News and events

October 19, 2023

The online magazine Trasportare Oggi in Europa talked about us in a recent article about the partnership between Amazon Ads and Volkswagen Veicoli Commerciali Italia to create the documentary “Charge Your Brand.” The documentary shows a journey through Italy with the EV Volkswagen ID. Buzz Cargo.

Brand Innovation Lab di Amazon Ads has produced this 20-minute documentary where the digital creator Mario Montemagno drives through Italy in an EV Volkswagen ID. Buzz Cargo. He explores three small businesses that combine tradition and innovation. The businesses from three different sectors have been selected by Amazon Made in Italy.

  • Mobili Fiver, a family business producing quality furniture in Pasiano di Pordenone, Friuli-Venezia Giulia
  • Erbecedario, specialized in natural herbal products in Badia Calavena in the province of Verona, Veneto
  • Fattoria di Montemaggio, a winery that produces organic and sustainable wines in Radda in Chianti, Tuscany

The EV Volkswagen ID. Buzz Cargo is a spacious and entirely electric van designed for everyday work in different types of businesses. It received the “International Van of the Year 2023” award in the Cargo category. EV Volkswagen ID. Buzz Cargo contributes to Fattoria di Montemaggio‘s environmentally friendly and sustainable philosophy. They are very happy with the van.

The documentary is available on Amazon Prime Video from September 25.

December 12, 2022

The sommelier and wine blogger Luca Matarazzo has written a beautiful article about us in the Italian online magazine 20italie.

Luca came to visit our stand at Vinitaly earlier this year to do a short video interview and then he also visited us here at Fattoria di Montemaggio this summer. We are delighted that he has caught all that is the essence of the work we do here at Fattoria di Montemaggio.

An excerpt from the article:

What distinguishes the wines of Fattoria di Montemaggio is the shelf life born from the need to wait for the best expression, which has become a winning point considering the high economic commitment in storing different vintages without monetizing quickly. Understanding, sometimes, to wait when you have to wait without compromising downwards, means avoiding damaging the entire wine community.

Thank you, Luca, for this remarkable article

November 22, 2022

It is a great honor to have received the 5-Star Award as Best Winery at the Prague Wine Trophy wine competition 2022. This is a result of having been awarded Prague Premium Gold Medals for our Chianti Classico DOCG 2015, Chianti Classico DOCG Riserva 2015, and Chianti Classico DOCG Gran Selezione 2013.

We are thrilled about these awards!

The Prague Wine Trophy is a wine competition for wines from all over the world and the largest international competition that takes place in the Czech Republic. Sarka Duskova, a local DipWSET & Weinakademiker organize the event. 2022 was the 16th year of the Prague Wine Trophy where 68 different wineries and importers had entered 436 wine samples, of which 240 were international wines. The wine jury consisted of 22 wine professionals acting as wine judges from 14 different countries.

Thank you, Prague Wine Trophy, for these fantastic awards.

Taste authentic Tuscan wine with this Chianti Classico Riserva

October 13, 2022

We are very proud that our Chianti Classico Riserva 2016 has been named Vino Slow in the Slow Wine Guide 2023

Slow Wine is one of the main yearly guidebooks for Italian wine. It has an important history in the Italian wine world, even if the first Slow Wine Guide was published only in 2011. Its predecessors date back to the end of the 1980s with the Guida ai Vini d’Italia published by Arcigola Slow Food and Gambero Rosso in 1988 and the Guida al vino quotidiano in 1992. It is a guidebook that highlights the excellence of the Italian winemaking tradition. The editors are Giancarlo Gariglio and Fabio Giavedoni who are working with conviction every year to highlight the Italian heritage as regards wine. In the 2023 version, there is a focus on the effects of climate change.

We are delighted here at Fattoria di Montemaggio to be a part of this Italian wine guide.

Below you can read a translation of the review in the Slow Wine Guide 2021.

