Sesta di Sopra is an estate winery in Località Sesta south of Montalcino , 4 km from Castelnuovo dell’Abate in Tuscany, Italy. It produces Rosso di Montalcino DOC and Brunello di Montalcino DOCG red wines.

Owner: Ettore Spina. He worked in Turin at the San Paolo bank. He told me at Benvenuto Brunello February 2014 that he wanted to buy a place away from the city for his children, and although he liked the Langhe in Piedmont felt the winters there were too long, foggy and cold. He bought this estate in Montalcino in 1980, partly I think because he was friends with the father of Paola Gloder (of Poggio Antico fame). At the time of the purchase there were 40ha of woodland and grain crops, the house, and one hectare of vines.

Staff: Ettore Spina’s children are called Stefano and Cristina (both are very tall). The agronomist is Federico Becarelli. Lorenzo Scotto is the oenologist, with Paolo Vaggagini. Krenar Resuli (Albanian) is the manager.

Estate vineyards: Near Castelnuovo dell’Abate. In 2012 there were 2.8ha of vines of which 1ha Brunello, 1.2ha Rosso, and 0.6ha IGT Rosso. Soil Red clay. Viticulture SO4 mainly I was once told but at Benvenuto Brunello February 2014 they said 110R and 125AA. Various clones, including RV5 and BB11. IPM.

Winemaking: The cellar, small but functional, has 30 hl Slavonian oak barrels. Batonnage on lees.

Red wines

Rosso di Montalcino DOC, Sesta di Sopra | 2011 7,400 bottles. 30hl botti and toasted French oak (2nd and 3rd fill, some new). Nice modern sweet style, bit of jam but not overly so, not heavy (Anteprima 2013). | 2011 7,300 bottles. | 2012 Sweet fruit, OK, a bit flat (Anteprima 2014). | 2012 4,000 bottles. Sweet, elegant, crisp and very good (Anteprima 2015). | 2013 Just bottled: Nice, crisp, bit more flesh than 2012 (Anteprima 2015). | 2017 2,800 bottles.

Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Sesta di Sopra: 2000 Decent weight, soft (Anteprima 2005). | 2008 4,400 bottles. Thick again, lacks a bit of finesse, with old wood and a bit of acetic acid (Anteprima 2013). | 2009 5,000 bottles. Batonnage. 30hl botti. Brownish, sweetish  (Anteprima 2014). | 2009 L05/13. 14.5%. Bright garnet-ruby. Simple, light, hint of green at the Consorzio Tues 27th May 2014 with Ian d’Agata and others. | 2010 4,520 bottles. 30hl botti. Fluid tight fruit (Anteprima 2015.) | 2014 Good effort, bright red cherry fruit, well handled tannins and an appealingly savoury end (Anteprima 2019). | 2015 4,500 bottles.

Brunello di Montalcino DOCG Riserva, Sesta di Sopra: 2008 560 bottles. Nice and rich if a bit of a contrast between sweet fruit and dry tannin (Anteprima 2014). | 2008 15%. L02.13. Simple high tone nose. Boiled sweets. Short and dry at the Consorzio Tues 27th May 2014 with Ian d’Agata and others.

Contact

Podere Sesta di Sopra

Loc. Sesta di Sopra, Fraz. Castelnuovo dell’Abate

53024 Montalcino (SI), Italy

Tel+39 0577.835698 | Website: See here.