Tenuta San Giorgio is an estate winery in Località San Giorgio in Castelnuovo dell’Abate in the south-eastern part of the Montalcino region in Tuscany, Italy. It produces Rosso di Montalcino DOC and Brunello di Montalcino DOCG red wines. 

Owner: Tenuta Giorgio was founded in 1982. The winery has been part of the ColleMassari Group (Claudio Tipa and the Tipa-Bertarelli family) since November 2016. Their HQ in Montalcino is Poggio di Sotto. They bought the estate from Guido Folonari (see also Donna Olimpia). The price was a reported 8 million euros. Tipa already owned Poggio di Sotto which he runs separately, and Bellarina (bought 2014) which neighbours Poggio di Sotto, plus La Velona (bought June 2016) and Tenuta San Giorgio (bought November 2016). Its acquisition brought Tipa’s total landholding in Montalcino to around 200 hectares (494 acres) of land of which 41 hectares (101 acres) of vines, comprising 23 hectares (56.8 acres) of Brunello di Montalcino, 7 hectares (17.3 acres) of Rosso di Montalcino DOC and 11 hectares (27.2 acres) of Sant’Antimo DOC.

Background:  Enzo Tiezzi told me on 09th April 2015 he worked at Tenuta San Giorgio for 10 years as consulting oenologist when the estate was being run for its then German owner who was “sotto controllo del tribunale”. See also the nearby Orcia valley estate Poggio al Vento.

Estate vineyards

Tenuta San Giorgio: The Tenuta San Giorgio vineyard in Località San Giorgio in Castelnuovo dell’Abate comprises 46 hectares of land. The vines cover 26 hectares and there are 26 hectares of olive groves. A unique position, at 400 mt a.s.l on the top of a ridge. Clayey soils, which alternate with limestone areas with others richer in tuff.

La Velona: La Velona’s vines in Castelnuovo dell’Abate (at Podere Pietranera, which had a 19th-century farmhouse in which La Velona’s previous owner made his wine) were acquired by Claudio Tipa in June 2016. 12 hectares (29.65 acres) of (mainly) Sangiovese of which 7 hectares (12.3 acres) for Brunello. Altitude of 250-280 metres (820-918 feet), lower than the nearby Castello di Velona. Vine spacing of 3 by 1 metres (10 x 3,3 foot) = 3,300 vines per hectare (1,214 vines per acre). South-west exposure. The soil is of miocenic and cretaceous origin so it is rich in tufa, marl and fossils.

Podere Bellarina: Podere Bellarina is located in Localita La Bellarina in Castelnuovo dell’Abate, and was purchased from Tenute Niccolai in 2014. There are 3 hectares (7.4 acres) of Sangiovese (various clones). Cordon. 4,127 vines per hectare (1,670 vines per acre). On the hills facing Mount Amiata. 430-480 metres (1,410-1,575 feet). Soil: rich in small-sized rock fragments, slightly tufaceous with clay intrusions.

Organic certification: 2016 Conversion to organic status began under the ownership of Claudio Tipa.

Winery: The winery is located near Castelnuovo dell’Abate in the municipality of Montalcino, not far from the Sant’Antimo abbey.

Red wines

IGT Toscana Rosso, Cacciacone Guardia Svizzera Pontifica: 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah. L03/10. 14%. Bottle given to me by Pepe Schib (a former Swiss Guard). Bretty, ripe bulbous fruit and simple at Fra’s Friday 31 August 2015.

Rosso di Montalcino DOC, Tenuta San Giorgio: 2009 18,000 bottles. A bit hot, with creamy oak (Anteprima 2011).

Rosso di Montalcino DOC, Ciampoleto: From Castelnuovo dell’Abate. From 10-15 year-old Sangiovese. 450 metres above sea level. Soils characterised by clay and heavy stone. The climate is temperate Mediterranean but windy. Fermentation is spontaneous in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks. After the malolactic fermentation, the wine ages for 1 year in 30 hl oak casks plus an additional 6 months in bottle. | 2011 19,000 bottles. A bit light and green (Anteprima 2013). | 2012 10,000 bottles. Sweet and savoury, herby, OK (Anteprima 2014). | 2013 10,000 bottles. Odd nose, light palate (Anteprima 2015). | 2014 Quite menthol-like, smooth (Anteprima 2016). | 2018 23,800 bottles. 14% alc. A beautifully silky red which was left about half full for over 10 days (with the cork). It was good when first opened but super with time, really silky smooth, oozing red fruit with juicy underlying tannins (25 June 2021).

Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tenuta San Giorgio: 2000 A bit dry and light (Anteprima 2005). | 2006 19,300 bottles. Oenologist Piera Ballarro (also works in the Maremma). Creamy, oaky, minty, exotic, with decent weight (Anteprima 2011).

Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Ugolforte: From Sangiovese in Castelnuovo dell’Abate, in south-east Montalcino. Average vineyard age of 20-25 years. Between 250 and 400 metres above sea level. The soil is poor and rocky, mainly composed of clay and tuff, with some mixed sandstone and marlstone at different altitudes. Hand picked. Vinification is in oak vats, with spontaneous fermentations lead by indigenous yeasts and long macerations. This wine aged for 42 months in 30 hl Slavonian oak casks. The wine is named after the leader of a revolt by Montalcino against the occupying Sienese in the 12th century. | 2008 20,000 bottles. 17m in oak. Stretched, light, green (Anteprima 2013). | 2009 Made by Guido Folonari. 20,000 bottles. Palish, bit sweet and sour, dry end (Anteprima 2014). | 2010 20,000 bottles. Sweet and simple (Anteprima 2015). | 2011 65 days on skins. 12m in barriques (30%) new. Decent, fluid and a bit of blur, plump, modern, decent (Anteprima 2016). | 2015 52,000 bottles. | 2016 14% alc. Bottled at Tenuta San Giorgio (back label). A lovely Sangiovese, tangy, bright, crisp and no sense of stress or over-ripeness with well integrated oak too. Nowhere near its peak (March 2021).

Contact

Tenuta San Giorgio

Loc. San Giorgio, 30

I-53024 Castelnuovo Abate (SI), Italy

Tel+39 0577.835623 | www.collemassariwines.it/en/estates/tenuta-san-giorgio/