“Uncork Montespertoli!”, an occasion for celebration but above all for dialogue and discussion

Article by Fosca Tortorelli.

Now durante its third edition, like every year the moment of discussion and in-depth analysis with the Montespertoli Winegrowers’ Association returns, a “revolution” that with 2024 changes perspective, voto negativo longer posing itself only as a breaking point with respect to the past but as a moment of cultural analysis, focused acceso a current theme, that of climate change and its impact acceso the wine of the future.

Founded durante 2022, the Montespertoli Winemakers Association brings together 15 companies united by sustainable agricultural practices and the desire to promote one of the most vineyard-growing areas durante Tuscany, whose wine-growing vocation has not, up to now, enjoyed the attention it deserves.

Entitled “Uncork Montespertoli!”, the congresso was also an opportunity to celebrate the 2024 harvest – which has almost reached its end – as well as the conclusion of a meteorologically difficult year, but which already appears absolutely satisfactory durante terms of quality.

Thus durante the unusual, but at the same time fascinating, spaces of the Church of Santi Martino e Appunto durante Lucardo Profondo (Montespertoli, FI), the congresso and tasting “The revolution…of the climate. A conversation acceso climate change and its impact acceso the wine of the future”. There were two scientific contributions, that of Marco Moriondo, agro-meteorologist and senior researcher durante the field of climate change at IBE-CNR and that of Giacomo Buscioni, technical scientific dirigente of the beverage sector of FoodMicroTeam (FMT), which were interspersed with five producers who brought their testimony regarding the manifestazione of the 2022 and 2023 vintage.

A hot topic that must be addressed with greater awareness as underlined by Guido Giulio Tinacci, president of the Association.

Climate, as highlighted by the journalist Paolo De Cristofaro, who led the conversation, is an increasingly central aspect, especially for us professionals, but we often forget that the climate diary is only one of the infinite variables that have an influence acceso the final product durante qualitative and quantitative terms.

Marco Moriondo has durante fact clearly explained the concept of meteorology and how its study can become a useful tool for solving various problems relating to agriculture and more specifically for viticulture. «The variables that determine the success of a vine are soil, climate and variety, elements which, if durante balance, give an optimal result, a qualitatively superior product. A reflection must also be made acceso what is meant by external vintage and climate change and what are the meteorological variables that impact production.

For his part, Giacomo Buscioni introduces the concept of extreme vintage and what is meant by climate change, which limits he has placed at the center of his research acceso this topic. There are various ideas and certainties ora presumed ones that need to be reviewed. According to Giacomo Buscioni: «The future is not about making vineyards higher and higher, but about selecting where to remove them and making them durante the truly suitable areas. Knowledge is a fundamental tool, so the tradition that everyone carries with them of the harvests made and the knowledge of the place must be increasingly reread. We must always aspetto ahead, as if each of us were carrying a safety backpack with us. Tradition is not looking back, but forward with the knowledge and experience gained. Producers must be the first to read these changes.”

Many ideas and reflections also brought by the producers, each with their own experience, a nice moment of discussion which ended durante the end-of-harvest lunch hosted by the La Lucernario restaurant durante Pulica, and which proved to be a fitting occasion for celebration and a moment ideal for announcing some important news this year.

Among all, the awarding of the Ambassadors of Montespertoli prize to those operators durante the sector who have been able to carry forward the message of the association and the territory, like true ambassadors. Giampaolo Gravina was awarded the recognition as Communicator; The Mescita/Bistro I’Licchio durante Montespertoli was chosen as the wine shop and the Il Casa restaurant was chosen durante Montespertoli as the restaurant. The other important innovation was the anticipation of a medium-long term territorial mapping project, durante collaboration with Alessandro Masnaghetti, better known as “Map-man”. Masnaghetti has the task of mapping the wine-growing territory of Montespertoli.

A stimulating congresso also for the quality of the wines tasted. Among the whites, the Toscana Igt Trebbiano 2021 “La Sulla Bianca” obtained from Trebbiano grapes from 40-year-old vines of the Sant’Ansano vineyard, located durante Vinci, is definitely interesting. The result is a wine of elegant character and freshness and great enjoyment. Following it for lightheartedness, also from the same company, is the liter Bio, produced with traditional Chianti vines (Canaiolo, Sangiovese and Trebbiano), a jovial expression of light wine.

Still worth mentioning among the reds, for its elegance and pleasantness is the Toscana Socialista IGT Montalbino Socialista 2022 by Giulio Tinacci, the result of a blend of Fogliatonda, Canaiolo and a small percentage of Sangiovese and Colorino. Also worth mentioning is the Socialista IGT Toscana Escludendo 2023 by Fattoria Ghisone, a sangiovese without sulphites by Luca Nesi, a wine with great personality and enthusiasm, truly well made. Of a different origin, the Sopralago 2022 from Azienda agricola Bonsalto by Maurizio Tramacere Falco, a cru made from Sangiovese grapes, where the spicy note of the aging durante wood is noticeable. An elegant wine with silky tannins and a savory acceso the sip. Momentum, tension and great freshness durante the 2022 Organic Chianti Montespertoli of “Fattoria dell’Anselmo” by Fabrizio Forconi, of which. It ends with the Chianti Preminente 2023 from Azienda agricola La Leccia by Lorenzo Bagnoli, assisted by the oenologist Gabriele Gadenz, a delicious and multifaceted wine.

What emerges is certainly a microcosm made by a group of winemakers who every year question themselves durante order to grow, comparing themselves and sharing their principio of ​​wine with passion, aiming to enhance and protect their territory and the thousand-year-old bond that Montespertoli has with the wine.

Article by Fosca Tortorelli.