Monday, August 25, 2025

At Argiano, one of the Oldest and most Prestigious Wineries in Montalcino - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025





From June 16 to July 3, 2025, Annette and I spent time in wine country Italy, by car.

For an overview of the whole trip, go here: Wine Country Italy - Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige - in the Summer of 2025 

Fourth Stop: Montalcino and Montepulciano (Tuscany)

From Chianti Classico we drove to Montalcino and stayed 2 nights at La Ragnaie, a well-known Montalcino winery which also has 12 rooms. 

One day we focused on Brunello di Montalcino producers and one day on Vino Nobile de Montepulciano producers.

On both nights we had dinner in the village of Montalcino.  

 

Argiano

Unfortunately, we were standing before closed doors, when we arrived there. 

Argiano (GoogleAI based) 

Argiano is one of the oldest and most prestigious wineries in Montalcino, Italy, with a history dating back to 1580
. The estate, located in the Val d'Orcia region (a UNESCO World Heritage site), is known for its exquisite wines, particularly its Brunello di Montalcino DOCG and Super Tuscan IGT wines. 

Founded in 1580 by the Pecci family, who built the magnificent Villa Bellaria and adjoining cellars still used today.

One of the founding members of the Consorzio del Brunello di Montalcino in 1967, an association dedicated to maintaining the quality and integrity of Brunello wines.

Has undergone a "New Renaissance" since 2013 under Brazilian entrepreneur André Esteves, with a focus on terroir-driven wines and sustainable practices. 

 
Brunello di Montalcino DOCG: Argiano's most famous and historic wine, a classic expression of the Sangiovese grape. Argiano's 2018 Brunello was named Wine Spectator's 2023 Wine of the Year.
 
Rosso di Montalcino: A younger, more approachable expression of Sangiovese.
 
Super Tuscan IGT wines:  
 
Solengo: A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Merlot, and Syrah, pioneered by renowned enologist Giacomo Tachis.
 
Non Confunditur (NC): A blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah.
 
Also produces smaller quantities of white and rosé wines from other grape varieties like Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, and Trebbiano.
 
Certified organic since 2018. First plastic-free winery in Montalcino since 2019. Achieved carbon neutrality.
 
Argiano (wine-searcher) 

Argiano is an estate in the Tuscan region of Montalcino. It is well-known for its Sangiovese-based red wines under the traditional Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, and more modern red wines under the IGT Toscana designation.

Argiano's history dates back to the construction of the villa, which dates back to the late 16th Century. By the time it was completed in 1596, it is believed the estate had started to produce wine (records show olive oil was being produced at this time).

The land and villa changed ownership between various aristocratic families but only flourished as a winery in the 19th Century after it came into the possession of Lady Ersilia Caetani Lovatelli. In 1967, Argiano was a founding member of the Brunello Consortium set up to advance and promote the wine region.

Countess Noemi Marone Cinzano owned Argiano from 1992 to 2013. The estate was then sold to a Brazilian business group, which began to make improvements to the winery and increased land holdings from 50 to 60 hectares (124 to 150 acres).

Portfolio

Argiano makes several wines: the flagship Brunello di Montalcino and Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, Vigna del Suolo (a single-vineyard Brunello); a Rosso di Montalcino; and two IGT wines called Solengo and Non Confunditur.

Suolo, like the Brunello, is 100 percent Sangiovese, but the Solengo and Non Confunditur wines are both Bordeaux blends with a little Syrah, and in the case of the Non Confunditur, Sangiovese. Total production is around 337,000 bottles of which roughly 100,000 are Brunello di Montalcino.

Argiano was one of the producers accused of using non-permissible grapes in their blends as part of the "Brunellogate" scandal in 2009. During the investigation, Argiano declassified its Brunello and sold it with the broader IGT designation in order to stay in the market. Argiano was absolved of all charges after an appeal.

Brunello di Montalcino (wine-searcher) 
 
One of Italy's (and the world's) greatest red wines, Brunello di Montalcino is a small wine region in southern central Tuscany, producing particularly impressive wines. In Tuscany, its homeland, it perhaps ranks alongside Chianti Classico. On global markets, it seems to command even greater attention.
 
What does Brunello di Montalcino wine taste like?
 
