Castello Montauto Vernaccia di San Gimignano 2014
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In 1988, Castello Montaùto was acquired by the Famiglia Cecchi group. The estate, along with the Castello Montauto village, stretches across a picturesque ridge just a few kilometers from San Gimignano. Located within the Vernaccia di San Gimignano appellation, this area was the first registered designation of origin (DOC) in Italy, obtained in 1966.
The soils of the Castello Montaùto estate date back to the Pliocene Era and consist mainly of tuff (yellow, sandy, calcareous soil) and some clay. Their stratification causes more compact layers of clay than would otherwise be expected, which aids in water retention. The steep angle of the vineyards allows consistent ventilation through the vines as the grapes ripen, ensuring they stay healthy through the hot Mediterranean summers and mild winters.
The usual Cecchi Family attention to environmental sustainability and their mission to get the best out of the available land led the winery to plant the estates 82 hectares of land with about 48 hectares of vines. The rest of the land is covered by olive trees and woods. The original and primary wine produced by Castello Montauto is their Vernaccia di San Gimignano though, in 2013, they added a Chianti to their production.
Vernaccia's intricate history is rooted in San Gimignano. The idyllic countryside upon which this vine grows was actually named Italy’s first DOC in 1966. Somm Secret—The 13th century marks its first written record and the grape was celebrated widely in literature, namely poems by Dante and Franseco Redi.
Producing some of Tuscany’s best white wines based on its own variety called Vernaccia, San Gimignano is a small appellation to the west of Chianti centered around the romantic village of the same name. Vernaccia produces a fruity and floral white with plenty of verve on the palate and often a fresh note of raw almond.