Marchesi Frescobaldi

This Chianti, made from Sangiovese with a small proportion of Merlot, is ruby red with violet hues. It is grown on the gentle hills of Montespertoli in the heart of Tenuta Castiglioni, whose winemaking tradition dates back to the 14th century. After fermentation, the wine matures for six months in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks, before a period of bottle ageing rounds out the flavours and brings the wine to its final balance.

An exceptionally charming blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Bianco, grown on the cool slopes of Castello Pomino in the Florentine mountains, where the vineyards reach altitudes of up to 700 metres, making them among the highest-altitude white wine vineyards in Tuscany. Gentle pressing with minimal exposure to oxygen and temperature-controlled fermentation, carried out predominantly in stainless-steel tanks, preserve the fruit, whilst a small proportion is fermented in French barriques, lending the wine slightly creamy, toasty notes. 

Nipozzano Riserva is the most famous wine from the Frescobaldi estate of the same name in Chianti Rufina, high above the Arno Valley to the north-east of Florence. Sangiovese, blended with selected partner grape varieties, is destemmed and fermented spontaneously in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks; malolactic fermentation also takes place in steel. At the end of the year, the wine is transferred to barriques for several months, after which it continues to mature in the bottle.

A brilliant ruby red characterises this Chianti Classico from Tenuta Perano near Gaiole, the Frescobaldi family's first estate in the appellation's historic heartland. The vines grow at an altitude of 500 metres in a natural, south-west-facing amphitheatre that exposes the grapes to the sun evenly. Following fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks with carefully managed pumping-over, the Sangiovese – blended with other grape varieties – matures for twelve months in barriques and stainless steel tanks.

Since 1300, Tenuta Castiglioni has epitomised the Frescobaldi family's winemaking tradition, and as early as the 16th century, its wines were held in the highest regard: at the papal court in Rome as well as at the English court of Henry VIII. This Rosso carries that reputation into the present day as a modern blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Sangiovese. The grapes come from the same hills near Montespertoli where the family has been growing wine for centuries. Destemmed and fermented in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks with gentle, constant pumping over, the wine matures for twelve months in barriques, followed by a further two months in the bottle.

It is not just any wine that is set aside for the Frescobaldi family's newborns: Nipozzano Vecchie Viti is part of a small, family-exclusive selection traditionally set aside for the youngest members of the family, made from the estate's oldest vines, whose roots dig deep into the soil of Nipozzano. These old vineyards, planted with Sangiovese and traditional companion varieties, are situated high above the Arno Valley in Chianti Rufina, where the altitude and the contrast between day and night lend the grapes exceptional concentration and freshness. Fermented naturally in concrete tanks, the wine is then aged for 24 months in wooden barrels before being bottled, allowing its flavours to come together.

Campo ai Sassi takes its name from the stony soils that lend CastelGiocondo's Sangiovese its character. Anyone wishing to discover the flavour of the terroir of this great Brunello estate without having to wait years for the wine to mature will find a youthful, carefree answer here. The vines grow in the broodingsoils of the estate, situated south-west of Montalcino, which lend the Sangiovese its fruitiness and elegance. After fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks, with careful punching down to ensure gentle extraction, the wine matures in oak barrels before taking on its final form in the bottle.

The "Riserva" is the ageing category prescribed by the Chianti Classico production regulations, requiring a minimum of 24 months' total ageing, of which at least three months must be spent in the bottle. At Tenuta Perano near Gaiole, the historic heart of the appellation, the estate has also opted for 24 months in wooden barrels – a choice made by the estate rather than a requirement of the regulations – which gives the Sangiovese and Merlot their elegant, refined character. The vines grow at an altitude of 500 metres, in a natural south-west-facing amphitheatre whose microclimate bestows upon the grapes exceptional ripeness and freshness in equal measure. Selected by hand, the wine ferments in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks with frequent pumping over of the cap to ensure complete phenolic extraction, before undergoing 24 months' ageing in wooden barrels followed by a further period in the bottle.

