Region: Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy

Varietal: 100% Sangiovese

Tasting notes: Deep ruby red with elegant orange shadows. On the nose, it expresses itself as a symphony of aromas going from intense cherry, strawberry, and violet to fresh wild herbs. For a Rosso di Montalcino, the wine is structured and refined, with a broad and smooth mouthfeel and long finish.  The 2018 vintage is one of the most fragrant and floral vintages of all time at Podere le Ripi, which can be attributed to a mild summer and the fresh and long ripening of the grapes.

Producer: Established in 1998 by Francesco Illy, heir to the famous Illy coffee empire family, this winery is made up of 75 acres of biodynamic vineyards that are set across two opposite mountainsides and nestled between a forest, olive groves, a vegetable garden, and fruit trees. Located in the stunning Tuscan landscape of Montalcino, the views from the winery are breath-taking, taking in great swathes of the surrounding landscape.

Vineyard and Winemaking: Calling all lovers of old-school Montalcino wines - this one's for you! Fermented with native yeasts and aged for 24 months in large, neutral oak barrels, the Podere Le Ripi Rosso di Montalcino is a master class in traditional Tuscan winemaking. Beginning back in 1998 with the site in Castelnuovo dell’Abate on the eastern side of Montalcino, the winery was since expanded in 2017 to an additional site at Il Galamppio for vineyards on the western side. Both sides boast uncontaminated oceanic soil, but with each belonging to different geological areas, as well as pure air, all of which gives the vineyards optimal conditions to grow the ideal raw ingredients necessary to produce delicious wines.