Monte Bernardi

Monte Bernardi

Tuscany, Italy

At a Glance

• Monte Bernardi is based in Chianti Classico's Panzano sub zone, an area that is considered to be one of the Grand Cru sites of Chianti Classico.

• This terroir is made up of a blend of shale (Galestro), calcareous sandstone (Pietraforte), and limestone (Alberese). The Sa'etta cuvee comes from vineyards exclusively planted on Pietraforte whereas most of their wines are composed of grapes from blends of different soil types.

• Stylistically the wines of Monte Bernardi are all about elegance. There's a minerality and earthy quality that cuts through all the Monte Bernardi wines, while the wines remain acid driven and lifted even in more solar vintages.

•Winemaker Michael Schmelzer believes deeply in both biodynamic farming and a low intervention approach to winemaking.

About Monte Bernardi

The use of Monte Bernardi as a place name dates back to the year 1085. Most of the vines are more than 40 years old, and the first vintage was released in 1992. The grapes were previously sold to nearby farmers. The Schmelzer family has put a lot of time, love, and money into the vineyards, winery, and home since purchasing Monte Bernardi in 2003.

The total land area of the Monte Bernardi estate is 53 hectares (130 acres), with 10 hectares (24 acres) dedicated to vineyards, five of which are more than 45 years old. The farm expanded its vineyard holdings by 5 leased hectares in 2001, bringing the total estate-managed vineyard area to 15 hectares. The rolling hills in the southernmost part of Panzano, an area recognized as a Grand Cru of Chianti Classico, are home to the vineyards.

The soil the vines are cultivated in has a high rock content and is a varied mixture of shale (Galestro), sandstone (Arenaria), and limestone (Alberese), depending on the vineyard. The vineyards have an ideal location, being 350 meters above sea level, surrounded by woodlands, facing south, and having the river Pesa flow just a few hundred meters to the south. All of these things combine to make Monte Bernardi's environment so special.