As early as 1855, a grape variety unrivalled in Tuscany was planted at Castello Pomino, high up in the Florentine hills: Pinot Noir, introduced by Leonia, Lamberto Frescobaldi's great-great-grandmother, who, with her courage in embracing French grape varieties, laid the foundation for one of the estate's most distinctive wines. To this day, this single-varietal Pinot Noir stands as a testament to her pioneering spirit. The vines grow in cool, water-retaining soils at an altitude that ensures cool nights during the Tuscan summer and preserves the Burgundy grape's freshness right up to harvest.Fermented in wooden vats with careful punching down during the maceration period, the wine undergoes malolactic fermentation before maturing for twelve months in French barriques.

Leonia is named after a woman who was a century ahead of her time in Tuscany: Leonia, Lamberto Frescobaldi's great-great-grandmother, planted French grape varieties in Pomino in the 19th century and pressed them in Italy's first gravity-fed cellar – a pioneering feat that was honoured with a gold medal in Paris in 1878. Today, her name stands for the estate's first Metodo Classico, made from Chardonnay and Pinot Nero. The grapes come from the high-altitude vineyards of Pomino, reaching up to around 700 metres above sea level. Harvested by hand, gently pressed and cold-settled for twelve hours, the must ferments in stainless steel tanks, with part of it in wood, before the classic bottle fermentation – involving a long period of ageing on the lees, riddling and disgorging – completes the wine.

In 1716, Grand Duke Cosimo III de' Medici designated Pomino as one of only four Tuscan regions for so-called "quality wine", alongside Chianti, Carmignano and the Val d'Arno di Sopra – an early precursor to today's DOC classification. On the cool slopes, 700 metres above sea level amongst giant sequoias and chestnut trees, this led to the creation in 1973 of the Benefizio, the very first Italian white wine ever to be fermented and matured in barriques.

Leonia Rosé is a tribute to the woman who, in the 19th century, planted French grape varieties in Pomino and pressed them in Italy's first gravity-fed cellar: great-great-grandmother Leonia, who was awarded a gold medal in Paris in 1878 for her work. This Metodo Classico made from Pinot Nero carries on her legacy in rosé form. Harvested by hand into 15-kilo crates during the cool morning hours, the grapes come from the same high-altitude vineyards in Pomino that preserve the Burgundy grape's freshness. Gently pressed to produce a precise must and cold-settled for twelve hours, the wine ferments in steel tanks, partly in wood, before blending takes place in March, followed by a long ageing on the lees with shaking and disgorging.

In 2014, Tenuta Perano near Gaiole became the first Frescobaldi estate in Chianti Classico – the appellation's historic heartland, where the family had not previously owned an estate of its own. Rialzi takes its name from the three natural terraces on which it grows, at an altitude of 500 metres and above, in south-west-facing Alberese soils, nestled within a natural amphitheatre of steep slopes. Harvested by hand and selected again in the cellar, the Sangiovese ferments in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks with skin contact and gentle pumping over to ensure gentle extraction. This is followed by 24 months in barriques, before a further period in the bottle completes the 36-month ageing process, thereby significantly exceeding the minimum ageing period of 30 months required for the Gran Selezione.

In 1974, the Frescobaldi family at Nipozzano produced a wine for the first time from a single, clearly defined plot: Montesodi, named after the stony, hard soil that gives this site its character – a single-varietal Sangiovese, bottled separately vintage by vintage. It was the estate's first cru. The vines are situated at 400 metres, in south-west-facing schist soils, at an altitude that lends the Sangiovese here structure and an almost alpine coolness during the nights. Harvested by hand into 15-kilo crates and sorted on the selection table, the wine undergoes fermentation and maceration before malolactic fermentation takes place. It is aged for 18 months in 30-hectolitre barrels made of Austrian and French oak, followed by a further period of ageing in the bottle.

CastelGiocondo is one of the great, historic estates in the Montalcino appellation, situated to the south-west of the town. The estate's origins date back to a fortress built in 1100, which once secured the road from the coast to Siena, long before wine was ever considered in this area. At an altitude of around 300 metres, the vines grow in three fundamentally different soil types – galestro, clay and Pliocene sand – whose interplay gives the wine its complexity, as each plot contributes its own distinctive character to the cuvée.