The wine is typically garnet in color with aromas of red and black fruit with underlying vanilla and spice, and perhaps a hint of earthiness. The wines are usually full-bodied with alcohol levels around 14 or 15 percent ABV. Good tannic structure and bright acidity provide balance.
 
Brunello a.k.a. Sangiovese Grosso 
 
All Brunello di Montalcino wine is made exclusively from Sangiovese Grosso grapes grown on the slopes around Montalcino – a classic Tuscan hilltop village 30 kilometers (20 miles) south of Siena. Sangiovese Grosso is the large-berried form of Sangiovese. Brunello, its name here, translates roughly as 'little dark one'. The use of this synonym, and its inclusion in the name of the wine, was part of a clear strategy to differentiate the wine from Chianti. (© Wine-Searcher)
 


 
History
 
Early period
 
The first recordings of red wines from Montalcino date back to the early 14th Century. In the 16th Century, it is said that the French mercenary leader Blaise de Montluc reportedly brought color to his cheeks during the siege of Montalcino by rubbing the local wine on his face.
 
Later, ducal auditor, Bartolomeo Gherardini visited the area between 1676 and 1677, noting that the town produced "strong wine, but not in large quantities". In 1744, British merchant Charles Thompson wrote that “Montalcino is not very famous, except for the goodness of its wines".
 
The importance of Biondi-Santi
 
However, the all-Sangiovese Brunello di Montalcino style we know today did not emerge until the 1870s, just after the creation of a single Italian state. Its evolution was due in no small part to the efforts of Clemente Santi and Ferruccio Biondi-Santi, whose name lives on in one of Montalcino's finest estates.
 
A soldier in Garibaldi's army, Biondi-Santi returned home from the Garibaldi campaigns to manage the Fattoria del Greppo estate for his grandfather Clemente. It was here that he developed some novel winemaking techniques that would revolutionize wine styles not only in Montalcino but in much of Tuscany.
 
Biondi-Santi's approach to winemaking was unique within the region, as he vinified his Sangiovese grapes separately from the other varieties. In Tuscany at that time it was common practice to ferment all the grapes together, whether different clones, varieties, or even colors.
 
His wines were also noticed to be livelier and fruitier than most other wines. What makes the freshness of these wines all the more remarkable is that these wines were aged in wooden barrels, sometimes for more than a decade. This was a key departure from standard practice at the time.
 
This Brunello di Montalcino gained a reputation as one of Italy's finest by the end of World War II. According to government documents of the time, the only commercial producer of Brunello was the Biondi-Santi firm.
 
They had, however, only managed to produce wines in four vintages by that time: 1888, 1891, 1925, and 1945. This was enough, though, to encourage several more producers to try their hand at making wine in this area and in this particular style. By the 1960s, there were at least 11 Brunello producers in the Montalcino area.
 
Recent history
 
At this time Brunello really began to make a name for itself and was formalized as Italy's first DOCG in July 1980, alongside Piedmont's Barolo. Today, there are almost 200 winemakers producing this high-quality red, most of whom are small farmers and family estates.
 
Growing conditions in Montalcino
 
DOCG regulations require Brunello vineyards to be planted on hills with good sun exposure, at altitudes not surpassing 600 meters (1968ft). This limit is intended to ensure the grapes reach optimal ripeness and flavor before being harvested. Any higher than 600m and the mesoclimate becomes cool to the point of unreliability.
 
Fortunately, the climate in Montalcino is one of the warmest and driest in Tuscany. Achieving full ripeness is consequently a rarely encountered problem for Brunello's vignerons. In good years the Sangiovese Grosso grapes ripen up to a week earlier than those in nearby Chianti and Montepulciano.
 
Naturally, microclimates vary between the different vineyard sites depending on their exposure. Grapes grown on the northern slopes tend to ripen more slowly, resulting in racier styles of wine. On the southern and western slopes, however, the grapes are exposed to more intense sunlight and cool maritime breezes, resulting in more complex and powerful wine styles.
 
Top Brunello producers tend to own vineyards on all of the finest terroirs. This allows them to create base wines of both styles and to use those to create a blend in their desired style.
 
Production methods
 
Traditional Brunello di Montalcino winemaking methods involve long aging in large vats, typically made from Slavonian oak. This results in particularly complex wines, although some consider this style too tannic and dry.
 
