Vineyard

Since 2016, Cerbaiona has revived its vineyards with the alberello, now nearly extinct in Montalcino.

Starting in 2016, the vineyard was uprooted, replanted, and expanded through a four-year process, so as not to interrupt production. “It was a sacrifice because it meant waiting at least four years for the first vintage. But it was a necessary step, and above all full of opportunity,” recalls Matthew Fioretti, the narrator of this transformation.

“The process allowed for a careful evaluation of rootstock, clones, and planting density, selecting what was best suited to the land’s slopes and exposure. Excavation and earthworks were carried out using modern criteria, with the integration of state-of-the-art drainage systems.” Over the past forty years, viticulture has undergone a leap in quality through advances in agronomic techniques, clonal selection, and soil management. At Cerbaiona, the estate chose to incorporate the best of these developments.

“We opted for superior-quality plant material,” Fioretti adds, “primarily sourced from the Guillaume nurseries, which have been operating in Burgundy since 1895 and now a world leader in vine cuttings.”.

The defining feature of the renewed Cerbaiona is the alberello training system, which has almost disappeared from Montalcino. Once widespread until the nineteenth century, it was largely abandoned with mechanization and the introduction of support wires. “With only a few hectares at our disposal,” Fioretti says, “we chose a more demanding method, but one perfectly suited to our vision. Each plant has its own stake, and the shoots are tied as they grow, gradually forming the classic gobelet: a natural goblet shape, with four arms for the more vigorous plants and three for the less vigorous.”

Can a young vineyard produce a great wine?

A question arises naturally: Can a young vineyard express complexity and depth? Common opinion suggests otherwise. “A taboo disproved by the facts. The 2021 harvest yielded a Sangiovese of expressive richness never before achieved at Cerbaiona. It confirms that the choices made over the last few years—both in the vineyard and the cellar —are charting the right course.”

Where olive trees once grew, Sangiovese now thrives.

The steepest slope of the estate, once an olive grove, has been turned into a vineyard. This has added another precious hectare, bringing the total vineyard area to four hectares. It was a brave and far-sighted decision, faithful to Cerbaiona’s history and mindful of the future of its Brunello.