Monteraponi
Radda, Chianti, Tuscany, Italy
Team Monteraponi
Monteraponi walks a fine line between classic and creative, authentic and artistic, conventional and at once disruptive. Michele Braganti and his partner Alessandra Deiana are without a doubt two of the most beloved and boisterous characters in Tuscan wine, who light up any table in town with their profound love of fine wine and undeniable charisma. A man of distinct allure, Braganti crafts pedigreed wines from the rugged hillside vineyards in Radda. In its current incarnation, Monteraponi is a fairly young estate considering the centuries-old region of Chianti Classico. Delicate deviations from timeless Tuscan tradition such as the distinctly savory and textured Trebbiano prove the capabilities and intuition of this estate, whose well-traveled guardians are seeking a spot not only amongst storied neighbors but also on the global stage.
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Founded in 1974, Monteraponi is managed by Michele Braganti, a young businessman with clear ideas and strong personality. Over the past decade, he has significantly shaken the balance of power in Chianti Classico. The Monteraponi village is a 200-hectare medieval hamlet, once home to Baron Ugo, the Marquis of Tuscany in the tenth century. It was purchased by the Braganti’s father in the 70s but his father did not commercialize his wines. Nestled amongst dark forests and silver olive trees, four native varieties are cultivated organically across 12 hectares of vineyards, many of which are farmed by hand due to the steep incline. Monteraponi wines are now fine examples of the Radda style: tightly acidic, slightly floral, laced with minerals and exuding elegance. Braganti loves Burgundy and certain wines of Piedmont, and seeks to make something similar at his estate. The resulting wines maintain a strong sense of personality, akin to that of their guardian, boasting equal parts tradition, character and allure.
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Amidst all of the talks of zoning and the various communes of Chianti Classico, Radda is a sort of Graceland; a place where it’s hard to make bad wine, some winemakers might say. Montalcino lies about Monteraponi is no exception, boasting the classic soils that seem unanimous in the finest plots across Chianti Classico: a jumble of dense, white limestone and blue, friable clay schist, known as alberese and galestro, respectively. The estate’s vineyards form a natural amphitheater with Southern exposure, protected from the cold tramontana winds. They are planted predominantly with Sangiovese, plus Canaiolo and Colorino and a small percentage of Trebbiano. The highest vineyards reach 420 and 570 m above sea level.
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Michele is extraordinarily committed to the indigenous grapes, maintaining that Canaiolo is the most beautiful blending partner for Sangiovese which is, admittedly, the wine that he loves. Practices in the vineyard seek to reduce the agricultural impact on the environment in Radda and the surrounding area. Harvest is done by hand with meticulous attention to detail and quality, and generally begins in early October.
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At harvest, grapes are placed in a special de-stemmer from Burgundy designed for delicate varieties like Pinot Noir and Sangiovese. the cellar, grapes are pressed softly without breaking the skins, and fermentation is carried out in concrete vats without added yeasts. Aging is done in large oval oak casks from Austria and Burgundy, hidden in the underground cellar where the temperature and humidity are constant throughout the year thanks to the thick stone walls. Generally speaking, technology is reduced to a minimum
Wines
Chianti Classico
Sourced from the estate's youngest vineyards, around 15 year old vines. The vines are planted in soils that are full of calcareous stones, rich in marl and schist. 95% Sangiovese, 5% Canaiolo. Fermentation takes place in cement tanks, followed by about 25 days of maceration. The wine is aged exclusively in large oak for about 16 months and is bottled without being fined or filtered.
Chianti Classico Riserva Il Campitello
90% Sangiovese, 7% Canaiolo, 3% Colorino. Il Campitello comes from a 50-plus-year-old vineyard, the oldest vines at Monteraponi, that sits at 420 m above sea level. The soil is 50% galestro and 50% alberese. This is the only parcel on the property that has galestro. Fermentation takes place in cement tanks, followed by a maceration of around 45 days. The wine is aged in large oak barrels for around 26 months, and is bottled without being fined or filtered. Campitello is Monteraponi’s classic representation of what is understood to be Chianti Classico.
Toscana Rosso Baron'Ugo
90% Sangiovese, 7% Canaiolo, 3% Colorino. Baron' Ugo is made from a 40-year-old vineyard planted in 100% alberese based soil at 560 m above sea level (among the highest altitude vineyard in all of Chianti Classico). Fermentation takes place in cement tanks, followed by a maceration of around 45 days. The wine is aged in 3,000 liter oak barrels for 36 months, and is bottled without being fined or filtered. The first vintage of Baron'Ugo was 2006 but the wine's history as a single vineyard bottling goes back to 1974. The vineyard is named after Monteraponi's original 10th century property owner, Baron Ugo Marchese. In 2012, which was a very particular vintage, the color of the wine was very light and alcohol was only 12.5%. As a result, the consortium did not grant it Chianti Classico Riserva status. Since then Michele has labeled it an IGT Toscano Rosso and not applied for a higher designation. The winemaking has stayed the same since the first vintage.
Chianti Classico Gran Selezione “Bragantino”
This single vineyard 100% Sangiovese is Michele’s first foray into the Gran Selezione category, despite long rallying against the category. Facing the Baron Ugo vineyard, this wine is produced from a relatively young vines planted on virgin soils that used to hold olive trees directly above the hamlet.Sangiovese clone used to plant the vineyard originated from cuttings of Isole e Olena’s celebrated Cepparello vineyard propogated by Burgundy’s renowned Guilllaume vine nursery. The vineyard’s incredibly steep grade (nearly 50%) gives it a gorgeous exposition. It is the domaine’s first pure Sangiovese wine, thus has a softer texture than the others. It is aged 42 months in new oak. The first vintage is 2019, released in the Spring of 2024. The name is an ode to what Michele was called as a young boy; “Bragantino,” or little Braganti. The label is a favorite painting of Michele’s fathers by the artist Nino Tirinnanzi, a student of the well-known Florentine painter Ottone Rosai.
Trebbiano
2010 was the first vintage produced of Trebbiano. Michele wanted to try to make a white wine in a place only known for reds. His Trebbiano vines are now over 50 years old. Once fermentation starts he presses and put everything into Burgundy barrels. 50% of the barrels were new Francois Freres Burgundy barrels toasted by steam (not fire) and 50% were second use barrels. Batonnage was done to introduce a textural element. This wine has a strong following among its fans (i.e., those who can get their hands on it!)
Rosato
This 100% Sangiovese “Rosato Toscano”is made in the saignée method, using grapes from the youngest portions of the vineyards. Fermentation takes place in used barrels, but without malolactic in order to preserve and exalt aromas, acidity and freshness in the wine. Weekly battonage grants richness and complexity to the wine. The wine then moves to cement for a brief period after which it’s bottled without filtering, if possible when the moon is waning. Like most saignée roses, this one is hefty and extremely capable of aging/drinking year round.