Modernists began to pursue a fruitier style in the 1980s when they began to shorten the barrel maturation time and use smaller 225-liter French oak barriques. This can be criticized for the overtness of the oak characters in the final wine.
 
According to the disciplinare di produzione (the legal document laying out the wine's production laws) for Brunello di Montalcino, Brunello must be made from 100 percent Sangiovese and aged for at least four years (five for riserva wines). Two of these years must be spent in oak, and the wine must be bottled at least four months prior to commercial release.
 
Rosso di Montalcino
 
The "junior" version of Brunello is the Rosso di Montalcino appellation. Fruit from young vines in Brunello vineyards might be used, or perhaps vineyard plots that catch less sun. These wines are designed to be more approachable when young and aging requirements are greatly lowered.
 
Other wines made in the Montalcino zone
 
Some producers in Montalcino make small amounts red and white wine under the IGT Toscana designation. The reds usually feature Bordeaux grape varieties from a few well-established plots. Argiano's Solengo (Bordeaux blend) and Non Confonditur (Bordeaux varieties with Sangiovese) cuvées are among the better-known examples. More unusually they classify their Suolo wine, from their two best Brunello parcels as IGT Toscana.

Gianfranco Soldera (who died in 2019) released several IGT wines which were all Sangiovese Grosso, reflecting a fractious history of relations with the Consorzio. The success of the "Brunello brand" does however provide ample reason to limit IGT production.

Wine Country Italy - Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige - in the Summer of 2025
 
From June 16 to July 3, 2025, Annette and I spent time in wine country Italy, by car.
 
For an overview, go to:  Wine Country Italy - Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige - in the Summer of 2025
 











 
Postings

Wine Country Italy - Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige - in the Summer of 2025  

Lake Como 

At Villa Almana in Cernobbio at Lake Como - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025 

Bolgheri 

Dinner at La Tana del Pirata in Marina di Castagneto Carducci, Bolgheri, Tuscany - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025

Winery Tour and Tasting at Tenuta Argentiera, Bolgheri, Tuscany - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025

Florentine Steak - Dario Cecchini Selection - for Lunch at Osteria Magona in Bolgheri, Tuscany - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025

Running into Marco Balsimelli, Production Director, Ornellaia and Masseto, at Osteria Magona, Bolgheri, Tuscany - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at La Macchiole, Bolgheri, Tuscany - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025

Visiting Vigna Lodovico and Tasting Lodovico Antinori's Cult Wines Lodovico and Il Nicchio with his Assistant at Locanda dell' Aioncino - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025 

Dinner at Locanda dell' Aioncino, Bibbona, Tuscany - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025

Tasting the Wines of Tenuta di Biserno and Staying at Relais di Biserno, Bibbona, Tuscany - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025

Tenuta San Guido (Sassicaia): Barrel Cellar Tour and Tasting - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025

Bistecca alla Fiorentina for Lunch at Osteria Enoteca San Guido (Sassicaia), Bolgheri, Tuscany - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Ornellaia, Bolgheri, Tuscany - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025

Dinner at La Pineta, with Chef/ Co-owner Daniele Zazzeri, a Michelin Starred Seafood Restaurant, at Marina die Bibbona, Tuscany - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025 

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Grattamacco, a Benchmark Producer in Bolgheri, Tuscany - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025

Lunch at La Tana del Pirata in Marina di Castagneto Carducci/ Bolgheri/ Tuscany - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025
 
Bolgheri Turning into an Open Air Restaurant - "Cena in Strada" Dinner 2025: Al Fresco Dinner in the Streets of Bolgheri, Tuscany, with Hundreds of other Wine Lovers - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025
 
Chianti Classico 
 
3 Days at Fattoria e Villa di Rignana in the Chianti Classico Region (Tuscany) - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025
 
 
 
Returning to Badia a Coltibuono in Chianti Classico: 2025 and 2012 - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025
 
 
 
At Isole et Olena Winery, a Major Force behind the Chianti Renaissance in the 1970s - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025
 
At Fattoria Nittardi in Chianti Classico, Tuscany: Art and Wine - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025
 
 
Sunset Dinner at Locanda Poggio al Sole (Hill in the Sun Inn) in Chianti Classico - Wine Country Italy (Lake Como, Tuscany, Alto Adige) in 2025
 
(Brunello di) Montalcino and (Vino Nobile di) Montepulciano
 
 
 

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