When former Alitalia pilot Diego Molinari purchased the run-down farmhouse and vineyards at the Cerbaiona estate in the beautiful Brunello region, he set out to produce wines of unmatched character and depth. Replanting the small three-hectare vineyard site with local vines cut from neighboring estate, Biondi-Santi, Diego and his wife, Nora, were dedicated to honoring the traditional Montalcino wines that he loved.
The simple and straightforward process employed at Cerbaiona certainly succeeds in that effort. All the grapes are hand-picked and pressed in vintage wood presses and spend at least four years in cask and six months in bottle. During the fermentation in cement tanks, nothing is added or subtracted—the fruit is allowed to speak for itself. The purposeful low yield lends a refined nature to the grapes, while the estate’s location in the center of the region allows the fruit to take on characteristics of both the structural, fresh north and intense ripeness of the south. A masterclass in the value of simplicity, the Cerbaiona estate continues to impress. The winery was purchased in 2015 by a group of investors led by Matthew Fioretti, who converted Cerbaiona to organic farming.