LIFE – Montemaggio (from the Latin mountain Maggiore) opens to the view after having crossed the woods that surround it and that mark its microclimate. Formerly an ancient Guelph watchtower, later a hunting lodge, it currently belongs to Valeria Zavadnikova and is led by Ilaria Anichini, director and oenologist, assisted by a close-knit and dynamic team. In this secluded highland gem, great attention is paid to the defense of biodiversity.

VINEYARDS – The vines, also trained as alberello, insist on loose sandstone soils, with galestro and alberese skeleton. The plants are not trimmed, and the selection of the shoots, short pruning, and careful management of the foliage cover are preferred to the green harvest. Treatments with copper and sulfur are reduced to a minimum, and between the rows, it is customary to sow different plants, as well as experiment with various types of vegetables.

WINES – Artisanal care and wild fermentation contribute to establishing the identity of the wines, while the long maturation makes it possible to release the wines when they are ready.

Chianti Classico Riserva 2016:

“Of great aromatic seduction and just as much depth of flavor, it opens up to a multifaceted texture with an aristocratic bearing. It shows an elective freshness and velvety tannins.”

Our Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2015, Torre di Montemaggio 2018, and Rosé di Montemaggio 2021 are also mentioned.

Click here to more about our wines at Fattoria di Montemaggio.

February 8, 2022

We are very pleased to announce that we have received a Prague Premium Gold Medal for our Chianti Classico DOCG 2012 in the Prague Wine Trophy 2021.

The Prague Wine Trophy is a wine competition for wines from all over the world and the largest international competition that takes place in the Czech Republic. The event is organized by Sarka Duskova, a local DipWSET & Weinakademiker. 2021 was the 15th year of the Prague Wine Trophy where 60 different wineries and importers had entered 441 wine samples, of which 54% were wines from foreign countries. The wine jury consisted of 23 wine professionals acting as wine judges from 14 different countries.

Thank you, Prague Wine Trophy, for this wonderful award.

 

 

July 30, 2021

We have been awarded Gold Medals in the International Organic Awards 2021 for three of our wines, namely for

  • Chanti Classico 2015
  • Chianti Classico Riserva 2013
  • Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2012

The International Organic Awards 2021 are organized by the journal organic-newspaper.com which is a part of the international group Media International News LTD based in London. The organic-newspaper.com is an online journal is for professionals in the wine and food world and its aim is to write about and discover “quality brands” with a focus on organic all over the world.

We are delighted to have been awarded these three Gold Medals.

Thank you, organic-newspaper.com!

June 30, 2021

On his wine blog, Wine Bog Roll, Francesco Saverio Russo mentions our Montemaggio Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2013 among his top tastings at the Chianti Classico Collection 2021 in his article Chianti Classico Collection 2021 – La mia selezione e un plauso all’organizzazione.

Thank you, Francesco!

Chianti Classico Collection was one of the first events in Tuscany organized when the restrictions started to ease up a bit in May. In this context, Francesco Saverio Russo writes that

Consorzio del Chianti Classico da il meglio di sè e chiude il carosello di degustazioni con un’edizione della Chianti Classico Collection da ricordare per organizzazione, location, gestione del servizio e accorgimenti tecnologici.

Translation: The Chianti Classico showed itself from its best side and concluded the carousel of tastings (ie. the week of Anteprime Toscane) with a Chianti Classico Collection that will be well remembered for its organization, location, management of services, and tech tools.

See also what Irina Mihailenko of Sparkling Life wrote about our wines HERE!

Cheers!

June 21, 2021

Our three Chianti Classico wines – chianti Classico Annata, Riserva, and Gran Selezione – are mentioned by Irina Romanoff Mihailenko in the article Chianti Classico Collection 2021 on her blog Sparkling Life. We are very happy that she has reviewed all three of the wines. Irina loves the Sangiovese grape as she writes in her article, and what better way to get a full immersion into the Sangiovese than at a tasting of Chianti Classico wines?

