Who makes Sesti wine?

Giuseppe Sesti, a Venetian historian of astronomy who bought the ruined Castello di Argiano in 1975, and his daughter Elisa, who now runs the estate with him. The first vines went in the ground in 1990.

Not formally, and Giuseppe Sesti says so himself: he does not follow Steiner's biodynamic calendar. He does farm and bottle by the phases of the moon, uses no herbicides or chemical pesticides, ferments on the vineyard's own yeasts and keeps sulphur low.

Can you visit Castello di Argiano?

Yes, by reservation only. Visits run 10:30 to 13:00 and 15:30 to 18:30 on weekdays, Saturday mornings only, never on Sunday, for groups of up to twenty. Tastings are paid, in Italian or English; contact the estate by email to book.

Is Sesti the same winery as Argiano?

No. Argiano is a separate estate nearby, and the two are often confused. Sesti's labels carry the words Castello di Argiano, the medieval watchtower where the family lives and makes its wine.

Sesti

Sesti is a family estate at Castello di Argiano, a medieval watchtower on the southern slopes of Montalcino. Giuseppe Sesti, a historian of astronomy, bought the ruined castle in 1975 and planted vines in 1990. Wine was not the plan: he wanted a quiet place to write. Vines cover only about 18 football pitches of the land, and the Brunello ages in large Slavonian casks. The house Brunello di Montalcino is farmed and bottled by the phases of the moon. Today his daughter Elisa runs it alongside him.

Tuscany
Est. 1975
4 wines
Tastings
Tours
Booking required

See the wines 4 listed

Wines from Sesti

1 retailer

Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Phenomena Sesti

Brunello di Montalcino

1 retailer

£110.00

View Wine

1 retailer

Brunello di Montalcino Sesti

Brunello di Montalcino

1 retailer

£90.00

View Wine

1 retailer

Monteleccio Sesti

Toscana

1 retailer

£21.45

View Wine

1 retailer

Rosso di Montalcino Sesti

Rosso di Montalcino

1 retailer

£29.45

View Wine

About Sesti

Giuseppe Sesti is a Venetian historian of astronomy who wrote successful books on the constellations. In 1975 he and his English wife Sarah bought Castello di Argiano, a ruined medieval watchtower south of Montalcino. It came with a ninth-century church and a tree growing through the farmhouse roof. Wine was not the plan. He wanted a quiet place to write.

The plan changed slowly. Sesti speaks fluent English, so through the late 1970s and 1980s local Brunello producers borrowed him as an interpreter for visiting importers and journalists. Years of translating, tasting and listening taught him the trade. In 1990 he planted his first vines, using Sangiovese cuttings selected at the nearby Il Poggione estate.

The estate covers 102 hectares, yet only thirteen are vines; the rest is olive groves, grazing and woodland. Work in vineyard and cellar follows the moon. The young wine is moved off its sediment and bottled on the waning moon, which Sesti says lets him use less sulphur. He uses no herbicides or chemical pesticides, feeds the vines with natural fertiliser only, and ferments on the vineyard's own yeasts. He is quick to say he is not following Steiner's rulebook, just his own reading of the sky.

The Brunello ages the traditional way, in large Slavonian casks rather than small French barrels. In the best years a Riserva called Phenomena appears. Each release carries a label made for an astronomical event of its harvest year: one recorded the Moon, Saturn and the star Regulus meeting in Leo. A Rosso di Montalcino and a small family of other wines, from Monteleccio to a Sauvignon, fill out the cellar. His daughter Elisa now runs the estate with him.

Visits run by reservation, on weekday mornings and afternoons and on Saturday mornings, for groups of up to twenty; tastings are paid. One caution for travellers: this is not the neighbouring Argiano estate, a separate winery nearby. Sesti's own label carries the castle's name, Castello di Argiano.

Editorial · ItalianWines.co.uk

Plate I · TUSCANY

Sesti on the Tuscany wine atlas

Anchored in Montalcino, the editorial heart of Tuscany.

Castello di Argiano, 53024 Montalcino

Get directions

Visit & Experiences

Experiences at Sesti

Nothing here can be booked online yet. The experiences below are documented by our editors. The estate's contact details are in Practical info.

