Ruby red with nuances of violet. Intense aromas of ripe red fruit berries. Soft and elegant, with flavors of red berry fruit and a pleasant acidity, leading to a lingering finish.\n \n Producer Information\n Castello di Monsanto is a wine producer based in the Chianti Classico DOCG zone. In 1962, it produced its inaugural Chianti Classico, the Riserva Il Poggio, a Sangiovese-based blend with small amounts of Canaiolo and Colorino. In 1960, Aldo Bianchi purchased the 6 hectare (14 acre) Il Poggio vineyard. The family began to make a single-vineyard wine inspired by the cru wines of Burgundy, eventually excluding Trebbiano and Malvasia from the wine's blend. In the 1970s, Monsanto released a varietal Sangiovese named for Fabrizio Bianchi, and planted Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. Today, Monsanto estate comprises 72 hectares (178 acres) of vineyards, a majority of which are planted to Sangiovese. The northern part of the vineyard has marl soils, while in the south there is a higher proportion of tuff rock. The climate in the vineyard mild with warm days and cool nights that provide ideal conditions for ripening and the development of the grape's unique flavor profiles. In the winery, the grapes are fermented in truncated cones to maximise extraction during the maceration process. After fermentation, the wines can spend up to 20 months in either French or Slavonian oak barrels, depending on the cuvée. Castello di Monsanto has a tradition of storing 2500-3000 bottles of each vintage of Il Poggio, in order to preserve a historical archive for future generations.
