Tassi is an organic estate winery in Montalcino in Tuscany, Italy. It produces Rosso di Montalcino DOC and Brunello di Montalcino DOCG red wines.

Owner: Franca Franci. Her husband Fabio Tassi owns Enoteca la Fortezza, the wine shop located in Montalcino’s fortress (see Montalcino tourism). He also owns Franci Bio, an organic store and a glass shop, both in Montalcino. He also has rooms to rent in Montalcino.

Staff: Consultant oenologist: Alberto Antonini. | Agronomist: Stefano Dini (in 2014).

Vineyards: 4.75ha in total. 0.75ha of Sangiovese is located next to the Pian dell’Orino estate. The remaining  4ha is further south in Castelnuovo dell’Abate in two different sized blocks called ‘Tassi’ and ‘Franci’ – see below.

Organic certification:  2016 First vintage with full organic certification.

Red wines

Rosso di Montalcino DOC, Tassi: 2010 At the consorzio with Ian d’Agata Tuesday 28th May 2013: TCA on first bottle. Second bottle: Lightish-medium crimson core with some evolution and fade to the colour. Good traditional style with some new oak in there, older wood too I guess and quite traditional winemaking. | 2011 3,000 bottles. Credible colour, bit stretched, not bad (Anteprima 2014). | 2012 2,000 bottles. | 201 7,066 bottles.

Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Franci: A site specific (‘cru’) wine from Località La Velona. Fabio Tassi purchased the 1.5ha Sangiovese plot (planted early 1990s (massale, unknown rootstock) in 2004 from an old grower (Scheggi from Castiglione d’Orcia). As it was not a recognised toponimo Fabio named the vineyard Franci after his mother’s family. The vineyard overlooks Monte Amiata Scalo. There is no view of the Orcia river. It is next to one of Il Palazzone’s vineyards – they share a deer fence. There is space for another 0.2ha to be planted. South-facing. The soil is ‘macigno‘, a hard sandstone. No galestro. Style of wine: elegant, not heavy. | 2007 Produced. | 2009 4,000 bottles. OK, bit light, sweet, sticky, not too extracted (Anteprima 2014). L04/13. 14.5%. Mossy nose, funky. Bit simple, green and warm but some fruit at the Consorzio Tues 27th May 2014 with Ian d’Agata and others. | 2010 2,900 bottles. More exotic than the Brunello ‘Franci’, thick, bit of jam (Anteprima 2015). | 2015 3,210 bottles.

Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tassi: 6,000 bottles. On 4th Oct 2014 Fabio Tassi told me Tassi comes from heavier ground compared to the ‘Franci’ Brunello plot (see above). 2ha in production (planted in 2000 I think) and 0.7ha to come on stream having removed the Petit Verdot and Merlot. Near Stella di Campalto’s San Giuseppe, with La Velona and Tenuta Friggiali as neighbours. Stony. South-west facing. 200-250 metres. A week ahead of the ‘Franci’ Brunello plot and giving a Sangiovese with more tannin, colour, and alcohol. 6,500 vines/ha. Has replanted one part a bit wider. | 2006 Produced. | 2007 Produced. | 2009 6,000 bottles. Okayish, bit stretched (Anteprima 2014). | 2010 6,800 bottles. Sweet and simple, no great length, but not over-oaked (Anteprima 2015). | 2015 8,390 bottles.

Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tassi Selezione: 2015 3,935 bottles.

Brunello di Montalcino DOCG Riserva, Franci: 2006 Produced. | 2008 1,300 bottles. Deepest wine so far from this producer (Anteprima 2014). | 2009 1,300 botttles. Decent length and the sweetest and deepest of the three wines I tasted from Fabio so far (Anteprima 2015).

Contact

Tassi di Franci Franca

Viale P Strozzi, 1/3

53024 Montalcino (SI), Italy

Tel+39 0577.846147 | Website: www.tassimontalcino.com

Bibliography

Visit 4th Oct 2014.