The Montecucco wine region has been gaining visibility in recent years. It has always been overshadowed by some of Tuscany’s more prominent wine regions, including its closest neighbor, Montalcino, and the respectable Brunello di Montalcino.
Montecucco is in the southern part of Tuscany in what is known as the Maremma. It’s situated on the slopes of Monte Amiata, an ancient, extinct volcano Italy’s 2nd highest volcano.
In the late 90s, a group of producers wanted to distinguish themselves and the Montecucco terroir with a Sangiovese that has its own personality representative of their particular region. In 1998 the Montecucco DOC was created, celebrating its 25th anniversary this year since its inception. In 2011, the area was also granted the Montecucco Sangiovese DOCG designation. As you can see, this is a relatively newer recognized appellation in the grander scheme of Italian wines.
Montecucco – sourced from Consorzio Tutela Vini Montecucco
Montecucco encompasses 7 municipalities: Castel del Piano, Campagnatico, Seggiano, Arcidosso, Roccalbegna, Civitella Paganico, and Cinigiano. The vineyards are on the southwest hillsides, on the complete opposite side of Montalcino, separated by the Orcia River Valley. Directly to the south of Montecucco is Scansano, where Morellino di Scansano is produced. Montecucco has a rich biodiversity with a strong focus on agriculture with various crops, vineyards, and a large amount of olive groves. As you can imagine, the soils are volcanic with rich minerals and clay.
The Wines
I sampled a few wines to share today in very different styles. These wines change with some time in the glass,
This Article was originally published on Vino Travels Italy
