ludovica, Alessandro, and Caterina. “We accompany every stage, from fermentation to bottling. Our task is to preserve what the earth entrusts to us.”
A terroir that speaks for itself
The vineyards of Poggio Severo are located on the highest part of the hill, at an altitude of 520 meters, surrounded by woods. It is a secluded, austere place, which gives the wine a unique freshness and verticality. The comparison with Ugolaia—the winery’s flagship wine—comes naturally: while Ugolaia faces south towards Monte Amiata, Poggio Severo opens up to the southeast, on soils rich in clay, sand, and limestone. This results in structure, complexity, acidity, and remarkable longevity.
Only 2,666 numbered bottles are produced from these two hectares of selected vineyards, a gesture of choice and respect for a grape that has much to say, but requires silence, time, and attention.
“We wanted to bring out the character of Poggio Severo,” explains Ludovica Lisini. “That’s why we produced it in limited quantities: each bottle is a story in itself.”
A Brunello that requires time, like all precious things
The first vintage, 2021, has been described by winemakers as “excellent.” Four years after harvest, Poggio Severo displays an austere, rich, yet still youthful personality.
The aging process faithfully follows the Lisini tradition:
– 36 months in large Slavonian oak barrels
– 6 months in cement
– another 6 months in the bottle, in addition to the four required by the regulations.
The nose reveals measured notes of wood, ripe citrus fruits – cedar and blood orange – and an elegant minerality. The palate is struck by its acidity and austerity: Poggio Severo reveals itself little by little, with the timidity of wines destined to last.
“Let’s give it at least a year in the bottle to really show itself,” advises winemaker Margioni.
A structured, intense Brunello, with tannins that are present but harmonized by the natural freshness of its habitat.
The history of the Lisini family: 180 years of courageous choices
The soul of Poggio Severo has deep roots. It all began in 1846 with the marriage of Francesca Clementi and Lodovico Lisini: a story of land, vineyards, and Tuscany.
At the beginning of the 20th century, it was another Lodovico, the grandson of the first, who transformed that heritage into a wine-making project:
After him, in 1950, it was the turn of Elina Lisini, a key figure among the founders of the Brunello Consortium in 1967. Thanks to her courage, the estate survived the end of sharecropping and was transformed into a real business.
Today, the story continues thanks to Lorenzo, Ludovica, and Carlo, the grandchildren of Giovan Gualberto Lisini, and from 2022, Alessandro, Caterina, and Benedetta will also join them.
The company has 154 hectares, of which 27 are planted with Sangiovese, and produces four Brunellos—Annata, Riserva, Ugolaia, and now Poggio Severo—as well as Rosso di Montalcino, San Biagio, Vin Santo, Grappa, and an extra virgin olive oil that has its roots in a tradition even older than wine.
Poggio Severo is our way of saying that tradition is not repeated: it is renewed. And it continues to speak, glass after glass. Poggio Severo is not simply a new Brunello: it is an act of love for the land, a tribute to memory and a promise to the future. A wine that is born in silence, grows with rigor and reveals itself only to those who know how to wait.
