Vecchie Terre di Montefili

At first glance, it is the estate's base wine – on closer inspection, it is proof that Vecchie Terre di Montefili has no equal. In 1975, Roccaldo Acuti bought the neglected slopes above Panzano and planted pure Sangiovese, bucking the trend of those years. Since 2015, winemaker Serena Gusmeri has been managing the 12.5-hectare estate on behalf of three American owners, guided by the motto: "Every vineyard is like a child of its own". The grapes grow at altitudes of between 480 and 550 metres on galestro, alberese, limestone and clay, which lend the Sangiovese freshness without detracting from its power. After hand-harvesting and spontaneous fermentation, it matures briefly on the skins, then in large wooden casks rather than in barriques.

A Gran Selezione is strictly defined in the production regulations: only grapes from the estate's own vineyards, a minimum of 30 months' ageing, and a more rigorous assessment by the Consorzio's commission than for any Riserva. At Vecchie Terre di Montefili, this requirement begins right from the selection process in the cellar: Every year, Serena Gusmeri selects from the best plots of the 12.5-hectare estate those barrels which, when combined, yield a better result than any single vineyard on its own – an approach that is rarely pursued so consistently in Panzano. The grapes grow at altitudes of between 480 and 550 metres on Galestro and Alberese soils with limestone and clay inclusions, which give the Sangiovese its structure long before the wine even enters the cellar. There, following spontaneous fermentation, the wine matures in large, used wooden barrels for considerably longer than the production regulations require; as is the case throughout the estate, barriques are not used.

Vinea Vecchia truly lives up to its name: the vineyard plot between Panzano and Montefioralle was planted in 1981, back in the days when Chianti was still produced using old, unselected Sangiovese clonal selections. With the 2020 vintage, it has been given its own label for the first time, as its character has become too distinctive to be part of any blend. At an altitude of 500 to 540 metres, Alberese rock alternates with schistose clay marl – a soil that demands little yield from the old vines, but all the more concentration in return. Following spontaneous fermentation, the Sangiovese matures for 26 months in ten-hectolitre wooden casks, large enough to allow the fruit and terroir to express themselves fully. A total of 2,572 bottles and 46 magnums were produced, each numbered by hand.

The forest literally begins at the vineyard fence: the "Vinea nel Bosco" plot, planted in 2001, lies at an altitude of around 530 metres on the edge of a deciduous forest, which brings mist and coolness in the mornings, whilst the afternoon sun filters through the treetops to provide sufficient warmth. The soil, composed of Alberese, limestone and clay marl, yields little but what it does produce is highly concentrated. Spontaneous fermentation of the Sangiovese grapes begins in stainless steel, before the young wine matures for 26 months in large, 20-hectolitre wooden casks and is then left to rest in the bottle for at least another year. With an alcohol content of 14.5 per cent, it is full-bodied without seeming heavy – the 2020 vintage yielded a total of 2,412 bottles and 108 magnums.

Anyone who sees the vineyard from above will understand why it is called Anfiteatro: the vines wind their way up a natural semicircle in concentric curves, as if nature itself had created a stage. Roccaldo Acuti planted the 2.4 hectares in 1975; six years later, in 1981, he bottled his first single-vintage wine – long before Panzano became synonymous with concentrated, high-altitude Sangiovese. The plot lies at an altitude of over 500 metres, on pure galestro – that crumbly, slate-like marl that forces the roots to dig deep and compels the grapes to retain their acidity.

In 1975, Roccaldo Acuti planted a small patch of Cabernet Sauvignon alongside the Sangiovese – a risky move that half of Panzano at the time saw as a betrayal of Chianti, but which is now regarded as a stroke of foresight. This plot gave rise to Bruno di Rocca, the wine that showcases the estate's Super Tuscan side without ever denying its Tuscan roots. The name honours Bruno Acuti, who planted the plot together with his father Roccaldo, long before Cabernet Sauvignon was even permitted in Chianti. In the 2020 vintage, Cabernet Sauvignon dominates with 85 per cent, complemented by 15% Sangiovese from the same high-altitude sites between 480 and 550 metres, where galestro and limestone provide coolness and structure. Unlike the estate's single-varietal Sangiovese wines, this wine is aged in tonneaux and a small proportion of barriques; here, the wood is allowed to play a more prominent role because the Cabernet demands it and the fruit has the body to support it.

Barely 4,000 bottles are produced each year from the magical Anfiteatro, named after the historic vineyard of the same name, which was planted back in 1975. 100% Sangiovese, from high Galestro soils, make up this masterpiece, which impresses every year and which, along with Flaccianello and Cepparello, can place itself in the first rank of the super-Sangiovese of central Tuscany.

Bruno is the second top wine from Vecchie Terre di Montefili and an almost single-varietal Cabernet that impressively underlines its Tuscan origins in a rich garnet red. Restrained on the nose, it initially only gently reveals dark berries and light spicy tones. Then we discover herbal accents, blackberry, crushed rock and liquorice, which reveal more of its Tuscan identity with every sip. Voluminous and fresh on the velvety palate, the acidity and tannin still crisp when young, with good tension and mineral-salty components as it progresses, underlining its complexity and making this sophisticated drinking pleasure unforgettable. Be sure to aerate! SUPERIORE.DE