Podere della Bruciata is an organic estate winery in the Montepulciano region of Tuscany. It produces Chianti Colli Senesi DOCG, Rosso di Montepulciano DOC, and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG.
Owner: Ermanno Rossi (vineyards, winemaker), his wife Catia Rossi (333.1030502) and their son Andrea Rossi (owner, manager. Tel: 340.8506212) works at the estate. Their daughter Agnese was working in London in 2015.
Background: Catia’s father Ermete built the Albergo Villa Ambra di Sant’Albino (hotel) in 1967 on land he inherited from his parents, in nearby Sant Albino, a ‘frazione’ within Montepulciano. This bow belongs to Catia and her brother Marzio. It is not part of the Podere della Bruciata wine operation. Podere della Bruciata began when Catia’s father Ermete gave her 14 hectares of land just before he died in 1995 (tumor in his bones). He was 63 years old and was given 3 months to live, during which time he managed to sort out his inheritance. In 2001 Catia began her own agri-touristic activity, when she acquired a farm house in Chiusi, which is run by her husband Ermanno Rossi (who is from Chiusi). The farming activity takes place on land adjoing the agritourism and comprises a 2.5ha vineyard for Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, as well as woodland.
Staff: Federico Renzi (consultant winemaker). | Roberto Lamorgese (vineyards).
Vineyards: 20ha of land in two places. Most of the estate’s wines come from the vineyard in Montepulciano, which is a unique area for its position and the wood near by. Chianti is produced from their vineyard in Chiusi.
Next to the albergo Villa Ambra di Sant Albino [Chiusi] are 5ha of land. This includes the vines–3ha of 85% Sangiovese, 15% Petit Verdot, plus some Cabernet Sauvignon and Colorino, the olive grove, the tartufaia (where truffles live), the hulled wheat field (farro I think), and the winery. One of the highest in Montepulciano.
There are another 15ha in Sant’Albino di Montepulciano. This where, since 2011, Ermanno produces his own wine thanks to a small cellar owned by the family.
1) Chiusi 6ha of land. There are 0.5ha of the rare ‘La Minuta di Chiusi’ olive. This produces a very spicey/peppery oil with an almost fluorescent green colour. There is 1ha of Chianti Colli Senesi DOCG (the Sangiovese here is the same clone as found in Sant’Albino) and IGT, and another 1ha of Pugnitello is being planted for IGT. They planted the vines on land which previously was given to barley or spelt (‘farro’). The vines lie on hill slopes, facing south-east and on soil which is more sandy compared to the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano site, and are grassed. There are also some truffle oaks.
2) Sant’Albino in Montepulciano 14ha of land in Montepulciano, in the locality (‘frazione’) of Sant’Albino (excluding the land covered by the Albergo Villa Ambra di Sant’Albino). Here there are 2.5ha of vines for Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Rosso di Montepulciano (mainly Sangiovese + 15% Petit Verdot, plus some Cabernet Sauvignon and Colorino del Valdarno). At 560m this is one of the highest vineyards in the zone–Andrea says there is less vigour here, thus lower yields and less disease pressure compared to the vineyards in Chiusi (see above). The Sant’Albino vines lie on hill slopes and are grassed. The soil is clay with clear quartz pieces, lots of shells, but not really any sand. Varied expositions. A ‘conca’ part faces south-east.
In Sant’Albino there are also 600 olives (Corregiolo, Frantoio and Moraiolo) on very old roots. This resulted from the decision taken by Catia’s grandfather after the devastating 1985 frost. Rather than rip the trees up and take the financial subsidies on offer for replanting, he cut the trunks back and let the trees gradually re-grow. Most of the rest of the land here is woodland.
Organic certification: 1994 (C1). Catia put all her land into organic conversion as soon as she got it from her grandad. | 1997 First vintage with full organic certification. | 2015 Still certifiied organic.
Winemaking: 2011 The first wine was produced in 2011, made by Ermanno in a small cellar owned by the family and located next to the Albergo Villa Ambra di Sant Albino. | 2015 In 2015 Podere della Bruciata made their first wine under the guidance of an oenologist, added yeast but they did not like it so they joined VinNatur. We gather the grapes by hand, when they are at full phenolic ripeness, placing them in boxes bringing them intact to wine cellar. The fermentation takes place naturally, with native yeasts in cement vats without temperature control. We still use the old cement casks which give the wine a unique balance and get older in big wooden barrels for 20 Qt, as ancient tuscan tradition.
