Le Potazzine
Montalcino, Tuscany
The Le Potazzine vineyards are blessed with well-drained, crumbly soils streaked with limestone and clay, and a patchwork of microclimates defined by warm days, cool nights, and mild summers and autumns.
As one of the world’s most compelling wines, Brunello di Montalcino captures Sangiovese’s complexity with poise and precision—and Le Potazzine does just that. These wines carry the hallmarks of lightness, elegance, and a touch of salinity. All the sour cherry, raspberry, and wild strawberry fruit, alongside forest floor and tilled earth, are present—yet there’s something more. Not bulky or brooding, they possess an ethereal quality, brimming with purity and finesse. It likely has much to do with the vineyard’s altitude and Gigliola’s decision to plant in the upper reaches of Montalcino.
In the late 1980s, Gigliola Giannetti purchased land at 530 meters near the township of Montalcino. By 1997, she’d replanted the vineyard and released her first Brunello, establishing Le Potazzine’s reputation.
Though once considered a less desirable zone for Brunello, Gigliola’s site is now the envy of the region, thanks to its temperate microclimate and dramatic diurnal swings. Harvest takes place about three weeks after the lower parts of Montalcino, ensuring freshness and acidity even in the warmest years.
In the cellar, Gigliola is joined by her daughters, Viola and Sofia. They guide fermentations using ambient yeasts and long macerations—up to 45 days—in stainless steel and conical wooden vats, before ageing the wines in large Slavonian casks (30–50hL). The wines mature well beyond appellation requirements: the IGT could be a Rosso, the Rosso a Brunello, and the Brunello a Riserva. Bottled with minimal sulfur and no fining or filtration, they are also certified organic, though not noted on the labels.
Vintage Reports:
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By contrast, Italy and major parts of Europe experienced a historical drought like never before in 2022. This vintage will go down as one that put the skills of producers to the test. To Gigliola’s credit for her astuteness to plant vines where no one would go and great fortune, the large diurnal temperature ranges that characterise her high-altitude vineyards gave the vines relief while the little moisture there was condensed on the canopy, providing them some kind of hydration. In the same vein, cooler temperatures at harvest produced lower than dreaded alcohol levels, resulting in generous Rosso di Montalcino and other Sangiovese wines that year.
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The beginning of the year saw rain and mild winter conditions lead to early budding. An unprecedented drop in temperatures around mid-April resulted in freezing nights. Thanks to adequate ventilation typical of their high altitude, Le Pottazine vineyards weren’t affected by extreme temperatures. Summer was dry and punctuated by opportune mid-August rains that created the perfect microclimatic conditions throughout September, allowing the grapes to reach perfect phenolic ripeness by harvest.
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The 2020 growing season in Montalcino began with a wet and cold winter, followed by a rainy spring. This led to a late budburst and increased risk of fungal diseases, such as peronospora. However, well-timed rains in April and May provided necessary water reserves, and the dry summer that followed allowed the vines to recover and ripen optimally. September's warm days and cool nights contributed to perfect phenolic ripeness, resulting in wines with excellent acidity, fresh fruit expression, and good structure.
Le Potazzine, known for its commitment to organic farming and traditional winemaking, faced the challenges of the 2020 growing season with resilience. The estate's vineyards, benefiting from their altitude and well-draining soils, were managed with meticulous care to mitigate the effects of the early spring rains. Despite a smaller harvest, the quality of the fruit was high, allowing the winery to produce wines that reflect the elegance and purity of Sangiovese. Their approach to spontaneous fermentation and extended aging in Slavonian oak barrels aligns with their philosophy of minimal intervention, resulting in wines that are both expressive and refined.Item description
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The Montalcino consortium has reported the highest production of the last five years in 2019. Many producers attributed the bounty to vines bouncing back from heat and drought stress from previous years. Overall, most producers welcomed this with open arms, as it allowed them more freedom in the cellar, working with fully mature, thick skinned grapes and ripe stems, which resulted in wines offering immense pleasure, ripeness without excess and richness balanced with freshness. The 2019 Brunello di Montalcino bottlings are strikingly elegant, poised, and they show their power stealthily.
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2018 started off with a mild winter, which is consistent with former years’ trends. Spring saw some snow and regular rains, followed by more rainy days in August. This prompted extra meticulous work in the form of some leaf removal. Combined with the windy conditions known to the high-altitude location, disease pressure was kept under control and bunches remained healthy. September brought moderate diurnal shifts, resulting in optimum phenolic ripeness.
2023 Toscana IGT Sangiovese
Available by allocation only.
