TheWinery
In Monterinaldi it’s the sides of the mountain that sustain life, not the top. To live for some future goal is, in our shell, shallow. The top of one vineyard is always the bottom of another. Summits of ranges.
“Ain’t no mountain”…!
History
The Castle of Monterinaldi settlement, in the commune of Radda in Chianti, in the heart of the oldest historical area of the Chianti Classico, is situated near an ancient Etruscan route. As regards the history of this ancient place, a document written in December 1010, refers to “Count Gottifredo Gottizio, of Lombardic descent and Lord of Monterinaldi.”
The castle stood until 1268, when the Sienese, following the victory of the battle of Montaperti, destroyed its boundary walls, the main tower and the three house of the castle. Due to the last destruction during the World War II, only a part of it is still standing surrounded by some ancient houses.
The Vineyard
The castle of Monterinaldi is at present the center of the homonymous farm whose wine-making activity is based at the La Pesanella, not far from the castle. The Agricola Monterinaldi, property of the Ciampi family since 1961, is one of the most modern farms in the wine testing sector.
Monterinaldi’s carapace is located between Panzano and Radda in Chianti. Eighteen single Vineyards, 38 terroirs, fiftyfive hectares, as self contained as a turtle: Sangiovese of different clones, Canaiolo, Colorino, Malvasia Nera, Petit Verdot, Syrah, Gamay, Merlot, Cabernet-Sauvignon, Cabernet-Franc, Malvasia Bianca, Trebbiano, Chardonnay. Density is 5000 vines per hectare. And an Antebellum nursery. You’ll be at ease in our shell and the voice of the turtle will be heard in your land.
Organic
Monterinaldi has always posed great attention to environmental matters, in a constant attempt to keep the impact of insecticides and herbicides as close to zero as possible. So, in order to verify the feasibility of organic farming in the estate, an experiment of total organic management of selected batches of our vines was done over a four-year period. It gave such optimal results that organic management has been extended to the entire property. Monterinaldi today is an estate in conversion to the organic management which will become organic certified from 2017 vintage.
The Cellar
The grapes are processed entirely in our cellar, where the wines are also stored and aged. There is a tunnel leading from the original cellar, located beneath the owner’s house, into the main area where nearly all the winemaking activities take place. Loyalty to tradition is a fundamental principle at Monterinaldi.
The old underground cellar is particularly suitable for aging wines: a large room has been fashioned from the interior to provide ideal accommodation for 150 French barriques. Adjacent to the cellar is our “orciaia”, where extra-virgin olive oil is preserved in old terracotta jars before being sold to the most demanding customers.
The Wine
Our primary goal continues to be to offer Chianti Classico in its most traditional form. This does not, of course, preclude the use of new technologies and equipment designed to enhance quality without affecting the typical attributes of the product.
Chianti Classico is aged first in barrels (both French oak tonneaux and barriques) and then refined in bottles, for a period ranging from 6 months to 2 years.
The old underground cellar is particularly suitable for aging wines: a large room has been fashioned from the interior to provide ideal accommodation for 150 French barriques. Adjacent to the cellar is our “orciaia”, where extra-virgin olive oil is preserved in old terracotta jars before being sold to the most demanding customers.