Castello di Monsanto

A visit here usually starts with the elegant Laura Bianchi trotting to Il Poggio. From this hallowed knoll, a 360-degree view reveals much of the estate’s 70-plus hectares of vineyards (and 225 of forest). To the west, the towers of San Gimignano are visible. This is where Laura’s grandfather was from. He went to Milan to work in the textile industry and made enough money to buy the Monsanto property in 1961.

Laura’s father Fabrizio joined shortly after, and in 1968 bottled Il Poggio separately. Now a Gran Selezione, it was Chianti Classico’s first single vineyard bottling. Recently, it has been discovered that the site is on a rare outcropping of Pietraforte – calcareous sandstone, which may explain the finesse and longevity of this wine.

The tour continues with a walk through the 300-metre-long underground tunnel which leads to a precious archive of older vintages. Continuing the tradition started by her father, Laura keeps aside 2000 bottles of Il Poggio each year to release at least a decade later.

While Il Poggio may be the estate’s flagship, the Riserva is its bread and butter. Inverting Chianti Classico’s pyramid, it is produced at a 4 to 1 ratio with the annata bottling. For over 70 years, it has been crafted to offer accessibility in its youth as well as serious cellaring potential.

Castello di Monsanto’s legacy appears set to continue for decades as Laura’s 30-something year old daughter Giulia Cecchi is following closely in her footsteps.