Montecucco Sangiovese DOCG.
Honest. Rich. Big.
When the cousins Andreas and Manfred Kunert were looking for their own terroir, they were not interested in growing any old wine in any old region. Right from the beginning the cultivation of the venerable Sangiovese has been very close to their heart. And they love their “paese”, this wonderful, aspirational young Montecucco …
L’origine – Montecucco
Cinquecento ettari, 500 hectares, is the area upon which wine is grown in Montecucco. This small piece of land in southern Tuscany, the Maremma, has a relatively short tradition when it comes to wine-growing. The area has only enjoyed the status of a Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) since 1998, after ambitious young winemakers had become passionate about it.
Today, Montecucco is considered an up-and-coming wine-growing region, the products of which many sommeliers believe can be measured against wines as big as Brunello.
Wind, sun and limestone or volcanic soils at the foot of the extinct Monte Amiata characterise the exciting aroma of the grapes which grow here.
In 2011 the Italian Ministry of Agriculture awarded Montecucco Sangiovese the DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) – another milestone on the way to giving this region the reputation which it deserves.
Le uve – the Sangiovese
The Etruscans are said to have grown the Sangiovese. Today it is the most common grape variety in Tuscany. The name says a lot. It is usually translated as “The Blood of Jupiter”, the greatest of the Roman deities.
Cherries, iris, violets … Fruity to floral aromas define the young Sangiovese wines.
Plum and – especially when stored in wooden barrels – herbs, chocolate and forest tones also give the Riserva varieties their attraction.
This variety of aromas is certainly also one of the reasons why the great Tuscan wines are based upon the Sangiovese: prominent examples are the Brunello di Montalcino, the Chianti Classico and the Vino nobile di Montepulciano.
Otto Ettari wants to bring the Montecucco Sangiovese out of the shadows through its cultivation with the help of its experienced cellar master and its ambitious oenologist. With targeted investments in smaller steel tanks, wooden barrels and new small barriques, the team wants to further differentiate its production in order to perfect year after year the elegant Montecucco Sangiovese with the typical honesty of this old grape variety.