Il Marroneto

Il Marroneto sits just outside the town of Montalcino in Tuscany, on the cool northern slopes of the hill. The estate was founded in 1974 when Giuseppe Mori, a lawyer from nearby Siena, bought a small plot of land there. His son Alessandro joined him for the 1980 vintage, the first to be bottled, and has run the estate ever since, now with the help of his own son, Iacopo.

The Vineyards

The vineyards cover around 8 hectares at about 400 metres above sea level. The soils are a mix of galestro, clay, and sand, with marine sediments. The first vines went in the ground in 1975, with further plantings following in subsequent years. No herbicides, pesticides, or artificial fertilisers are used.

The Grapes

Only Sangiovese is grown, as required for Brunello di Montalcino DOCG. Nothing else is planted or blended in.

Winemaking

The approach is traditional throughout. Fermentation uses wild yeasts and can reach high temperatures, giving the wines structure and depth. Long macerations follow, and the wine ages in large, neutral oak barrels, generally for 42 months or more for the top wine, before spending at least ten months in bottle.

The Wines

The estate makes a Brunello di Montalcino, a single-vineyard Brunello called Madonna delle Grazie, sourced from a north-facing parcel of older vines, and occasional Rosso di Montalcino.

The Madonna delle Grazie has received 100-point scores from Wine Advocate, Wine Enthusiast, and Wine Magazine for multiple vintages, putting it among Italy's most critically acclaimed wines.