Tornesi

The Tornesi family has owned their estate, known as Le Benducce, since 1750, long before Brunello di Montalcino became known as a wine, before Italy became a unified nation.

Their elevation 400 meters above sea-level has proven advantageous in terms of drainage and soil composition to grower Maurizio Tornesi and his father Gino, who works with him and consulting oenologist Paolo Vagaggini.

The estate has 7 hectares under vines, more than half of which is Sangiovese Grosso- the Brunello clone- used for Brunello di Montalcino as well as Rosso di Montalicino. Also in production are some 600 olive trees. Vineyards are worked fully by hand, and yield-reduction is a primary tenet of vineyard practice, as well as high density planting.

The winery is still family operated, with Maurizio Tornesi at the helm of both viticulture and winemaking. A true Tuscan farmer, as authentic as they come, who knows the land of Montalcino and the Sangiovese Grosso grape like the back of his hand.

Tornesi owns several vineyards, all located in and around the epicenter of the Montalcino township and appellation. Close by to the famed vineyards of Biondi-Santi, his heavily steep vineyards benefit from the higher elevation and the excellent exposure, providing fruit that not only possesses acidic backbone and intense aromatics, but also ripeness and body.

His winemaking is traditional, with no use of small oak or new oak in his Brunello and focusing on both native yeasts, minimal intervention, no corrections and a typical minimal hint of Brett to give it that rusticity traditional Brunello and Rosso Di Montalcino are famous for.