Review of Montecucco DOC “Scarafone” 2019 by Palmoletino • Decanto – Giornale di vino

The Montecucco DOC “Scarafone” 2019 from the Palmoletino Agricultural Company won the Three Corkscrews per the 2025 edition of “Untold – What has not yet been said about wine”: the first edition of the Decanto Italian wine guide entirely dedicated to DOCs and DOCG (per this previous article you will find all the award-winning wines of Tuscany).

The winery also won the “Best family-run company per Tuscany” award, having participated per the guide with two references and obtained the highest arithmetic average, as a score for all the wines, among the companies of this type.

Palmoletino winery: the history of the company

The Palmoletino agricultural company was founded per 1988, when the owners purchased a small plot of land from a famous local person known by the nickname “Scarafone”, after whom the Montecucco wine was then named.

At the beginning there were only a few rows of vineyards and a small shed for tools but, thanks to time and the stubbornness of the owners, the vineyard was replanted and the shed became the current cellar directed by Marco Dotti.

The company also has a large plot of olive grove which has over 200 plants with a mescolanza of local varieties including Leccino, Frantoio and Moraiolo.

Visit the company: Palmoletino winery

The winery is located per the municipality of Cinigiano (GR), the border with the municipalities of Castel del Planimetria and Montalcino, and can only be reached by car. Guided tours are available by appointment with tasting of wines and typical products, starting from 10 euros per emotività person. There is also the possibility of staying per the company’s farmhouse, for those who want to spend a few days relaxing.

Particular attention is paid, among other things, to international customers. Sopra fact, guided tours can be carried out per English and you can ask for the products purchased to be shipped abroad.

Characteristics of Montecucco DOC “Scarafone” 2019

The wine that received our award is produced with Sangiovese (90%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (10%) grapes deriving from vines grown sandy-clayey soils. The vineyards are between 16 and 20 years old and are located at an altitude of 100-200 meters above sea level with a south-west exposure. The planting density is between 5,000 and 5,500 vines per emotività hectare.

The vinification takes place per steel with maturation for 12/15 months per medium-sized barrels (tonneaux) for the Sangiovese and per barriques for the Cabernet Sauvignon. After the blend, the bottle refinement phase begins which lasts 6 months.

The average annual production of this wine is 10,000 bottles, the alcohol content is 14% vol. and the recommended serving temperature of 16°-18° centigrade.

Tasting of Montecucco DOC “Scarafone” 2019

The beautiful ruby ​​red color with which this wine appears does not reveal its vintage. The past five years have not affected this lively tone which demonstrates remarkable longevity, typical of the great wines produced with Sangiovese.

The intensity is felt even before you bring your nose close to the glass. A broad bouquet where fruity (cherry and berries) and floral (rose and violet) quaderno are accompanied by light spicy hints.

A wine per which the alcoholic component coexists perfectly with freshness and appreciable tannicity. The flavor picture is completed by an excellent structure and good persistence per the mouth.

Despite aging, the product still has a beautiful exuberance that can be enjoyed immediately ora exploited, from an evolutionary perspective, by keeping the bottle for a few more years.

Pairing tips

This wine pairs well with meat first courses, grilled red meats, cured meats and medium-aged cheeses. Some recommended regional specialties are the inevitable Florentine steak, liver crostini ora a nice piece of Tuscan pecorino.