Irina says the following about our Chianti Classico wines:

Chianti Classico 2015 Fattoria di Montemaggio (Biologico, 97% Sangiovese, 3% Merlot). E’ tra quelle aziende che aspetta sempre che i vini siano abbastanza pronti per poter uscire in commercio. Siamo nelle zone più alte a Radda in Chianti e questa scelta la trovo ammirevole e adeguata. Vini complessi, longevi, con tutti i componenti perfettamente integrati e ben presenti.

Chianti Classico Riserva 2014 Fattoria di Montemaggio (Biologico, 97% Sangiovese, 3% Merlot). Sicuramente è uno dei vini meno longevi dell’azienda, mi riferisco a questa particolare annata, ma considerando tutte le difficoltà di questa vendemmia è davvero ben fatto. Non sono abituata a percepire (come qui) leggere note evolutive nei loro vini, anche perché li ho sempre assaggiati giovani, e questa Riserva ha una bella struttura apprezzabile anche da subito anche se la parte tannica non è ancora del tutto integrata.

Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2013 Fattoria di Montemaggio (Biologico, 100% Sangiovese). E’ tra quei assaggi con i sentori più affascinanti. Bellissima parte fruttata e tannica, gentili note terziarie che dovranno ancora esprimersi, un grande potenziale di longevità. Mi è piaciuto particolarmente, tra i vini più belli nella tipologia Gran Selezione, e se non assaggiate i vini di Montemaggio da tempo non fatevelo sfuggire.

Thank you Irina for the beautiful article!

Photo credit: Irina Romanoff Mihailenko.

February 2, 2021

We are thrilled to be in the Slow Wine Guide 2021

Slow Wine is one of the primary yearly guide books for Italian wine. It is a guidebook that shines the light on the rich Italian winemaking heritage. The editors Giancarlo Gariglio and Fabio Giavedoni are working with conviction to highlight the best that the Italian wine world has to offer.

We are very proud here at Fattoria di Montemaggio, to be a part of this manual for Italian wine.

Below you can read a translation of the review in the Slow Wine Guide 2021.

LIFE – The owner of the estate is since 2008 the Russian entrepreneur Valeria Zavadnikova who has set up the winery without causing any rupture with the past but instead guaranteeing a good oenological consistency and connection to the local terroir. This is also thanks to Ilaria Anichini, the estate manager at Montemaggio, who has contributed with her experience as an agronomist creating a winemaking project that is measured, harmonious, and that completely blends in with the stunning surrounding landscape.

VINEYARDS – The altitude is one of the special features of Montemaggio: we are 600 meters above sea level in the middle of the forests in the Radda di chianti area. The soil is if galestro and alberese with a mix of sand which might be a bit strange to imagine, especially in this area, but geology does not lie. The attention to and passion for organic farming, which is one of the main goals of Montemaggio, has ensured biodiversity in the vineyards which are important for the right environmental balance.

WINES – The wines of Montemaggio are aged longer in the cellar as their idea is that Sangiovese gains its best expression after a long period of maturation.

Chianti Classico Riserva 2014:

A rarefied and floral wine with a balanced note of rich fruit, distinct notes of earth and tobacco, followed by robust tannins at the palate.

Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2014:

Tertiary notes of shrub herbs and leather while it, on the palate, is vibrant, structured, juicy that supports the tannins.

Rosé di Montemaggio (Sangiovese) 2019:

Savory and harmonious with floral notes first and foremost, a good acidity.

Click here to more about our wines at Fattoria di Montemaggio.

September 27, 2020

We are proud to announce that we have won the award Best Classic Vineyard & Winery 2020 – Tuscany in the category Food & Drink Awards by LUX Life.

LUX Life states that its awardees “must demonstrate expertise within their field, dedication to customer service and a commitment to promoting excellence.” We are honored to have received the award on the basis of this motivation.

Look out for more info about our award in the coming Food & Drink Awards magazine that will be published by LUX Life.

June 26, 2020

A heartfelt thank you to Jill Barth for having written the lovely article How Fattoria Di Montemaggio, Chianti Wine Estate, Diversified In 2020 on Forbes about Fattoria di Montemaggio and the new natural skincare line.

