Frescobaldi's single-vineyard Sangiovese from a 400m schist plot on the Castello Nipozzano estate, named Chianti Rufina's first cru in 1974. Aged in 30hl French and Austrian oak botti, it pairs cherry and violet with leather, tobacco and silky tannin
Drinker consensus across hundreds of Vivino reviews and Frescobaldi's own notes on this 400m Castello Nipozzano vineyard, synthesised into one tasting picture for the single-vineyard Sangiovese.
Montesodi opens on Sangiovese cherry and wild strawberry lifted by violet and rosehip, the producer's signature aromatic of this 400m Castello Nipozzano plot. Time in 30hl French and Austrian oak botti layers clove, black pepper and sweet tobacco over the fruit. Vivino drinkers most often log oak, vanilla and tobacco alongside cherry, the dominant note across hundreds of reviews.
Violet
Cherry
Plum
Tobacco
Leather
Oak
Black pepper
Liquorice
VanillaThe palate is dense but elegant, the schist-grown fruit framed by the fine, silky tannin Frescobaldi prizes in this cru. Bright Rufina acidity keeps it fresh and savoury, with red and black cherry, plum and a leather-and-spice depth that builds with bottle age. The traditional large-botti ageing rounds the structure rather than adding new-oak weight.
Long and persistent, closing on dried cherry, liquorice and a mineral, earthy edge that reflects the high schist vineyard. The tannins stay polished into a savoury, slow-fading finish.
Montesodi is Frescobaldi's flagship single-vineyard Sangiovese, named Chianti Rufina's first cru in 1974 and a wine built for the cellar. Critics back the crowd: Cernilli scored the 2019 a 96 and Gambero Rosso gave it Tre Bicchieri, while Vivino drinkers rate it around 4.1 and place top vintages in the world's best 2%. For lovers of structured, ageworthy Tuscan red who want elegance over power.
Live UK and EU listings for Montesodi span current releases near £38 to mature vintages around £79, so you can buy young to cellar or older to drink now.
Our Italian Wine Fit Score reads Montesodi as a food and cellar specialist: a structured single-vineyard cru that rewards a special occasion more than an everyday pour.
Medium-tannin Sangiovese with bright Rufina acidity and a savoury, leather-edged profile, a natural match for Tuscan game, grilled red meat and aged pecorino.
A DOCG Riserva aged in 30hl French and Austrian botti with 15-to-20-year drink windows; the 2019 and 2006 are rated among the world's top 2% and reward long cellaring.
Frescobaldi's flagship single-vineyard cru, the first Chianti Rufina cru since 1974, with Gambero Rosso Tre Bicchieri prestige and a £38-79 range that suits a celebration table.
Current vintages start near £38 for a single-vineyard Chianti Rufina cru with Tre Bicchieri and 96-point pedigree, sitting below the £55-79 its top vintages command.
Scoring is rule-based and deterministic. The model and weightings are documented in our editorial methodology.
A compact view of what the Chianti denomination actually requires, and how this bottle sits inside it. Pulled from the official Italian disciplinare.
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From the Tre Bicchieri 2019 that Cernilli scored 96 to the fully mature 2006, vintage character on this schist plot swings with each Tuscan growing season.
A warm, even Tuscan season that gave Montesodi ripe Sangiovese with firm structure; Vivino drinkers rate the 2022 the highest of recent releases. Built for the cellar, give it a few years to settle the 30hl-botti oak.
A benchmark Chianti Rufina vintage: Cernilli scored Montesodi 2019 a 96 and Gambero Rosso awarded Tre Bicchieri, while Vivino places it in the top 2% of all wines worldwide. Cool nights kept the Sangiovese fresh and long.
A cooler, classically proportioned season; Cernilli rated Montesodi 2018 a 95 for its fresh minerality and fine tannin. Drinking well now with another decade of upside from the schist plot.
A hot, dry drought year across Tuscany that demanded careful picking; the 400m Montesodi elevation tempered the heat, and the wine still rates 4.2 on Vivino. Approachable now, with the oak more forward than in cooler years.
Drink-now / hold guidance reflects general style cues for this wine, not a forecast for a specific bottle. Where vintage-level editorial notes exist, they appear above.
A single-vineyard cru of 100% Sangiovese, hand-harvested at 400m and aged in 30hl French and Austrian botti, carries the cost of low yields, manual selection and long ageing at Castello Nipozzano.
Italian wine law sorts bottles into a pyramid. DOCG sits at the top: tightly drawn boundaries, prescribed grapes, mandatory ageing, government tasting before release. DOC is the same idea with looser thresholds. IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica) is broader still, requiring only that 85% of the grapes come from the named territory.
Chianti is in the DOCG tier. That is not a quality verdict, it is a description of how much freedom the producer has at vinification and ageing.
Chianti falls within Tuscany , covering Tuscany. The denomination is further divided into 7 sub-zones.
Montesodi is one named high vineyard rather than an estate blend, so yields are low and every bottle competes with Frescobaldi's flagship reds for that fruit, lifting the base cost well above an everyday Chianti.
Grapes are picked into 15kg crates and sorted berry by berry for perfect ripeness, a labour cost the producer documents that a machine-harvested wine avoids.
Long ageing in large casks plus extra bottle time before release ties up cellar space and oak for over a year, a carrying cost reflected in the £38-plus shelf price.
