Rocca di Montegrossi Chianti Classico DOCG

Chianti Classico DOCG: leading actor in the "Shades of Red" category

The leading actor in the Rocca di Montegrossi winery range is undoubtedly the Chianti Classico - if only because it also accounts for the lion's share of production in terms of volume. And even though the man responsible for this wine is a man whose family history spans generations and has "Chianti in his blood" - Baron Bettino Ricasoli is none other than the "co-inventor" of modern Chianti - the Chianti Classico from Marco Ricasoli-Firidolfi, owner of the Rocca di Montegrossi winery, is anything but old-fashioned. Made from around 90 percent Sangiovese and 5 percent each of Canaiolo and Colorino, the red wine is 100 percent Tuscan, with an unmistakable terroir! The grapes are harvested by hand in several stages, at the optimum ripeness of each variety. Depending on the vintage, the young wine matures for between 12 and 15 months in large Allier oak barrels, after first undergoing fermentation in cement tanks for three weeks. Ruby red, violet reflections, purple, deep red - the Chianti Classico reveals these "shades of red" to the viewer depending on the vintage. And if you lower your nose into the glass, you will be enchanted by the scent of cherries, sour cherries and wild berries - and of course the violet scent so typical of Sangiovese. Even after the first sip, the red wine lives up to its olfactory promise: fruity, juicy, harmonious, with silky tannins. The ageing potential of this Chianti Classico would certainly be high - if only it didn't taste so damn good...

Rocca di Montegrossi: A winery between tradition and the future

Winegrowing has a long tradition in Monti in Chianti, a small village near the Castello di Brolio in the center of "historic" Chianti. Marco Ricasoli-Firidolfi, owner of the Rocca di Montegrossi winery, can look back on an equally long history: This is because his family, the noble Ricasoli family, is still inextricably linked to the region and wine production, and not just through Bettino Ricasoli, who once laid down the first production rules for Chianti Classico. Marco Ricasoli-Firidolfi has owned the Rocca di Montegrossi vineyard, which is located in the immediate vicinity of Castello di Brolio, for around twenty years. Over the years, he has modernized the agronomic work on the one hand and invested in cellar technology on the other. In addition, the winery has been cultivated according to organic principles for several years - it has also been officially certified as an organic farm since 2010.

Red wine, Rosato, Vin Santo & Olio: The range - a piece of Tuscany

Under the leadership of Marco Ricasoli-Firidolfi, red wines in both traditional and international styles have been produced in collaboration with oenologist Attilio Pagli for around twenty years - both with the aim of expressing the terroir of Monti in Chianti. In addition to the two typical representatives of the appellation - the quaffable Chianti Classico and the expressive Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigneto San Marcellino - the absolutely outstanding Vin Santo, which is the result of years of painstaking work, is particularly worthy of mention. But the Supertuscan Geremia, which is characterized by the two international grape varieties Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, also clearly shows its origins in the glass in all its character. The Rosato from Rocca di Montegrossi is particularly enjoyable in the summer months, with its freshness and lightness reflecting the attitude to life in Chianti Classico. And, of course, what belongs to every day in Tuscany: olive oil of the highest quality and best taste.

Vine and grape: the roots of good taste

Monti in Chianti offers exceptionally good conditions not only for Sangiovese, which is the most important grape variety in Tuscany. In addition to the main grape variety Sangiovese, which must make up at least 80 percent of a Chianti Classico, Rocca di Montegrossi is also home to other indigenous grape varieties typical of Chianti, such as Pugnitello, Canaiolo and Colorino. In order to demonstrate the great potential of Monti in Chianti, Marco has also decided to plant the two international grape varieties Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, from which the super Tuscan Geremia is made. In addition, the white wine Malvasia Bianca di Toscana can be found in the vineyards of Rocca di Montegrossi. The soil, the microclimate - in fact the entire terroir - offer the best conditions for producing the exceptional quality that one has come to expect from Rocca di Montegrossi.

In Italy, in the region Tuscany, in the region Chianti Classico, in Monti in Chianti

Marco Ricasoli-Firidolfi

Marco Ricasoli-Firidolfi

20 ha of which 11 ha are classified as Chianti Classico

Galestro

South or south-east orientation

340 - 510 meters above sea level

3,300 (old systems) - 6,200 vines per ha

Cordon