Montepeloso
The Montepeloso winery, located in Maremma, owned by Swiss co-proprietor and estate manager Fabio Chiarelotto, has earned a reputation for outstanding red wines. With a combination of mostly traditional and indigenous grape varieties, but also international varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, complex wines with a Mediterranean character are produced. This Tuscan gem is hidden in the hills of Suvereto, near the Tyrrhenian coast — one of the hottest areas of Tuscany.
Montepeloso spans 30 hectares, of which 15 are planted with vines. The terroir in the valley near Suvereto, around four kilometres from the Tyrrhenian coast, between the fertile alluvial soil in the plain and the barren valley flanks, offers the vines exciting conditions. Here, in one of the hottest areas of Tuscany, land and sea alternate. The thermals and coastal winds caused by the strong sunlight and the nature of the soil have a welcome cooling effect on the grapes. This keeps them fresh despite the Tuscan sun, which is reflected not least in the pronounced salinity of the wines. The highly mineral soils of the Colline Metallifere and the spicy notes of the Mediterranean scrub characterise the wines, giving them an unmistakable character of origin. The wines of Montepeloso are known for their power, but also for their elegance, structure and finesse, which makes them sought-after representatives of the Tuscan wine tradition.
Rosé wines from Montepeloso
Red wines from Montepeloso
from Montepeloso
Guided by his intuition and armed with a history doctorate, Fabio Chiarelotto has showcased an exceptional knack for selecting grape varieties perfectly suited to the climate and conditions. This meticulous approach results in wines that are not only refined and elegant, but also intricately complex without being overly heavy or opulent. Taking the reins in 1999 from the Swiss couple Dönni-Neukomm, Chiarelotto has been the driving force behind Montepeloso's success. Since 2000, he has been working closely with oenologist Fabrizio Moltard, who gained his first work experience with the Frescobaldi family and Angelo Gaja.
The winery achieved its breakthrough with the award-winning single-varietal Cabernet Sauvignon “Gabbro Rosso". This was followed by the expressive red wines Nardo, Eneo and A Quo, all cuvées made from local red grape varieties such as Sangiovese or Malvasia Nera as well as international grape varieties, mainly Cabernet Sauvignon. The production of these cuvées with indigenous grape varieties was a “Tuscan” project developed jointly by oenologist Fabrizio Moltard and owner Fabio Chiarelotto. These four top wines with their extraordinary names are in no way inferior to the famous competition from Bolgheri!
Producer
Massena / Jaysen Collins
Dan Standish and Jaysen Collins were college friends, and in the late 1990s they decided to put their talents together to produce wine. Recently, Jaysen Collins has taken charge of the "Massena" project on his own.The grapes are purchased from growers in Greenock, Kalimna and Koonunga Hill in the northwest Barossa Valley.
Roland und Karin Lenz
In 1994, while Roland Lenz was still studying oenology, he and his wife Karin were able to acquire eight hectares of vines on the Iselisberg. It was a unique opportunity that they seized, even though they were toying with the idea of setting up their own business abroad, far from Switzerland. They actually did so later, but that's another story…
Château Biac
Sometimes life is full of surprises. The Lebanese Asseily family experienced this first-hand when they became the owners of Château Biac as if by accident in 2006. They regularly spent their summer holidays near Biac, but never would they have dreamt that they would own and manage this wonderful property themselves one day. It’s a fascinating story that Tony and Youmna Asseily are happy to share over a glass of their wine.