2023 Uccelliera Rosso di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy

ABOUT THIS WINE

This Rosse di Montalcino is 100% Sangiovese from vineyards grown around Castelnuovo dell’Abate, on the southeastern side of Montalcino. Uccelliera is especially well regarded for producing a richer, more generous expression of Sangiovese, and its Rosso is notable because some of the fruit comes from vineyards also registered for Brunello di Montalcino. The vineyards sit roughly 150–350 meters above sea level, with mineral-rich soils combining clay, limestone, sand, and marl.

The 2023 growing season was somewhat challenging. A mild, wet winter was followed by a cooler-than-average spring and significant rainfall in May and June, requiring careful vineyard work and contributing to moderately lower yields. Summer was more regular, while September brought stronger day-night temperature swings that helped preserve aromatics and allowed the Sangiovese to achieve good phenolic maturity. The grapes were harvested by hand beginning in the second half of September.

After destemming, the fruit undergoes a 7–8 day cool period, followed by spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts. Fermentation and maceration extend roughly 25–30 days, with frequent pump-overs. Malolactic conversion takes place in stainless steel, after which the wine spends several months in Slavonian and French oak vessels of varying sizes, followed by at least four months of bottle aging.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

Uccelliera is a highly regarded, family-run estate in Montalcino, Tuscany, founded by Andrea Cortonesi in 1986. Located near Castelnuovo dell’Abate on the southeastern side of Montalcino, the property benefits from varied elevations, soils, and cooling influences from nearby Monte Amiata. Cortonesi grew up working in vineyards and built Uccelliera from an old farm into one of the area's respected small producers.

Today, Uccelliera farms roughly 10 hectares of vineyards, planted primarily to Sangiovese. The estate emphasizes hands-on, sustainable farming, careful vineyard management, and low yields to produce healthy, fully ripe fruit. Cortonesi's approach is rooted in expressing the character of each vineyard rather than imposing a particular winemaking style.

Uccelliera is best known for its Brunello di Montalcino and Rosso di Montalcino, which typically combine ripe cherry and dark fruit with savory herbs, earthy complexity, freshness, and firm structure. The estate also produces Brunello Riserva, the Toscana IGT Rapace, and the limited-production Sangiovese Costabate. Overall, Uccelliera offers a rich, polished yet distinctly terroir-driven expression of Montalcino.