Montesecondo - Chianti Classico 2020

Add to Wish List

Montesecondo comprises two separate properties: both are biodynamically farmed and both lie in San Casciano in Val di Pesa at the northern edge of the Chianti Classico zone. The original family vineyard, generally referred to as "Montesecondo" or "Cerbaiai", is lower-altitude, warmer, gently cloped and with heavier clay soils near the town of Cerbaia; it is mainly Sangiovese with some co-planted Canaiolo and Colorino. The second part, referred to as "Vignano" for the name of its tiny hamlet, features parcels that are cooler, hillier, rich in limestone, up at 450 meters and north-facing. The Chianti is a blend of both parts of the estate, with proportions varying by vintage.

The bunches are hand-harvested and mainly destemmed but with the berries left whole. They are fermented spontaneously with indigenous yeasts and without sulfur in concrete tanks. Maceration lasts around 12 days and there are no extractive techniques, only a submerged cap or cappello sommerso. The wine is aged partly in 15-hectoliter foudres and partly in concrete for up to one and half years. It is bottled with a small amount of sulfur and without fining or filtering and is released in the late spring two years after the vintage.

Blend: 90% Sangiovese, 10% Canaiolo & Colorino

Montesecondo Description

Silvio worked in the wine business in New York until he moved back to Italy in the 1990's to take over his family farm, Montesecondo, in the village of Cerbaia in the Chianti Classico region of Tuscany.

Montesecondo wines have a tendency to run afoul of the powers-that-be in Chianti Classico: while Silvio's methods in the vineyard and cellar yield what many would and do consider pure, classically expressive Sangioveses, the way he gets there and occasionally the actual results (higher acidity, lighter color or darker color, etc.) led to enough issues over time that he bottles only one Classico and the rest of his wines as IGT Toscana

Vinous: 93 Points

The 2020 Chianti Classico is fabulous. Bright, floral and effusive, the 2020 is striking right out of the gate. Crushed flowers, mint, spice and blood orange all race out of the glass. A wine of vibrancy and nuance, impresses with its exceptional beauty and overall harmony. It's an absolutely stellar wine from Montesecondo.