In 1855, a far-sighted Frescobaldi ancestor planted on the hill of Nipozzano varieties that were virtually unknown in Tuscany at the time: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. This experiment matured for almost 130 years until, in 1983, the Mormoreto emerged as a distinct cru, which the family has since bottled only in vintages that do it justice. To date, they have skipped six vintages. The backbone is formed by Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, rounded off by a hint of Petit Verdot, and since 2013 a small proportion of Sangiovese has brought additional elegance to the cuvée.

In 1991, the Frescobaldi family at CastelGiocondo embarked on an experiment that caused a stir in the Sangiovese-dominated world of Montalcino: a single-varietal Merlot, made from the first Merlot vines that had been planted on the estate back in the 1970s. The Lamaione became the solitary, powerful and self-assured figure that it remains to this day in the Montalcino landscape – a wine that defies all the appellation's conventions.

On the CastelGiocondo label, a condottiero is depicted on horseback: Guidoriccio da Fogliano, the figure from Simone Martini's famous fresco in Siena's Palazzo Pubblico, who once led the siege of Montemassi Castle. For the Frescobaldi family, this image marks the beginning of their centuries-long adventure with wine. The estate itself dates back to a fortress built in 1100, whose origins lie far before the start of modern viticulture.

Tenuta Castiglioni has belonged to the Frescobaldi family since the 11th century, making it one of the family's oldest estates in Tuscany. Drawing on this long history, the Giramonte is a modern, internationally inspired cuvée that demonstrates just how far the estate has come since its beginnings. At an altitude of 200 metres, in south-west-facing clay and loam soils, a blend of Merlot and Sangiovese is cultivated here. Known as Giramonte, it embodies the modern side of an estate whose roots are far older than its grape varieties.

In 2014, Tenuta Perano near Gaiole became the first Frescobaldi estate in Chianti Classico – the appellation's historic heartland, where the family had not previously owned an estate of its own. Rialzi takes its name from the three natural terraces on which it grows, at an altitude of 500 metres and above, in south-west-facing Alberese soils, nestled within a natural amphitheatre of steep slopes. Harvested by hand and selected again in the cellar, the Sangiovese ferments in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks with skin contact and gentle pumping over to ensure gentle extraction. This is followed by 24 months in barriques, before a further period in the bottle completes the 36-month ageing process, thereby significantly exceeding the minimum ageing period of 30 months required for the Gran Selezione.

On the CastelGiocondo label, a condottiero is depicted on horseback: Guidoriccio da Fogliano, the figure from Simone Martini's famous fresco in Siena's Palazzo Pubblico, who once led the siege of Montemassi Castle. For the Frescobaldi family, this image marks the beginning of their centuries-long adventure with wine. The estate itself dates back to a fortress built in 1100, whose origins lie far before the start of modern viticulture.

In 1855, a far-sighted Frescobaldi ancestor planted on the hill of Nipozzano varieties that were virtually unknown in Tuscany at the time: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. This experiment matured for almost 130 years until, in 1983, the Mormoreto emerged as a distinct cru, which the family has since bottled only in vintages that do it justice. To date, they have skipped six vintages. The backbone is formed by Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, rounded off by a hint of Petit Verdot, and since 2013 a small proportion of Sangiovese has brought additional elegance to the cuvée.

In 1991, the Frescobaldi family at CastelGiocondo embarked on an experiment that caused a stir in the Sangiovese-dominated world of Montalcino: a single-varietal Merlot, made from the first Merlot vines that had been planted on the estate back in the 1970s. The Lamaione became the solitary, powerful and self-assured figure that it remains to this day in the Montalcino landscape – a wine that defies all the appellation's conventions.

Tenuta Castiglioni has belonged to the Frescobaldi family since the 11th century, making it one of the family's oldest estates in Tuscany. Drawing on this long history, the Giramonte is a modern, internationally inspired cuvée that demonstrates just how far the estate has come since its beginnings. At an altitude of 200 metres, in south-west-facing clay and loam soils, a blend of Merlot and Sangiovese is cultivated here. Known as Giramonte, it embodies the modern side of an estate whose roots are far older than its grape varieties.