Montepeloso 'A Quo' Toscana IGT Rosso 2020

The Montepeloso estate is nestled in the hills of Suvereto near Bolgheri above the famed Tua Rita site on the Tuscan Coast – one of the hottest areas in Tuscany. The hot climate often produces over-concentrated wines, presenting a challenge to winemakers. Estate owner and winemaker, Swiss-born Fabio Chiarelotto tackled this by overhauling his vineyards in 1997 – retraining, pruning, and regrafting many vines. He now grows all of his grapes biodynamically. This endeavor greatly paid off for him, as today, Montepeloso has few rivals on the Tuscan coast producing wines of such elegance, refinement, and complexity. In the cellar, he does fairly short macerations, employs natural yeasts during fermentation, and never filters his wine. This wonderfully rounded blend contains 30% montepulciano, 30% cabernet sauvignon, 20% sangiovese, 10% marselan, and 10% alicante bouschet from lime-rich, petrified clay and silex soils. This blend makes it complex yet balanced, lusciously dark with hints of balsamic, spice, and minerals. The oak aging is in neutral, large barriques for only four months to retain the wine’s character and terroir while adding texture and softening the tannins. Biodynamically grown, vegan.