Jill describes how we, in the midst of the Coronavirus lockdown, decided to launch our series of natural skincare products.

When there was no tourism, no visits to our winery and the tasting room any longer due to Covid-19, we managed to shift our focus by virtually roll out the line of natural beauty products made with ingredients such as stem cells from red grapes.

Jill is portraying the essence of Fattoria di Montemaggio in a beautiful way.

We are very grateful for being able to spread our wine story to a broader audience worldwide thanks to Jill’s article.

Read more about our natural skincare line here.

May 15, 2020

We are thrilled  that the online magazine Tuscany People mentions Fattoria di Montemaggio in their blog article Vini bianchi toscani, il lato chiaro della forza.

They write about how we are an organic family winery focused on quality in the middle of Chianti Classico land. Furthermore, they have chosen to emphasize or cultivation of the lesser-known Pugnitello grape and, in line with the theme of the article, the international grape Chardonnay.

The article writer Martina Tanganelli writes about how our Chardonnay wine makes the drive to Fattoria di Montemaggio, along the long and winding unpaved way, worthwhile. In fact, she describes our Chardonnay wine as

Burroso, morbido, bilanciato, di buona acidità

What could be more satisfactory for us than reading such wonderful words?

The article talks, in general, talks about the white wine production in Tuscany is somewhat of a hidden treasure compared to the great red wines of the region such as Chianti Classico and Brunello di Montalcino.

Indeed, white wine production has always stood a bit in the shadow of the ‘big’ red wines in Tuscany. This is curious because, in reality, the first Italian DOC for white wine was Tuscan, i.e. the Vernaccia di San Gimignano that became a DOC in 1966. Vernaccia di San Gimignano is a native grape to Tuscany with a long history.

Read more about the white grapes that are cultivated in Tuscany, in this fantastic article by Tuscany People.

Thank you!

 

March 25, 2020

Did you know you can get 20% OFF our amazing organic products and also get a FREE BOTTLE and a FREE GADGET??? On top we will be donating 2 euro from each purchase to the North of Italy to help hospitals fight the battle with Coronavirus!!
Please follow the link to participate in the campaign, watch the video and share with your friends and family! IF YOU CANNOT COME TO ITALY THIS YEAR LET ITALY COME TO YOU!!!

https://upvir.al/88358/montemaggio

February 24, 2020

Chianti Classico Collection is the yearly event where we get to introduce the vintage that is going to be released for the year. It is, therefore, a great satisfaction when we see that our wines are appreciated by journalists, bloggers, and tradespeople. The event is a part of the Anteprime Toscane week where the various Tuscan wine consortiums organize their preview events for national and international press and tradespeople.

First out to review our wine is Marco Bechi, a Tuscan food- and wine blogger who has written about our Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2012. His verdict is that it is a wine with an elegant and refined bouquet with notes of licorice, herbs, and good persistence.

Read more in his article Chianti Classico Collection 2020 e le Gran Selezioni.


Next out is Morris Lazzoni who has the blog Vinoperpassione to write about our wines tasted at Chianti Classico Collection 2020. Moris is by now a dear friend and we are happy that he tastes and writes about our wines. He talks more in-depth about our Chianti Classico 2014, 2015, and Riserva 2013. He especially defines the Riserva 2013 as the most balanced and elegant of them all.

However, Morris also gives praise to our 2014 and 2015. The former one (2014) for being fine, silky, and smooth even though it has often been considered an unfortunate year. Regarding the 2015, he argues that it is fruit-forward and has good acidity resulting in a wine with a potential for aging.

Read more in his article La Collection 2020 ha dimostrato la grandezza del Chianti Classico

Click on the following link to read more about the Montemaggio wines.

 

January 22, 2020

We are delighted and proud to be in the Slow Wine Guide 2020

Slow Wine is one of the fundamental yearly guide books for Italian wine, a way to valorize the rich oenological heritage. In fact, the editors Giancarlo Gariglio and Fabio Giavedoni have mentioned during the last years how their aim is for this guide to become a sort of “hub” or a “software” for high-quality wine in Italy. They want you to be able to have an overview that is as complete as possible when it comes to Italian wine.

