2019 Chianti Classico

Monteraponi is one of the great recent success stories of Chianti Classico. Michele Braganti describes himself as the back sheep of the family, whose main business activity is in the production of fine silver frames in Florence. “My father bought the property in 1974, which was abandoned at the time, to make a little wine for fun,” Braganti told me. “I finished my studies in economics in 1998. Let’s just say I didn’t do too well. My mother sent me here as punishment. First I sold fruit and then in 2003 we started making out own wines.” Monteraponi is a typical Tuscan borgo, a self-contained hamlet that dates back to Medieval times. The sprawling property spans 200 hectares of which only 12.5 are under vine. A collection of small parcels are all at altitude, which is increasingly valuable in today’s world. The wines were a bit rustic in the early days, but they have improved markedly in recent years. Braganti takes much of his inspiration from Burgundy and his wines often have a striking sense of transparency. The wines I tasted from cask, including a new Sangiovese, were insanely beautiful and point to a very bright future. Fans of classically-built wines will want to take note.