At a glance, editorially verified

Tastings Not bookable here

Tours Not bookable here

Accommodation Not available

Booking Required in advance

Tasting & Tour

Estate visit and tasting at Castello di Argiano

Visits by reservation only: 10:30 to 13:00 and 15:30 to 18:30 on weekdays, Saturday mornings only, groups of up to twenty. Tastings are paid and run in Italian or English. Book with the estate by email.

Ask the estate

Not bookable online yet

Not seeing the estate you want? Estates without an online listing are reachable directly, and their phone and email are in Plan your visit.

Plan your visit

sestiwine.com

Castello di Argiano, 53024 Montalcino

+39 0577 843921

[email protected]

What Sesti makes

Sesti's current bottle selection is led by Brunello di Montalcino DOCG. The clearest grape signal comes from Sangiovese.

Key grapes

Sangiovese (san-jo-vay-zeh) is the undisputed king of red wines in central Italy.

Region Tuscany

Appellation Brunello di Montalcino DOCG

Tannin

Body

Explore Sangiovese

Common questions

Giuseppe Sesti, a Venetian historian of astronomy who bought the ruined Castello di Argiano in 1975, and his daughter Elisa, who now runs the estate with him. The first vines went in the ground in 1990.
Phenomena is the estate's Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, made only in the best years. Each release carries a label made for an astronomical event of its harvest year. One release marked the Moon, Saturn and the star Regulus meeting in the constellation of Leo.
Not formally, and Giuseppe Sesti says so himself: he does not follow Steiner's biodynamic calendar. He does farm and bottle by the phases of the moon, uses no herbicides or chemical pesticides, ferments on the vineyard's own yeasts and keeps sulphur low.
Yes, by reservation only. Visits run 10:30 to 13:00 and 15:30 to 18:30 on weekdays, Saturday mornings only, never on Sunday, for groups of up to twenty. Tastings are paid, in Italian or English; contact the estate by email to book.
No. Argiano is a separate estate nearby, and the two are often confused. Sesti's labels carry the words Castello di Argiano, the medieval watchtower where the family lives and makes its wine.

Get in touch

Have a question or need help with a booking?

Tell us what you need and we'll help you reach Sesti and arrange a visit or tour. We reply within two working days.

More wineries in Tuscany

See all Tuscany wineries

Est. 1385

Tuscany · Firenze

Marchesi Antinori

Spanning 26 generations since 1385, Marchesi Antinori is the oldest continuously family-run wine business in Italy. Its nine estates make Chianti Classico, Bolgheri reds and the Super Tuscans Tignanello and Solaia.

Sangiovese

Merlot

Syrah

44wines From £11.92

Tuscany · Firenze

Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi

A 30th-generation wine family with nine estates across Tuscany, from the Chianti Rufina hills to the Maremma coast. Its bottles run from Chianti DOCG and Pomino DOC to Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, with grapes such as Sangiovese, Chardonnay and Canaiolo.

Sangiovese

Chardonnay

Merlot

41wines From £8.51

Est. 1961

Tuscany · Vinci

Cantine Leonardo da Vinci

Founded at Vinci in 1961 by thirty growers and built around Sangiovese from the Montalbano hills. A Montalcino cellar was added in 1990. The cooperative entered liquidation in 2026, and the wines are now made for Leonardo da Vinci S.p.A. by Vecchia Cantina di Montepulciano.

Sangiovese

Merlot

Syrah

29wines From £9.98

Est. 2000

Tuscany · Greve in Chianti

Tenute Folonari

Ambrogio and Giovanni Folonari's estate group, founded in 2000 around Tenuta di Nozzole at Greve in Chianti. Sangiovese for Chianti Classico and Brunello, Bordeaux grapes for the Cabreo Supertuscans and the Bolgheri reds of Campo al Mare.

Sangiovese

Cabernet Sauvignon

Merlot

28wines From £15.30

Est. 1978

Tuscany · Montalcino

Castello Banfi

Castello Banfi farms around 800 hectares of vines on the southern slopes of Montalcino. At the centre stands the restored Castello di Poggio alle Mura. Brunello di Montalcino leads the range, backed by Rosso di Montalcino, Tuscan IGT reds and a separate Chianti Classico. The estate is family-owned and certified under Equalitas. Visitors get tastings, tours, two restaurants and rooms inside the castle.

Sangiovese

Cabernet Sauvignon

Merlot

26wines From £11.70