Gambero Rosso Tre Bicchieri and Cernilli's 96 for the 2019 push demand and let top vintages list near £55-79, above the entry price.
At 2026 HMRC rates a 13.5% still wine carries £2.67 excise duty, and 20% VAT applies on top, together roughly £9 of a £38 UK bottle before retailer margin.
Rufina is a small, less-hyped appellation than Chianti Classico or Montalcino, so even this cru lists below comparable single-vineyard Tuscan reds, keeping Montesodi relatively good value.
Dishes that complement this wine
Montesodi's bright Rufina acidity and savoury, leather-edged structure point to Tuscan game, grilled red meat and aged pecorino rather than light or sweet plates.
Montesodi's firm but silky Sangiovese tannin binds to the char and fat of a rare Florentine steak, while the bright Rufina acidity scrubs the palate between bites. The 30hl-botti structure gives enough grip for a thick, blood-rare cut without overwhelming it.
Try with: Fiorentina steak · Tagliata di manzo · Grilled lamb chops · Peposo · More pairings →
Sangiovese acidity and savoury, leather-edged depth are a natural bridge to gamey, slow-cooked meat. The wine's earthy tertiary notes echo the wild flavour of boar and the rosemary-forward braises of the Rufina hills.
Try with: Brasato al Barolo · Ossobuco alla Milanese · Pappardelle al cinghiale · Wild boar stew · More pairings →
The salt and fat of mature pecorino and Tuscan cured meats are cut by Montesodi's acidity, while its cherry fruit refreshes the rich, savoury board. A classic central-Italian match for a structured Sangiovese.
Try with: Pecorino sardo e pan carasau · Finocchiona · Prosciutto Toscano · Aged pecorino · More pairings →
Sangiovese's high acidity mirrors the tang of slow-cooked tomato, so Montesodi sits comfortably with a meaty lasagna or ragù-layered bake. The wine's structure stands up to the richness without flattening the sauce.
Try with: Lasagna · Pappardelle al ragù · Baked rigatoni · Melanzane alla parmigiana · More pairings →
Montesodi's clove, pepper and sweet-tobacco notes from large-botti ageing bridge to fennel-and-herb roast pork and crisp-skinned roast birds. Vivino drinkers most often pour this with beef, veal and poultry, which tracks the wine's savoury profile.
Try with: Porchetta · Arista di maiale · Roast guinea fowl · Herb-roasted chicken · More pairings →
Montesodi's tannin and oak amplify chilli burn and turn metallic against sweet, sticky glazes. Its dry, savoury structure also fights delicate oily fish, where the tannin clashes rather than refreshes.
Skip with: Vindaloo · Sweet-and-sour pork · Teriyaki salmon · Spicy Sichuan hotpot · Pairing guide →
The DOCG Riserva ageing in large botti, firm Sangiovese tannin and bright acidity let top vintages such as the 2019 and 2010 develop leather and forest floor over a decade or more.
Peak around 2032. Best in the years above; holds without falling over either side.
A short splash decant softens the first-pour edge and opens the aromatics.
A DOCG Riserva aged in 30hl French and Austrian botti with 15-to-20-year drink windows; the 2019 and 2006 are rated among the world's top 2% and reward long cellaring.
£38.02 is the lowest tracked offer for the current vintage and we have no signal of further discounting.
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Confidence · HighDrawn from what drinkers consistently report on Vivino and Wine-Searcher, summarised in our own words. A crowd read across many tasters, not a single critic.
Confidence · MediumFrom the official Italian disciplinare for this denomination, cross-checked against the Ministry of Agriculture register.
Confidence · HighOur reading of the price, drawn from the disciplinare, public UK duty rates, and typical landed-cost benchmarks. Not a quote from the producer or a retailer.
Confidence · MediumStyle guidance for this kind of wine at this price point. Treat it as advice, not a forecast for the bottle in your hand.
Confidence · MediumMontesodi is 100% Sangiovese, sourced from a single high vineyard on the Castello Nipozzano estate in Chianti Rufina. Frescobaldi named it the first cru of Chianti Rufina in 1974, making it the estate's flagship expression of the grape.
Montesodi is matured for around 15 to 18 months in 30-hectolitre French and Austrian oak botti, followed by further bottle ageing before release. The large traditional casks round its tannin and add clove, pepper and tobacco notes without the heavy new-oak character of small barriques.
Montesodi shines with Tuscan game, grilled red meat and aged pecorino: think Bistecca alla Fiorentina, wild boar ragù and slow braises. Its bright Sangiovese acidity and silky tannin also handle tomato-rich pasta and roast pork; avoid fiery chilli heat and sweet glazes.
The 2019 is the standout of recent releases, scoring 96 from Daniele Cernilli and Tre Bicchieri from Gambero Rosso, while the 2022 rates highest with Vivino drinkers. Older vintages such as the 2006 and 2010 are fully mature and ready to drink now.
Montesodi is built for the cellar, with strong vintages drinking well for 15 to 20 years from harvest. Its firm Sangiovese tannin, bright Rufina acidity and traditional botti ageing let it develop leather, tobacco and forest-floor depth over time.
No, Montesodi is a Chianti Rufina Riserva, from a small, cooler appellation east of Florence, not Chianti Classico. Rufina's higher schist hills give Frescobaldi's cru extra freshness and ageing potential compared with most Chianti.
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