When Francesco Monaci established this winery, he had no idea of the frenzy his wines would inspire. In only a handful of vintages, his Brunello and Rosso have become some of Montalcino’s most sought-after wines.
A nephew of consorzio president and famed producer Giancarlo Pacenti, Francesco had long dreamed of making great wines in the Montalcino area, but was not able to find the perfect vineyard until 1991. The steep Sangiovese vineyard that he finally found, in Castelnuovo dell’Abate, offered the potential to realize his goal. This seven-hectare vineyard is perfectly situated, with a full southern exposure that allows for incredible ripeness even in the old, low-vigor Sangiovese clones he favors. Grapes are harvested by hand and then strictly sorted to eliminate substandard fruit. The fermentation takes 25 to 30 days in vat and stainless steel before racking into large Slovenian oak casks and smaller French oak barriques. Only the finest lots are selected for the Brunello.
Always looking to push his wines further, Francesco has been collaborating with enologist, Fabrizio Moltard, since the 2002 vintage. Together, they aim to enhance the expressive sense of place that a unique vineyard, and a unique appellation, can produce. Stylistically, the wines are rich and full, yet well balanced. They are not ferociously tannic in the traditional Biondi Santi style, but they are not flashy new-wave wines either. They can be said to capture the best of the old and the new, combining great concentration of flavor, complexity, and extraordinary persistence.
