Castello di Monsanto - San Donato in Poggio UGA
A benchmark for the region that has been overlooked at times simply because they continue to maintain impressively fair pricing, particularly for their stellar Chianti Classico Riserva. Irrespective of pricing, these are some of the best, most consistent, and most pleasurable Chianti Classicos on the market. I buy both the Riserva and the Gran Selezione for my personal cellar.
Castello di Monsanto produces wines of thrilling tension and what I call 'ballerina power'—they are lithe, weightless, and elegant, yet possess an incredibly deep, driving core of fruit. Across their entire lineup, you will consistently find a highly aromatic profile marked by tart black and red cherry, distinct citrus oils, and an exotic, savory edge. Supported by firm, beautifully polished tannins and the underlying salinity of San Donato's marine soils, these are benchmark Chianti Classicos built for decades in the cellar.
Castello di Monsanto produces wines of thrilling tension and what I call 'ballerina power'—they are lithe, weightless, and elegant, yet possess an incredibly deep, driving core of fruit. Across their entire lineup, you will consistently find a highly aromatic profile marked by tart black and red cherry, distinct citrus oils, and an exotic, savory edge. Supported by firm, beautifully polished tannins and the underlying salinity of San Donato's marine soils, these are benchmark Chianti Classicos built for decades in the cellar.
VITAL STATS: Castello di Monsanto
- Owner: The Bianchi Family (Aldo, Fabrizio, and Laura Bianchi)
- Established: 1961 (First Vintage: 1962)
- Vineyard Area: 72 Hectares (178 Acres)
- The Vineyards: Il Poggio, Scanni, Il Mulino, Il Salcio
- Elevation: 280 to 320 meters a.s.l.
- Exposition: Generally South-facing, with gentle arcs to the East and West
- Primary Soils: Alluvial Sands surrounded by Pietraforte sandstone
A History of Innovation and The Cellars
In 1961, Aldo Bianchi (Fabrizio's father) purchased Castello di Monsanto, a truly historic estate in Chianti Classico. While the magnificent castle itself dates from 1740, its most important feature is a series of three tunnels that serve as historical cellars and aging facilities.
The oldest of these tunnels is from the 18th century and is dedicated to the personal reserves of the Bianchi family. It houses a very rare collection of wines that dates back to 1962, the first vintage bottled by Aldo Bianchi. While keeping a library might not seem out of the norm, if you visit wineries in Italy, you will know how incredibly rare an unbroken collection like this is.
The newest tunnel began hand-excavation in 1986 and was finished in 1992. This 300-meter underground tunnel was destined for the storage of aging barrels and was built using the medieval technique of wooden framing to give shape to a very long, low Etruscan arch. The third extension of the tunnel system was used in the early 1970s for winemaking, as the use of stainless steel fermentation tanks began to replace wooden barrels.
The oldest of these tunnels is from the 18th century and is dedicated to the personal reserves of the Bianchi family. It houses a very rare collection of wines that dates back to 1962, the first vintage bottled by Aldo Bianchi. While keeping a library might not seem out of the norm, if you visit wineries in Italy, you will know how incredibly rare an unbroken collection like this is.
The newest tunnel began hand-excavation in 1986 and was finished in 1992. This 300-meter underground tunnel was destined for the storage of aging barrels and was built using the medieval technique of wooden framing to give shape to a very long, low Etruscan arch. The third extension of the tunnel system was used in the early 1970s for winemaking, as the use of stainless steel fermentation tanks began to replace wooden barrels.
Pioneering Modern Chianti Classico
There has always been a blend of experimentation and respect for tradition found here, and that slow experimentation has heavily influenced the history of Chianti Classico.
The 1962 Castello di Monsanto, their inaugural vintage, was produced without white grape varieties, defying the strict DOC regulations of the time. It was also fermented as whole clusters, a process that continued until 1967 because, as Fabrizio Bianchi simply stated, "that’s how they did things." Perhaps the most vivid illustration of this pioneering spirit was Fabrizio’s decision to vinify and bottle the grapes from the Il Poggio vineyard entirely separately in 1962. It was the first and original Cru bottling in Chianti Classico. Looking back, it has taken the region as a whole nearly 30 years to catch up with the forward-thinking of the Bianchi family.
Small but crucial winemaking adjustments continued. Chestnut barrels were replaced with ones made of Slavonian oak, imparting sweeter and less aggressive tannins. They also implemented a protocol for managing malolactic fermentation that reduced aging in barrel from a Brunellesque 5 or 6 years down to the more common year or two encountered today. It is worth stressing this fact: the science of malolactic fermentation was not truly understood in Chianti Classico until the mid-1970s, when Giacomo Tachis first introduced it to the region in 1975. In 1978, Tachis also introduced the barrique to Aldo Bianchi, who previously only knew them as containers used to transport wine before the war.
The 1962 Castello di Monsanto, their inaugural vintage, was produced without white grape varieties, defying the strict DOC regulations of the time. It was also fermented as whole clusters, a process that continued until 1967 because, as Fabrizio Bianchi simply stated, "that’s how they did things." Perhaps the most vivid illustration of this pioneering spirit was Fabrizio’s decision to vinify and bottle the grapes from the Il Poggio vineyard entirely separately in 1962. It was the first and original Cru bottling in Chianti Classico. Looking back, it has taken the region as a whole nearly 30 years to catch up with the forward-thinking of the Bianchi family.
