ITALY

Graceful Sangiovese

Monteraponi makes sangiovese in the classic style, just the way we want sangiovese to taste. Light, herbal notes backed by tart red fruit that is not masked by barrels. Monteraponi is located just outside Radda in Chianti, high on the hill after which the domain is named. The estate dates back to the 10th century when the then governor of Tuscany, Count Ugo, built the estate. After years of decline, Monteraponi was acquired in 1973 by the Braganti family and was intended only as an investment. However, Michele Braganti had other plans and gradually refurbished Monteraponi to produce wine. Contrary to the prevailing trends in the area, Michele wanted to produce wine of the highest quality in the classic way. Fermentation takes place in cement tanks and the wine is aged in large Slavonian and Austrian oak barrels. The estate covers just over 150 hectares of land, but only 15 of these are planted with grapes. Apart from a few hectares of olive groves, most of the land is untouched. All farming is organic. Thanks to the fact that the farms are surrounded by forest, there is no need to worry about neighbors spraying. The awards have come thick and fast in recent years - both from international writers as well as in the domestic wine bible, Gambero Rosso, where Monteraponi has been awarded three glasses on several occasions.