What better recognition for us at Fattoria di Montemaggio, than to be a part of this hub of Italian wine producers at the forefront.

Below you can read a translation of the review in the Slow Wine Guide 2020.

LIFE Fattoria di Montemaggio makes wine since the 1970s but it was in 2008, when Valeria Zavadnikova bought it, that you started to see an upswing in quality. The dream for the estate was to produce wines of excellence, and that is why they are in favor of letting the wine settle for long periods in the bottle before entering it to the market. They are very focused on having an organic and natural approach as well as having a deep respect for the surrounding nature. Their aim is to maintain a close relationship between product and territory.

VINEYARD We went for a walk in the vineyard with Ilaria Anichini, the agronomist, and estate manager, who swept us away with her passion and deep knowledge of the vines and nature. The vineyards are located at an altitude of 600 m where the main grape variety is Sangiovese followed by minor quantities of other local grape varieties. There are some smaller lots of international grape varieties also. The soil is made up of mainly galestro (weathered sandstone), with smaller percentages of alberese and sandstone.

WINES Chianti Classico 2015 Already the color speaks for itself. It has notes of ripe fruit as well as a hint of floral and mineral notes. On the palate, it is fresh, savory, has refined tannins and a long finish.
Chianti Classico Riserva 2013 On the nose, it has typical notes of marasca cherry, leather, and soil. On the palate, it is very flavorful, with good acidity and well-balanced tannins that completes the picture.
Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2012 It offers a bouquet that is rich in tertiary aromas. On the palate, it is very tasty, well-balanced, smooth and elegant tannins, and a long finish.
Quinta Essentia 2014 (Sangiovese, Merlot) This is a wine with fruity notes, gutsy tannins, and good acidity.
Torre di Montemaggio 2016 (Merlot) This wine is still young, straightforward and enjoyable.

Click here to more about our wines at Fattoria di Montemaggio.

December 16, 2019

We are happy to tell you that Confagricoltura Siena paid us a visit to do a video about Fattoria di Montemaggio recently. They interviewed Ilaria Anichini, our Estate Manager, about our organic and sustainable farming, viticulture, and winemaking.

In the video, you can also learn more about the wine tours and wine tastings we organize for wine lovers and tourists. It is an opportunity to have a fun and unique wine experience.

Watch more about our activities in Confagricoltura Siena’s lovely YouTube video below or on their website.

Italian version:

Siamo felici di potervi raccontare che Confagricoltura Siena ci ha visitato di recente per fare un video su Fattoria di Montemaggio. Hanno intervistato Ilaria Anichini, la nostra direttrice di azienda, della nostra agricoltura e viticoltura biologica, sostenibilità, ecc.

Nel video, puoi anche saperne di più sui wine tour e sulle degustazioni che organizziamo per gli amanti del vino e per i turisti. È un’opportunità per vivere un’esperienza vinicola unica e divertente.

Guarda il video di Confagricoltura Siena qui sopra.

December 10, 2019

WINE HEAVEN!!! An outstanding Chardonnay from an outstanding winery at an outstanding price.

We are bursting with happiness when reading these words in a review made by Andy Kelly of the blog Get Your Cork Out in the United Kingdom. Andy Kelly is based in Liverpool, England and together with Dane Brooks he reviews and writes thoughts about wines that they taste.

Some months ago, Andy ordered our Chardonnay di Montemaggio IGT 2018 via Amazone Prime in the UK and shortly after he wrote a fantastic review in the article Chardonnay di MonteMaggio 2018. Our Chardonnay di Montemaggio is a white wine that we only produce very few bottles of each year and it is not the first wine perhaps that you associate with Fattoria di Montemaggio. We are more known for our Chianti Classico wines and IGT wines in the Supertuscan style.

The Chardonnay di Montemaggio IGT, however, is not a wine standing in the shadow of the others. It is indeed a Chardonnay wine with its very own character that is very much influenced by the special terroir in the Radda area. The minerality, freshness, and good acidity is combined with smoothness and floral as well as fruity notes and a buttery taste.

