Montecalvi Vermentino

Wine has been made at Montecalvi since the 1400s. Montecalvi was for centuries part of the Castello di’Uzzano estate, at one time owned by Niccolo da Uzzano, a Florentine politician in the Medici era, and latterly owned by Don Briano Carlo Maria Castelbarco-Albani Visconti Simonetta dei principi di Montignano (the Count Castelbarco). It was farmed throughout this period according to the mezzadria system, by which local farmers farmed the estate for, and shared the year’s harvest with the castello.

Montecalvi became an independent estate in the 1980s and is now owned by the Drake family, owners of Collalto in the Adelaide Hills region of Australia. They have set about upgrading and updating the vineyards, restoring the old vines (they have one of oldest vines in Tuscany, planted in 1932) and replanting with indigenous Italian varieties. The winery is now a certified organic estate and all that they do with an eye towards sustainable farming in the vineyard and making wines (and olive oil) that are the best reflection of their particular place in our particular part of Tuscany.

Vermentino,

For the Vermentino, Montecalvi carefully select the fruit from a trusted grower on the Tuscan coast.

Grapes are handpicked and immediately delivered into the cellar. Montecalvi extract flavour and complexity by macerating some of the fruit on its skins and then, post fermentation, leaving the wine on its lees for a short period of time.

Vermentino is an aromatic, crisp variety that thrives by the Italian coast. Both mineral and vibrant, this Vermentino features a selection of wild herb scents with a good measure of citrus as well as real tension on the palate and it is for this that we love it. The perfect summer sip.

Great with a wild mushroom risotto.