The 2023 IGT Sangiovese captures the essence of Le Potazzine’s commitment to organic farming and traditional winemaking. Produced from the estate’s high-altitude vineyards, this wine offers a vibrant, expressive portrait of pure Sangiovese, showcasing both the character of the land and the meticulous care behind it.
Winemaking
100% certified organic Sangiovese, from vines trained with cordon spur pruning at a density of 5,952 vines per hectare and yields of 55–60 quintals per hectare (5,500–6,000 kg per hectare). Spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts, carried out at ambient temperatures, lasts for 30 to 40 days. The wine is aged for 12 months in stainless steel, then rested for an additional 4 months in bottle before release.
Tasting Notes
Intense ruby red in color, this Sangiovese exudes aromas of ripe red fruits, with hints of violets and earth. The palate is structured yet balanced, with soft, well-integrated tannins and a vibrant acidity that carries the wine to a long, satisfying finish.
”This is an expression of an indissoluble link with the land of origin and with the vinification techniques that enhance its unique character. A wine for meditation.” - Le Potazzine
2023 Rosso di Montalcino
Available by allocation only.
Le Potazzine’s Rosso di Montalcino is far more than a junior Brunello—it’s a precise, elegant wine made with the same care, from the same organically farmed vineyards as the estate’s flagship Brunello. Sourced from Le Prata (507m, southwest exposure) and La Torre (420m, southeast exposure), the Rosso is a vibrant, early-drinking expression that channels purity and place through a traditional lens.
Winemaking
100% certified organic Sangiovese from high-altitude vineyards, trained to guyot with a density of 5,952 vines per hectare and yields of 55–60 quintals per hectare. Fermentation is spontaneous, using only native yeasts, and lasts up to 40 days with no temperature control. The wine is aged for 12 months in large Slavonian oak casks (30–50hl) and bottled without filtration.
Tasting Notes
Bright ruby red in colour, with lifted aromas of red berries and wild herbs. The palate is supple and wide, with fine tannins, juicy acidity, and a persistent, savoury finish. While immediately approachable, a year or two of bottle age will reveal even more depth—hinting at the Brunello to come.
2020 Brunello di Montalcino
Available by allocation only.
The 2020 Brunello di Montalcino is a faithful and refined expression of Le Potazzine’s traditional philosophy—pure Sangiovese, high-altitude vineyards, and patient, hands-off winemaking. Sourced from the estate’s two distinct plots, Le Prata (507m, southwest exposure) and La Torre (420m, southeast exposure), this wine is a seamless blend of place, season, and style.
Winemaking
100% certified organic Sangiovese, hand-harvested from vines trained to guyot with a density of 5,952 plants per hectare and yields of 55–60 quintals per hectare. Fermentation is spontaneous with native yeasts, conducted without temperature control, and followed by a maceration of up to 42 days in open wooden vats. The wine matures for 42 months in large Slavonian oak casks (30–50hl) and is bottled unfiltered.
Tasting Notes
Brilliant ruby red in the glass. The nose is precise and floral, offering clean notes of violet, wild cherry, and subtle spice. On the palate, sapid tannins with a saline edge combine with the vintage’s vibrant acidity to create a wine of elegance, tension, and unmistakable traditional character.
2019 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva
Available by allocation only.
Le Potazzine’s Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is a rare and profound expression of Sangiovese, produced only in exceptional vintages. The 2019 marks just the fifth release of a Riserva in the estate’s history—a wine born in the vineyard, when distinct parcels showed extraordinary character and depth. Like all of Le Potazzine’s wines, the Riserva is rooted in organic farming and traditional, time-intensive winemaking that emphasizes purity, terroir, and longevity.
Sourced from Le Prata (507m, southwest exposure) and La Torre (420m, southeast exposure), the two vineyard sites are fermented and aged separately before being blended and bottled without filtration.
Winemaking
100% certified organic Sangiovese from high-altitude vineyards, trained to guyot with a density of 5,952 vines per hectare and yields of 55–60 quintals per hectare. Fermentation is spontaneous using native yeasts, lasting up to 40 days with no temperature control. The 2019 Riserva was aged for around 50 months in a single 30hl Slavonian oak cask and bottled without filtration.
Tasting Notes
Garnet in colour, with a refined and elegant nose of dried flowers, wild red berries, forest floor, exotic spice, licorice, and balsamic herbs. The palate is full and savoury, with fine-grained tannins, precision, and a remarkably persistent finish. A wine of rare depth and balance, showcasing the heights that traditional Sangiovese can reach in the right hands and conditions.