Montalcino lies in the splendid Val d’Orcia, in the heart of Tuscany, in a hilly area with an unspoilt agricultural landscape rich in history and beauty, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2004.
The territory is made up of a single large hill, mainly covered with Mediterranean Scrub and cultivated alternately with vineyards, olive groves and arable crops. The hill has several soil environments because it was formed during different geological eras. Therefore loose soils alternate with others rich in skeleton, especially galestro and alberese soils. Montalcino is about 40 km as the crow flies from the sea and 100 km from the Apennines. The climate is typically Mediterranean, generally dry, but also with continental features given its location between the sea and the central Apennines. The presence of slopes facing such different directions and with such different altitudes (from 120 to 650 metres above sea level), creates extremely varied climatic micro-environments. The Montalcino wine production area is only found in one municipality: a territory consisting of 24,000 hectares, only 15% of which are planted with vineyards.
The quality of Brunello di Montalcino starts in the vineyard, in this perfect territory, it then spreads all over the world to pay tribute to its international fame.
Montalcino, which offers such different features, gives Val di Suga the chance to make wines with great depth, but original and with character at the same time: three different exposures, three different geological features, which make for wines that are three completely dissimilar interpretations of Sangiovese, demonstrating the value of these territories, producing three great crus (Vigna del Lago, Poggio al Granchio and Vigna Spuntali), but also a blend, the vintage Brunello, which aspires to a perfect balance between those unique features and the three terroirs.
Val di Suga covers a total of 120 hectares. The 55 hectares of vineyards are all planted with Sangiovese Grosso.
Vigna del Lago is part of the Val di Suga vineyard that surrounds the winery. Here there are 23 hectares in total, only 5 overlooking the small lake it gets its name from. The vineyard is in the northwest at an altitude of 280 m above sea level. The land slopes slightly and the soil is mainly clayey, excellent for growing vines.
The vicinity of the lake influences the surrounding microclimate, making it particularly mild. This enables us to find balanced and harmonious traits in the aroma and structure of this Brunello, which perfectly balances body and elegance.
From this area we get elegant Brunello wines, pale in colour, but with unmistakable notes of citrus, myrtle-leaved orange and spice.
Spuntali is a vineyard of 15 hectares near Sant’Angelo in Colle, at 300 m above sea level, facing southwest. The soil is of Eocene origin, limestone-clay, medium texture.
The climate is influenced by the sea, which is just over 30 km away, warm but with good and frequent ventilation which gives this territory a typical Mediterranean appearance.
The Brunello from this vineyard is robust, structured and has a high alcohol content, with sweet tannins and a rich bouquet ranging from candied fruit to spices, tobacco and chocolate.
It is a southeast facing vineyard made up of 18 hectares, near Saint Antimo’s Abbey, at an altitude of 320 to 380 m above sea level. The soil is of Pleistocene origin and rich in fine-textured deposits, clay, marine deposits, sandstone rocks and limestone quartz in layers: it can be defined as medium texture tending to skeletal. This type of soil is well-known in Tuscany for being called “Galestro” and is one of the best soils for growing Sangiovese.
The climate in the area is generally warmer, less windy (sheltered by Mount Amiata – 1750 m above sea level) and with a low rainfall.
The wines are typically fruity on the nose, with higher acid levels and an unmistakable richness of taste and mineral character on the palate.
The wines have great ageing potential.
