Montesecondo
モンテセコンド
Biodynamic 'undressed' Chianti from Silvio Messana
Montesecondo is a small biodynamic estate in San Casciano in Val di Pesa (village of Cerbaia), at the northern tip of Chianti Classico near Florence. Silvio Messana, who spent years in New York before returning to run his family's vineyards in 1999, bottled the estate's first vintage in 2000. He farms two plots — Vignano (500m, galestro schist) and Montesecondo (150m, clay and river stone) — organically since 2004 and biodynamically thereafter, inspired by a seminar with Nicolas Joly. Grapes are hand-harvested and fermented with native yeasts, then aged in old barrels, concrete tanks and clay amphorae, with no fining, filtration or added tannins, and minimal sulphur. Because of these unconventional techniques, only one wine qualifies for Chianti Classico DOCG; the rest — made mostly from Sangiovese, Canaiolo and Colorino alongside Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and a skin-contact Trebbiano — are bottled as Toscana IGT. Messana calls his style 'undressed' rather than 'natural,' focused on letting each vineyard's terroir speak clearly in the glass.
www.montesecondo.com/en/ ↗Cuvées
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Who Is This For?
For those seeking pure, terroir-driven Chianti made with biodynamic farming, native-yeast fermentation, and minimal cellar intervention.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Where is Montesecondo located?
- In San Casciano in Val di Pesa (village of Cerbaia), at the northern edge of Chianti Classico near Florence, Tuscany.
- Is Montesecondo organic or biodynamic certified?
- The vineyards have been certified organic since 2004 and are farmed biodynamically. The cellar itself is not certified, so the bottles do not carry an organic label.
- What grape varieties does Montesecondo grow?
- Mainly Sangiovese, Canaiolo and Colorino, plus small amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Trebbiano and Garnaccia used in other cuvées.
- What is Silvio Messana's winemaking philosophy?
- Minimal intervention: hand harvesting, native-yeast fermentation, aging in old barrels, concrete tanks and amphorae, no fining or filtration, and very low sulphur, letting the terroir express itself. He describes his approach as 'undressed' rather than strictly 'natural.'
- Who imports Montesecondo wines to Japan?
- Terravert Co., Ltd. (テラヴェール) is the main Japanese importer, with the wines also stocked by specialist retailers such as Vinaiota and Tuscany Wine Shop.