Unearthing Tuscan Gems: Carmignano, Montecucco and Beyond

BY ERIC GUIDO | MARCH 13, 2025

Focusing on all of Tuscany in one
report is almost impossible without sacrificing the details that make it
unique. Unlike some Italian regions, Tuscany cannot be adequately summarized
with a single vintage report and generalized terroir assessment. It requires a
more nuanced approach.

However, Tuscany is undoubtedly worth
the effort. Hunting for some of the greatest Sangiovese-based wines outside the
big three—Chianti Classico, Montalcino and Montepulciano—can be extremely
rewarding. Moreover, there’s a long list of international varieties that have
found an unlikely home, thriving throughout Tuscany’s nooks and crannies. It’s
extremely telling that of the nearly 200 wines in this report, 84 are labeled
as IGT Toscana, produced outside of either DOC or DOCG rules or boundaries.
Many of these wines originate from terroirs that have yet to be fully explored.
For instance, the high-elevation slopes of Mount Amiata are a hot spot for new
projects. Producers from the surrounding regions of Montalcino and Montecucco
eagerly look to this location for future development.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1741704565679-Vinous_Val+d%27Orcia+looking+toward+the+town+of+Montalcino.jpg">Val d'Orcia, looking toward the town of Montalcino There are so many diverse terroirs and
styles to consider. Sometimes, it’s a new upstart or young aspiring winemaker
who’s found a field of old vines to tend. Sometimes, it’s a family that has
farmed their land for generations but only recently decided to become serious
about their marketing and expanding to a broader audience. These wines can
often present exceptional value or give rise to the next big cult producer who
hasn’t yet gained the recognition they deserve. Valdarno di Sopra, Val di
Chiana, Pisa and Val d’Orcia all have outstanding winemakers who are
trailblazing in their regions. Then, of course, there’s Cortona, Montecucco and
Carmignano, where the size of the DOC or DOCG prevents these producers from
gaining the recognition they deserve. Carmignano has only 13 wineries in the
Consorzio, and I typically only see three of its producers in international
markets. Does that mean the rest of them aren’t worth our attention? Of course
not. The same can be said for Montecucco. Not every region has the funds or
organization to push its name out into the world, so if a wine lover doesn’t
happen to visit the area or find the wines on a local list while visiting
Tuscany, how will they ever know what they are missing?&nbsp;

That’s why I consider this one of the
year's most important reports. While this may not be a deep dive into a
specific terroir or an in-depth view of a particular vintage, it is a
collection of exceptional wines that deserve attention.&nbsp;

New Developments in
Montecucco

In previous reports, I’ve gone into
detail regarding Montecucco’s terroir. I urge readers to reference my article <a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/touring-tuscany-carmignano-montecucco-and-beyond-feb-2023">Touring
Tuscany: Carmignano, Montecucco and Beyond</a> for an in-depth discussion
on the topic.&nbsp;Montecucco is a fascinating region, yet it is far too diverse to pigeonhole.
The most significant factor in its diversity is its sheer size and the drastic
changes in elevations and soils as its borders stretch from the Tuscan coast up
to the slopes of Mount Amiata. With that said, many winemakers from surrounding
regions (Montalcino being the closest, as it borders Montecucco to the north
and east) have planted stakes here. However, for the most part, wineries
outside of Montecucco with vineyards within Montecucco are forced to bottle
their wines as IGT Toscana. The reason for this lies in the rules of the DOC,
which prevent any winemaker without a winery located within the area from using
Montecucco on their label. A rare example is Sassetti Livio, known as Sassetti
Livio Pertimali in Montalcino, a winery that makes Montecucco within the DOC,
as they purchased vineyards in the region and a facility. With this in
mind, Il Consorzio Tutela Vini Montecucco has proposed removing this
stipulation from the region's governing DOC and DOCG rules. This would be a
significant boon to the region and would allow a large number of outside
winemakers, often with prestigious names in other areas, to begin producing a
Montecucco Rosso or Montecucco Sangiovese with the DOC or DOCG stated on the
label.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1741704442034-Vinous_The+Vineyards+of+Montecucco+looking+out+toward+the+Tuscan+coast.jpg">The vineyards of Montecucco

Efforts are also underway in
Montecucco to extend the region's boundaries beyond the current 600-meter
elevation limit. This change would allow winemakers to plant higher up on the
slopes of Mount Amiata. As I mentioned before, this location is a hotbed of
activity where many winemakers throughout the southeast of Tuscany are looking
to experiment. One of the first big names to make a mark on Mount Amiata is
Sebastian Nasello, winemaker for Podere Le Ripi in Montalcino. Nasello created
the Bakkanali brand (included in the following notes) for wines that he makes
from elevations between 600 and 800 meters. The conditions at these heights
offset the effects of the warming trends felt throughout southern Tuscany.
Soils on the higher slopes are notably complex, including limestone, Flysh
marls and volcanic sands. This terroir is not only perfect for Sangiovese, but
white varieties could thrive here as well. Allowing Montecucco wineries to
plant higher on the slopes of Mount Amiata would create an entirely new
category of wines built on minerality, tension and finesse.