In fact, Andy writes that

Initially, I got passionfruit accompanied with the slightest hints of toasty and bready notes as it went down. The butter really comes through here too, and, accompanied by solid notes of honey, meant that I was bowled over by its velvety mouthfeel.

…he continues by saying

Every gulp left me wanting more and with every glass new flavours would emerge.

Andy indeed compares our Chardonnay to a French Chardonnay wine

This is seriously good Chardonnay which reminded me of a good quality Meursault or even Puligny-Montrachet.

…stressing also how it feels like an older vintage of Chardonnay

It’s colour, creaminess and toasty notes confused me because I felt like I was tasting an aged chardonnay so you can imagine my surprise when I realised it was barely a year old.

Andy ends his beautiful review of our Chardonnay di Montemaggio IGT with

So bravo MonteMaggio, you have created an outstanding Chadonnay at an outstanding price. All that’s left for me to do is to book my flights to Florence and come and visit your winery to sample some more outstanding wine. See you in the Spring!

We cannot thank you enough Andy for this brilliant review of our Chardonnay di Montemaggio IGT. We are waiting for you at Fattoria di Montemaggio next year whenever you have time to come. We cannot wait to show you our estate and taste all our wines together.

Cheers!

Click here to more about our Chardonnay di Montemaggio.

Tripadvisor 2018 Certificate of Excellence

May 26, 2018

We would like to thank all of you who have visited us and written great reviews on TripAdvisor about your wine tour experience at our winery. We just got an announcement via email from TripAdvisor that we have been recognized with a 2018 Certificate of Excellence. The certificate is based on all the fantastic reviews all of you have written about us.

Thank you!!

Decanter World Wine Awards 2018 - Silver for us!

May 26, 2018

Decanter World Wine Awards just announced the medals awarded this year and we, of course, got an email too with great news. We are very happy to let you know that we have been awarded Silver medals for Quinta Essentia 2013 and Chianti Classico Riserva 2012 by Decanter.

Fattoria di Montemaggio partnered up with Monaco-based Yacht builder Dynamiq

December 15, 2017

Christmas is a cosy time of the year that we usually spend with our family and the people we love. It is also a time of good food and wine, so to make the festive season even more special, Dynamiq has partnered up with an award-winning Tuscan winemaker based close to its shipyard in Viareggio.

The Montemaggio estate comprises 70 hectares in the heart of Tuscany’s Chianti Classico region, one of the prettiest and most highly prized wine-producing areas in Italy. During the grape harvest, which is carried out entirely by hand, the fruit undergoes careful selection in the vineyard and again later in the winery. This hand-made approach to winemaking ensures that the finished product preserves the natural ‘terroir’ or distinctive qualities of the climate and soil where the vines are cultivated.

Dynamiq and Montemaggio
The process is not unlike the Italian craftsmanship and Dutch engineering that defines each and every Dynamiq superyacht. Quality, performance and innovative design are the cornerstones of the brand’s philosophy, resulting in the most aesthetically striking and technically advanced yachts in Dynamiq’s chosen size category of 27–50m.

“We are thrilled to announce our collaboration with Montemaggio to produce an assortment of limited-edition wines,” says Sergei Dobroserdov, CEO and founder of Dynamiq. “Montemaggio is a thoroughly modern winemaker that lives up to its motto of being the finest in quality. This philosophy resonated with us at Dynamiq as we strive to be a pioneer in the yachting industry at the forefront of new concepts and technology. Nothing beats a glass of fine wine on the deck of a Dynamiq yacht in the company of family and friends at Christmas.”

Dynamiq has completely reinvented the yacht-buying experience with its Online Configurator that allows owners to choose every detail of their purchase – from paint colour and underwater lights to general arrangement and interior décor options ­­– in real time and complete transparency. And now you can add a supply of bespoke Montemaggio wine to the exclusive list of options!

For more information visit: bedynamiq.com