Small but crucial winemaking adjustments continued. Chestnut barrels were replaced with ones made of Slavonian oak, imparting sweeter and less aggressive tannins. They also implemented a protocol for managing malolactic fermentation that reduced aging in barrel from a Brunellesque 5 or 6 years down to the more common year or two encountered today. It is worth stressing this fact: the science of malolactic fermentation was not truly understood in Chianti Classico until the mid-1970s, when Giacomo Tachis first introduced it to the region in 1975. In 1978, Tachis also introduced the barrique to Aldo Bianchi, who previously only knew them as containers used to transport wine before the war.
Terroir: Sea, Sand, and Stone
Climate is an incredibly important factor in the terroir of Castello di Monsanto. Looking out across the Elsa Valley, the vines face coastal breezes that help temper the heat of the summer while increasing airflow, which decreases disease pressure. The open face of the south-facing hillside accumulates heat during the day, but that heat drains away easily as the sun sets. Those marine breezes play a crucial role in increasing diurnal temperature shifts during the final weeks of the growing season.
Soil is, of course, the factor that most influences the expression of each of Castello di Monsanto’s wines. The presence of Galestro is commonly noted here, but the underlying soil story is quite different. The majority of the estate's vineyards are located over an island of alluvial sand that is surrounded by tough Pietraforte.
The famed Il Poggio vineyard, however, is a truly different expression of Chianti Classico, as it lies almost entirely on that surrounding Pietraforte. There is a wonderful triangular viewing platform located near the top of the Il Poggio vineyard; if you visit, you will no doubt be taken there to appreciate the magnificent view over the entire estate and the surrounding hills. The eastern side of that triangle lies approximately atop the exact border between these two distinct soil types.
The famed Il Poggio vineyard, however, is a truly different expression of Chianti Classico, as it lies almost entirely on that surrounding Pietraforte. There is a wonderful triangular viewing platform located near the top of the Il Poggio vineyard; if you visit, you will no doubt be taken there to appreciate the magnificent view over the entire estate and the surrounding hills. The eastern side of that triangle lies approximately atop the exact border between these two distinct soil types.
The Soils of Castello di Monsanto:
- Alluvial Sands : Yellow sands. Loose, highly draining soils left by ancient coastlines and waterways.
- The Wine Impact: The sand provides excellent drainage and produces highly perfumed, floral, and elegant wines. The tannins here are much softer and less aggressive, making for beautiful, fruit-forward, and earlier-drinking wines.
- Pietraforte (PTF): Literally "strong stone." Quartz-feldspar and carbonate sandstones and siltstones. It is an extremely hard yellowish-brown sandstone historically used to build Florentine palaces.
- The Wine Impact: Gives the wine a solid, "architectural" structure. The draining nature of the sandstone creates intense wines with deep minerality, savory dark fruit, and a very dense, compact tannic weave that requires time to soften.
Return to the San Donato in Poggio UGA Guide
The wines
Each vineyard is vinified separately, then a year or so after the harvest, they retaste the various lots, 20 to 25 individual samples, and assemble the finale blend for the Chianti Classico and Chianti Classico Riserva. There are two or three vineyards that generally form the core of the Riserva, they tend to be mature vineyards, 25-30 years of age. The Gran Selezione is always a single vineyard from the Il Poggio cru.
Each vineyard is vinified separately, then a year or so after the harvest, they retaste the various lots, 20 to 25 individual samples, and assemble the finale blend for the Chianti Classico and Chianti Classico Riserva. There are two or three vineyards that generally form the core of the Riserva, they tend to be mature vineyards, 25-30 years of age. The Gran Selezione is always a single vineyard from the Il Poggio cru.
Chianti Classico Gran Selezione
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2020 Castello di Monsanto Vigna Il Poggio Chianti Classico Gran Selezione
Smells quite of potpourri, dried balsamic notes, floral, wild berries, cherries, iris, and sage. Juicy on entry, lithe in the mouth, supple yet abundant tannins support a finely rendered core of willowy yellow and light red fruits along with gentle floral notes and a fine savory soil element. This is very well balanced, with real verve in the mouth, love drinking this. Finishes with a slight excess of tannin, but the delicate fruit ultimately wins out on the finale. Needs food today but a fine rendition of a unfettered expression of site. With lovely nuanced flavors and real succulence. 93pts For additional vintage tasting notes please visit our Monsanto Archive |
Chianti Classico Riserva
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2022 Castello di Monsanto Chianti Classico Riserva
A bit compact on the nose and marked with an early note of gentle wood influence followed by sandy soil tones, wild flower aromas and a core of deep, juicy, cherry, black raspberry fruit that gains a gently fresh mushroom framing note. Crystal clear on the palate but moderately rich with some gentle power to it as it delivers this brisk black cherry, wildflower inflected, sandy soil based midpalate with a hint of salinity. This is great, it has a sense of refinement and elegance already but is obviously very young. The tannins are ripe and abundant and dominate the long finish but the fruit squeaks out on the final, all fresh and floral with a candied edge to the black cheeriness. Has a light vein of balsam that traipses across the palate. Great cut and energy on the plate, will be wonderful wine in 3-5 years and last for a decade plus after that. 95pts For additional vintage tasting notes please visit our Monsanto Archive |
Chianti Classico Annata
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2021 Castelo di Monsanto Chianti Classico
Terrific set of aromatics here, all darker berry fruit, leather, dried orange peel, coriander and sage. Ont he palate this is gorgeous with it delicate richness, polished tannins and integrated acids supporting fine, intense fruit flavors that mimic the nose. It can be faulted for being just a bit too good, too rich, too complex for Chianti Classico, but this offers stellar value. 93 For additional vintage tasting notes please visit our Monsanto Archive |