KERMIT LYNCH WINE MERCHANT

In 2017, the Brunello di Montalcino Consortium celebrated its 50th birthday. Hard to believe, but at the time of its creation, just twenty-five small farms made up this elite group, which today has grown to more than 200 individual estates. Among the founding members was Ferruccio Ferretti, a grower on the southwestern slope of Montalcino in the area known as Pietrafocaia, named for its incredibly rocky calcareous soils. The family had purchased the farm in 1896, farming grapes for wine and as well as raising livestock and growing grain in this rural part of Tuscany.

Until now, the Ferrettis never bottled their house wine. Despite decades of experience cultivating Sangiovese and vinifying what is now known as Brunello di Montalcino, they had always sold off their wine to other estates to bottle under a different label. But with the 2016 vintage, Ferruccio’s great-grandson, Matteo Perugino, decided that it was time for a change. Having just finished studies in agriculture in nearby Siena and armed with valuable experience working in another Montalcino cellar, Matteo returned to the family farm determined to capture the fruit of his family’s labor—and highlight this special part of the appellation—in bottle.

His decision to largely maintain the traditional methods of working practiced by his uncle, Roberto, and grandfather, Ivo, is logical given the unique slice of Montalcino they call home. While their seven hectares of vineyards enjoy perfect southwest sun exposure, the high elevation has proven crucial to retaining freshness in the wines, especially in light of the warming climate. Even more striking are the soils, exceptionally rich in limestone and littered with blocks of the rock known locally as galestro. Simply put, the Ferrettis are situated in a prime zone for producing top-quality Brunello.

From their sustainably farmed vineyards—Matteo has initiated the process of organic certification—the family bottle a Rosso as well as a Brunello, the latter made from a selection of the best fruit from their oldest vines. Ageing the wines in large Slavonian oak casks, as tradition dictates, allows the intricacy and nuance of the site to shine though, and the terroir of their zone is not shy to express itself in the form of a decisive backbone of savory, stony minerality. The bright acidity, surely a result of the cool nights at this altitude, only serves to highlight the mouthwatering freshness that characterizes Ferretti’s Sangiovese.

Growing up on the farm, Matteo always wanted to make wine, following in the footsteps of his uncle and grandfather. Today, the three generations work side-by-side. Enthusiasts of fine, classically produced Sangiovese will not want to miss the exciting creations from this young Brunello traditionalist.