It was Il Poggio vineyard, way back in 1962, that heralded the start of Castello di Monsanto’s journey in wine production, with the first harvest overseen by founder Fabrizio Bianchi. Still to this day, the company’s most iconic bottle, Il Poggio, is the first Chianti Classico to feature the name of the specific vineyard from which it comes. White grapes were removed from the recipe in 1968. Il Poggio is the source – thanks to massal selection – of all the Sangiovese, Colorino and Canaiolo vines in the winery’s other vineyards. Over 100,00 bottles have been produced and all of them spend time aging in the castle’s historic cellar, showcasing the wine’s stunning capacity for aging.
Designation
Chianti Classico D.O.C.G. Riserva
First year of production
1962
Grape varieties
90% Sangiovese; 10% Canaiolo and Colorino
Training system
Guyot and spurred cordon
Vinification
In temperature-controlled truncated conical steel vats with emptying system (Délestage) and pumping over for about 20/22 days
Maturazione o invecchiamento
In 225 litre French oak barriques, some new and some second passage, for around 18 months.
Ageing
Two years of bottle aging
Climate trend
The 2003 vintage will be remembered all over the country as one of the hottest and driest summers in the last century. The high temperatures and sunny weather started in the month of June and terminated at the end of October after the harvest season. The vintage was classified 4 stars by Chianti Classico Consorzio. The grapes didn’t suffer from over-ripening thanks to the “Galestro soil” in the Il Poggio vineyard, a calcareous schistose lime capable of retaining water in its layers.