| Region of production: | Chianti Classico |
| Winery Location: | Barberino Val d’Elsa, Florence |
| Year Established: | 1960s |
Vineyard Holdings
72 ha
- Il Poggio (5.5 ha): Planted to Sangiovese, Canaiolo, and Colorino.
- Valdigallo (3.5 ha): Planted to Chardonnay.
- Il Mulino (7 ha): Planted to Cabernet Sauvignon in 1976.
Top Wines Produced & Inaugural Vintages
- Chianti Classico: 90% Sangiovese, the remaining 10% Canaiolo and Colorino. Aged one year in 5,000-liter botti.
- Chianti Classico Riserva Vigna Il Poggio: 90% Sangiovese, 7% Canaiolo, and 3% Colorino. Aged 20 months in barrique. First bottled as a single vineyard in 1968.
- Fabrizio Bianchi Toscana IGP: 100% Chardonnay. Half is aged in five-hectoliter French barrels, the other half in stainless steel, followed by two years in bottle before release. Inaugural vintage 1980.
- Nemo Toscana IGP: Named for the Latin phrase nemo propheta in patria, meaning “no man is a prophet in his own land.” 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged 18 months in French oak barrels followed by a year in bottle. Inaugural vintage 1982.
Average Total Production
- N/A
Summary
The Castello di Monsanto property was purchased in the 1960s by Aldo Bianchi. His son Fabrizio was drawn to winemaking and worked on renewing the estate, planting new vineyards and bottling single-site wines. He ended traditional practices like governo (refermentation with partially dried grapes) and the use of white grapes in Chianti Classico wines. Fabrizio also introduced modern techniques such as stainless steel fermentation, temperature control, and the use of French oak. It’s up for debate who first produced a single-vineyard Chianti Classico, but Castello di Monsanto was among the pioneers, with a first vintage in 1968. The current winemaker, Andrea Giovannini, joined in 2001. Today, Fabrizio and his daughter, Laura, manage the estate.
Style & Vinification Techniques
Monsanto remains traditional overall in its approach to viticulture and winemaking, using technology to enhance that style. All wines are produced from hand-picked, estate-grown fruit. Wines are fermented in stainless steel before being transferred to oak for aging. Sangiovese is aged in neutral vessels whereas the Super Tuscan wines see varying degrees and sizes of French oak.
Producer Website: Castello di Monsanto