MONTETI

Tenuta Monteti is in the southern part of the Maremma, close to the town of Capalbio and some fifteen kilometres from the border of the region of Scansano, under the hill of Monteti, an amphitheatre which protects the estate from coastal winds. The twenty-five hectares of vineyard are planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Alicante and Merlot in individual lots of one hectare, each vinified separately in the new, state of the art winery.

Monteti was founded in 1998 by engineer Paolo Baratta and Gemma Bracco, after they had conducted a long search for the right site, guided by oenologist Carlo Ferrini. The whole project was created from scratch, and Paolo's engineering background was used to the full. When the land was being prepared they encountered many huge boulders, and rather than break these up they dug them out and now they stand around the vineyard like sentinels, becoming the emblem of the estate. Much work was done to harvest rainwater for irrigation as required, and also to prevent run-off erosion. Sensors are installed all round the vineyard to measure vine stress and and soil humidity, including several underground. The winery was built to allow all processes to be by gravity alone, and for all the parcels to be vinified separately. There are nice little engineering touches such as the handrail of the gantry over the vats doubling as the pipe that carries the must to them. The first wines were finally produced in 2004 and first marketed in 2007. Eva Baratta, daughter of Gemma and Paolo, took up the reins in 2010, helped by her husband Javier Pedrazzini. Roberto Rossi, who has been there from the start, is in charge of the vineyards, while in the cellar it is Christian Coco, who started as a trainee in 2007 then became managing oenologist in 2012, with Carlo Ferrini still there as consulting oenologist. They are backed by a team of twelve other vineyard and cellar workers.

The wines are marked by a pronounced individuality, reflecting not only the 'terroir' of the region, but more importantly a freshness of fruit and balanced acidity which makes them so very drinkable. They are intentionally understated wines which perform on the palate in a musical fashion - a delicate introduction which builds to the most wonderful crescendo.