Fattoria Castellina

The Fattoria Castellina winery is a Tuscan wine producer that was founded in the early 20th century and revived in the early 2000s. To be more precise, up until the 1990s the wine was only sold in demijohns, but in 2004, after sampling a number of labels produced using the principles of biodynamic agriculture, a change took place. Elisabetta Mainardi and Fabio Montomoli, first of all took care of the refurbishment of the estate, renovating the farmhouse next to the winery and transforming it into a cosy and familiar place. Then they fell in love with biodynamics, with an initial phase of deep change, after which the agricultural practice was acquired and matured independently by the family under the supervision of Chirico Ivan. With the biodynamic preparations, the more delicate processing, the flowering of mustard and sainfoin between the rows and the respect of the lunar calendar in the cellar processes, the wines of Fattoria Castellina have changed direction, appearing immediately to their creators as new fruits, with life, soul and vigour.

Located on a ridge surrounded by forests of oak, maple and pine trees, olive groves and fields dedicated to arable land, the 10 hectares of vineyards are distributed within one of the eight sub-areas of the Chianti region, namely Montalbano, an area that critics recognize as having great intensity of fragrance and palatal softness. The soils here are sandy and loamy, characterised by a large presence of sandstone and gravel in the subsoil. The sight of the vines is further enhanced by the presence of two horses, which are an integral part of the farm's workforce. This is an ideal habitat for the Sangiovese grape, the undisputed protagonist at Fattoria Castellina, together with international varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Petit Verdot, Merlot and small quantities of Vermentino, which is the only white grape variety grown. The direct consequence of the sustainable approach in the vineyard is the most delicate work possible in the cellar, with spontaneous fermentation using only indigenous yeasts and with filtrations carried out only with 5-micron cartridges.

Today, at Fattoria Castellina, it is the new family generation that leads the way, with Francesco and Eleonora Montomoli. Although they are still in their early 20s, they have already been called upon to personally assume some professional responsibilities, sustained by their fresh and energetic enthusiasm. This is truly a lively, artisanal, biodynamic and territorial taste of Tuscany!