Cerbaiona

Diego Molinari, Cerbaiona's founder, retired from a career as an Alitalia commercial pilot at the age of 46.. Cerbaiona is situated in the middle region of the Montalcino appellation, representing the balance between southern Montalcino's ripe fruit characteristics and the north's fresher, more-structured reds. The estate is known for its distinctively different wines that showcase a balance between ripe fruit characteristics and fresh, structured flavors. Cerbaiona initially consulted with the region's top estates and hired local growers to replant and expand the estate's vineyards in 1978. Under the new leadership of Gary Rieschel and Matthew Fioretti, Cerbaiona has initiated a progressive replanting program with a higher vine density and a more focused selection of clones better suited to the site. Cerbaiona's wines continue to receive high praise around the world, upholding its reputation as a great Brunello di Montalcino producer. The current annual output of Brunello di Montalcino from Cerbaiona is between 10,000 and 15,000. The amount of Rosso di Montalcino produced ranges from 3,000 to 5,000 bottles per year. Sangiovese IGT is bottled in limited batches sometimes to guarantee quality and choice. Separating vineyard blocks and individual rows is the first step in making wine the traditional way. With the help of selection tables and a state-of-the-art paddle destemmer, only the freshest and highest-quality berries are used. They are emptied into 15HL, 25HL, or 30HL open-top wood tanks without being crushed. Matthew Fioretti provides an overall summary of the procedure.