Fabrizio Bianchi Sangioveto Grosso I.G.T. Toscana
Our Sangioveto Grosso is made from another of the winery’s Crus, the “Scanni” vineyard. This wine is the embodiment of the revolutionary nature that has always been synonymous with the history of Castello di Monsanto. The vineyard was planted exclusively with Sangiovese vines in 1968 and produced its first harvest in 1974, in an exception to the Chianti Classico denomination rules that stated that no vineyards could be planted with a different ampelography to the historic system devised in 1800. The wine’s dissenting spirit has always been emphasized by the decision to use Burgundy bottles. An IGT wine, it is mellow and silky in its younger years but has a powerful capacity to stand up to aging.
Designation
I.G.T. Toscana Rosso
First year of production
1974
Grape varieties
100% Sangiovese
Training system
Guyot
Vinification
In truncated conical steel vats at controlled temperature with emptying system (Délestage) and pumping over for about 20 days
Maturazione o invecchiamento
In 500 litre French oak casks, some new and some second passage, for 18/20 months
Ageing
Two years of bottle aging
Climate trend
In 2010 a cold winter, with temperatures hovering around freezing point, gave way to a cool, rainy spring that slightly delayed the onset of budding. The heat that arrived in July, however, considerably sped up the growth cycle. The groundwater reserves had accumulated over winter and spring, and received fresh input from frequent summer rains, so they enabled the vines to withstand the heat during the first half of July, thus avoiding heat stress and promoting excellent-quality fruit. August and the first half of September were hot, but with temperatures that were below average. The second half of September and the first part of October brought splendid days and stable conditions. The beautiful sunny days in the final days of September and early October, with their high temperatures, particularly in the middle of the day, contributed to making this a high-quality harvest.