Pink wines
Usta: Usta is derived from the Latin for ‘brusciata’. This wine comes from grapes in both vineyard locations (see above). | 2014 Toscana Rosato. 12.5%. ‘Vino Biologico. L01-15.’ 37 mg/l total sulphites (Source: catalogue for RAW 2015). I liked this–they gave me a bottle when I visited in 2015 and in Viale Piave 32 I thought this had lovely zip, feint orangey-pink fruit, but very clear and moreish, really nice.
Red wines
Chianti Colli Senesi DOCG, Barcaiolo: A ‘barcaiolo’ is ‘la catasta dei balzi di grano mietuti a mano.’ | 2012 44 mg/l total sulphites (RAW, London 17/18 May 2015). | 2013 97% Sangiovese, 3% Petit Verdot. L.01-14. 14%. 26 mg/l total sulphites (RAW, London 17/18 May 2015). They gave me a bottle of this when I visited in 2015 and in Viale Piave 32 in late Oct 2015 I thought this had a bit too much funky wood, compromising the fruit.
Rosso di Montepulciano DOC, Ermete: 2013 Not a great year. Sappy fruit, a bit blurred (in Sant’Albino, 14 Oct 2015). | 2014 33 mg/l total sulfites (catalogue for RAW, London 17/18 May 2015). | 2017 14.5%. A little sour-tasting, natural wine style (Anteprima 2018). | 2018 100% Sangiovese. Fermented and aged in cement. 13.5%. 5,000 bottles. Wild, savoury fruit, clear style (Anteprima 2019). | 2018 2,000 bottles. Concrete tanks. Vegan suitable. Soft wild red fruit (Anteprima 2020).
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG, Cesiro: Named after grandmother Cesira [sic], but labelled in the masculine form. The site produces a rounder wine with riper-tasting tannins compared to the Chianti DOCG from the vines in Chiusi. | 2010 Debut. Made with the help of an oenologist–see above. | 2011 Good year, healthy, ripe grapes Andrea Rossi told me (in Sant’Albino, 14 Oct 2015). | 2011 14.5%. 40 mg/l total sulfites. 2,000-2,500 bottles. Aged in 5 year old barrels. Nice bright colour, bright red fruit, some menthol, richer then the 2012 (in Sant’Albino, 14 Oct 2015). | 2012 100% Sangiovese. Picked in 4 phases. 13.5%. Organic. Unfiltered. Wild ferment in grandad’s concrete vats. MLF happened naturally. 18m in 20hl wooden vats. 2,500 bottles. Natural, picnic-style red with vim, savoury licorice flavours (in Sant’Albino, 14 Oct 2015). | 2013 Bad year. Twice as much work for the same yield as 2012, Andrea Rossi told me (in Sant’Albino, 14 Oct 2015). | 2015 100% Sangiovese (probably 97% Sangiovese, 3% Canaiolo in the vineyard). 14.5% alc. Bold colour (Anteprima 2018). Some green notes, citric, sandy/cranberry red fruit. Good wine-by-the-glass (Anteprima 2018). | 2016 Old vines. 100% Sangiovese. Fermented in cement vats. 18m in botti. Minimal sulfites. 14.5% alc. 3,500 bottles. Pure, wild, and fluid (Anteprima 2019). Wild fruit, nice tannin (Anteprima 2020).
Tizzo: From both sites (Chiusi–Chianti and Sant’Albino–Vino Nobile) so the blend varies by vintage. | 2011 Sangiovese, Petit Verdot, CS. Ferments, ages in cement. Quite spicey, some brett maybe (?) or VA. Quite round. Drying out a bit, not bad. Rich, berries, black fruit and some funky notes. | 2015 100% Sangiovese.14.5%. Bold colour (Anteprima 2018).
Other products
Nepo: 2017 A liqueur. 100% Merlot to which 17 herbs are added. 18% alc.
Grappa: Made by Nanonni.
Contact
Podere della Bruciata
Loc. Caselle Basse, 26
53043 Chiusi (SI), Italy
Tel+39 0578.798330 or 0578.798055 (albergo). | Website: www.agriturismodellabruciata.it
Directions: Podere della Brusciata is 2.2km from the A1 highway exit Chiusi-Chianciano Terme. Once out of the highway, you have to turn right and take the road SS 146 towards Chiusi. After 2km, you will find a roundabout and the right exit is the first one towards Cetona (SS 321). After 200m there is a street on the left that needs to be traversed for 450m.
Agritourism: The agritourism dates from 2001 and runs alongside the farming activities. It comprises a farm house in Chiusi.