Chianti Classico deep dive (10) Rocca di Montegrossi
Marco Ricasoli is the owner of Rocca di Montegrossi, a 100 hectare property in Monti in Chianti, just south of Gaiole. The estate has 20 hectares of vines and 20 hectares of olive trees, with the balance woodlands. Soils here are rich in limestone. There’s limestone and also marlstone, with some sand and clay in the mix. Farming has been organic since 2006.
Marco has help from viticultural consultants Stefano Dini and Dario Leccatelli. One of the distinctive features of Montegrossi is that they champion the Pugnitello grape variety, and include it with Canalaio in their Chianti Classico, and with Cabernet Sauvignon they make a special IGT wine only in magnum. There are Just 50 hectares of Pugniatello in Tuscany. It gives low yields so it isn’t popular.
THE WINES
Rocca di Montegrossi Rosato 2022 IGT Toscana
13% alcohol. Lovely weight and balance here. It’s dry and quite mineral with juicy cherry and pear fruit as well as some citrus. Has good acidity, structure and a slight salinity. Lovely vivid style. 91/100
Rocca di Montegrossi Chianti Classico 2021
Aged in concrete vat and big barrels for 11 months. Fresh, pure, direct and linear with lovely acid framing the direct red cherry and berry fruits. Beautiful purity and good acidity, but this has more than just lovely fruit: it’s so well balanced and has some chalky, mineral complexity. Has the potential to age, too. Very fine. 94/100
Rocca di Montegrossi Chianti Classico Vigneto San Marcellino Gran Selezione 2018
Pugnitello (10%) and Sangiovese. 25 months in barrique and tonneaux, with 20% new oak. 15% alcohol. This is densely fruited and well structured. Modern with vibrant raspberry and cherry fruit, bolstered by some well integrated spicy oak, and then finishing with a touch of warmth. A modern, impressive expression of Chianti Classico with lots of everything. Ambitious, lots of fruit, plenty of oak, plenty of structure. Will be interesting to see this evolve and it will be loved by some, less so by others. 94/100
Rocca di Montegrossi Geremia IGT Toscana 2018
14.5% alcohol. Merlot (80%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (20%), raised in barriques and tonneaux. 10 new oak. Fresh and classical with bright red cherry and blackcurrant fruit, with well integrated oak and nice gravelly and chalky characters. Has good tannic structure with brightness and acidity. This is a classic wine with potential for long ageing. 95/100
Rocca di Montegrossi Ridolfo 2017 IGT Toscana (magnum)
14.5% alcohol. 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 50% Pugniatello, 1567 magnums. The third vintage of this wine, which has 24 months in tonneaux. This is concentrated and intense with lovely tannic structure, showing amazing tension and intensity with vivid black cherry and blackcurrant fruit. This is tannic and dense but with amazing freshness and bright acidity. 96/100
Rocca di Montegrossi Vinsanto del Chianti Classico 2013
No fruit rack or hanging on chains, but nets on rails. These aren’t just dried, but have some botrytis, and they remove bad mould. 8 years in cherry, mulberry and oak barrels (the staves are mixed). Light brown in colour with a gold rim. Sweetly aromatic with marmalade and raisin notes, as well as some spice. Very rich, sweet and soft in the mouth: concentrated and rich with amazing density, and some lushness, with a raisiny finish. Quite oxidative, and a little soft. 93/100