Unfortunately, these changes don’t fix
one of the main issues with Montecucco, which is the extreme variation in
styles and quality throughout the region. It would be beneficial for the
governing bodies to take a closer look at the rules governing vineyard
practices, such as yields and vine age, in order to raise the bar across the
region. Sadly, without changes to these regulations, it remains logical to buy wines
based on the producer's name rather than Montecucco's reputation alone.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1741704681771-Vinous_Fog+burning+off+through+the+low+lands+of+Carmignano.jpg">Fog burning off through the lowlands of Carmignano Carmignano Stays the Course

Little has changed in the year since I last touched on
Carmignano, but this is a situation where no news is good news. This report
focuses on 2023 Barco Reale di Carmignano (the category where winemakers create
entry-level wines to introduce consumers to their brands), primarily 2021 and
some 2022 Carmignano (the wineries’ flagship wines) and a smattering of 2019
and 2020 Riservas. I also included three mini-verticals, one from Piaggia and
two from Tenuta di Capezzana, which illustrate Carmignano’s incredible aging
potential.&nbsp;

The vertical tastings and recent releases clearly
demonstrate that the growing seasons in Carmignano differ significantly from
most of Tuscany. Even Chianti Classico, located just south of Carmignano, has
an entirely different terroir. Elevations here start surprisingly low, ranging
from 53 to 400 meters, yet still, Carmignano has a hilly terrain with steep
inclines and varied exposures. The region is also particularly secluded, bordered
by Monte Albano on the west (which blocks warming air currents from the
Tyrrhenian Sea) and the Apennines to the east. This creates a bowl-shaped
valley with northern and southern influences. The 2023 vintage is a perfect
example of how different Carmignano is from its neighbors, as Carmignano didn’t
suffer the losses from Peronospora (downy mildew) that other nearby regions did.
Instead, winemakers here enjoyed a warm season with balanced precipitation. The
same can be said for 2022, a warm and dry year that yielded wines of incredible
balance.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1741704798243-Vinous_The+Hills+of+Carmignano.jpg">The hills of Carmignano Granted, Carmignano does have the advantage of blending.
Sangiovese is a very finicky grape, and while other parts of Tuscany strive
toward higher percentages of the variety, Carmignano happily remains as it has
been for decades, with an allowance for up to 30% of other red varieties in the
mix. The most notable is Cabernet Sauvignon, a grape that may be considered
“international” but has a history in the region dating back to the 16th
century. Merlot is another favorite of Carmignano producers. Some of the
varietal Merlots I tasted for this report are a testament to Merlot’s potential
here. The power of blending should not be underestimated, as it allows
winemakers to create the best possible wine from the given vintage. Compare
this to a region like Châteauneuf-du-Pape, where, for example, a larger
addition of Mouvèdre can offset a poor year for Grenache.&nbsp;

Readers will find a lot to like in the new releases from Carmignano..
This region is one of the hidden gems of Tuscany, and too few of these wines
make it into the U.S. market. The wines of Carmignano also provide tremendous
value, especially for lovers of Super Tuscans. As for the current vintages, the
2019s are geared for a long evolution; expect to cellar them for upwards of
five to ten years. The 2020s and 2021s show more elegance, with the 2021s
edging out the 2020s from the perspective of sheer depth. The 2022s are still
relatively young yet balanced, possessing a warm-vintage feel but with no hints
of being overripe or cloying. Most of the 2022s are already showing
beautifully. As for 2023, I’ll reserve judgment of the more important wines,
but I love their blend of minerality and juiciness. I tasted several 2023s from
barrel at Piaggia, which left me very excited for what lies ahead.&nbsp;

I
tasted the wines in the article in Tuscany in fall 2024 and in follow-up
tastings in our New York City offices. © 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or redistributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism. <hr> You Might Also Enjoy<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/vino-nobile-di-montepulciano-an-unstoppable-force-feb-2025">Vino Nobile di Montepulciano: An Unstoppable Force</a>, Eric Guido, February 2025<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/carmignano-montecucco-and-tuscany-s-unrivaled-diversity-mar-2024">Carmignano, Montecucco and Tuscany’s Unrivaled Diversity</a>, Eric Guido, March 2024<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/terroir-and-determination-vino-nobile-di-montepulciano-feb-2023">Terroir and Determination: Vino Nobile di Montepulciano</a>, Eric Guido, February 2023<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/touring-tuscany-carmignano-montecucco-and-beyond-feb-2023">Touring Tuscany: Carmignano, Montecucco and Beyond</a>, Eric Guido, February 2023 <div><div></div></div><div><div><div><a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/montepulciano-carmignano-and-montecucco-new-releases-dec-2021">Montepulciano, Carmignano and Montecucco: New Releases</a>, Eric Guido, December 2021</div></div></div>

Content

Engage

Vinous

Social