Monteraponi & Padelletti

Over the last thirty years, technological advances in winemaking have resulted in an unprecedented rise in global wine quality. While the most visible regions to spearhead this movement are Napa and Bordeaux, it has reached every corner of the world. However, there are still producers that have opted to remain true to their historic production roots, using modern technology only to augment and support, rather than overhaul their traditional methods. Today we bring you two producers who have done just that, and who you should be paying close attention to.

While Piedmont has been Italy’s cool kid for the last decade, Tuscany has quietly been regaining its old popularity. Since long abandoning white wine and straw fiascos, Chianti has made waves with wines like Montevertine’s Pergole Torte and Fontodi’s Flaccianello, which have become must-have cellar items and auction catalogue highlights. But not every wine in your collection needs to be a trophy (we’re huge fans of weekday drinkers), so here’s a producer we’re sure you’ll come back and thank us for introducing you to, if you’re not already privy: Monteraponi. They’re a star in the making, but you don’t have to take our word for it. Antonio Galloni has been captivated by these wines, heaping tremendous praise on this burgeoning producer. He says: “Michele Braganti’s wines offer extraordinary allure. Crafted from rugged hillside vineyards in Radda, these wines beautifully marry transparency, structure and Sangiovese character, a pretty appealing combination in my book.”

We’re thrilled to feature 3 wines from Monteraponi today, varying expressions of Sangiovese. The Chianti Classico is a no-brainer case purchase, pure and expressive, at a price point that anyone can afford. The Chianti Riserva—made from 50+ year old vines—is “one of the best wines I have ever tasted from Monteraponi,” says Galloni. It will dazzle Burgundy lovers for its elegance, aromatics, and remarkable balance. Their “Super Tuscan” blend, Baron’Ugo, made from all indigenous Chianti varieties and hailing from 40+ year old vines, is a showstopper from the legendary 2016 vintage. Frankly, we’re surprised this was even available still, considering the praise from Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate: “Baron’Ugo is one of the banner wines of Radda in Chianti that captures the soul of this cool and elevated subregion.”

The hallowed Tuscan grounds of Montalcino have been having a sort of renaissance lately, with more and more producers adjusting their styles away from the bombastic and appealing to the Burgundy/Barolo collector. We’re consistently tasting wines of higher sophistication these days, which we know our clients specifically will adore. Many of these have seen skyrocketing prices (e.g. Stella di Campalto and Poggio di Sotto), but if you look carefully, there are still plenty of reasonably priced gems to be found in Montalcino. Among our favorites is Padelletti, which is now incredibly in its 27th generation of ownership (remind you of Chave?). The family’s roots predate Biondi Santi—a pillar of Montalcino—by almost 300 years! The results of such history and longevity are, perhaps unsurprisingly, stunning. When we were offered the 2016 Riserva, a wine only made in the best vintages, we snagged every last bottle that was available. Both Vinous and Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate raved about it, and to the chorus we’ll add: this is a must-have for Brunello collectors, especially those looking for quality and value in the same bottle.