Villa a Sesta is an estate winery in Castelnuovo Berardenga in the Upper Chianti region, near the source of the Ombrone River, in Tuscany. Villa a Sesta takes its name from the village of Villa a Sesta, a former Etruscan town. The estate flanks the provincial Chianti road which runs from San Gusmè to Castello di Brolio in Castelnuovo Berardenga in the province of Siena. It produces Chianti Classico DOCG, Chianti DOCG and Chianti Colli Aretini DOCGred wines. A Vin Santo del Chianti Classico DOC is also produced.

Owner: The Tattoni family.

Vineyards: The estate covers over 1,100 hectares (2,720 acres) of land, of which 55 hectares (136 acres) are vineyards. The main grape is Sangiovese.

Wine production: Around 250,000 bottles.

Winery: 5,000 square metres (16,400 suare feet).

Olives: 6,000 olive trees, including the Coreggiolo, Moraiolo and Leccino varieties. The estate utilizes its own oil press to process oil for third parties.

Red wines

Chianti Superiore DOCG Ripaltella: 100% Sangiovese. The vines are in Bucine, in the Province of Arezzo. South-facing. 400 m a.s.l. Deep, stony soils deep. Well drained. In Bucine the soil is sandy and silty. Vineyards in the Giusterna area are on soils derived from sandstone, also stony. The Ripaltella vineyards are on sandy soils with with a low content of limestone. 4,500 plants per hectare. Hand picked. De-stemmed. Vinification in truncated conical vats. The alcoholic fermentation takes place in about 7-10 days and the subsequent maceration on the skins in about another 8-10 days at a controlled temperature of 27 ° C. 18 months in large barrels

Chianti Classico DOCG, Sorleone: Sangiovese and Merlot from Castelnuovo Berardenga.

 Chianti Classico DOCG, Villa a Sesta: 2018 92% Sangiovese, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Chianti Classico DOCG, Il Palei: From vines in the ‘I Sassi’ plot in Castelnuovo Berardenga. 95% Sangiovese, 5% CS. 18 months in oak. | 2009 90% Sangiovese, 10% Canaiolo. £8-14.99. Evolved, roasted nose, ripe but perhaps not over-ripe, with herbaceous blackberry flavours evident. Sweet berries and slightly disjointed acidity and a drying finish (DWWA 2013). | 2014 100% Sangiovese. | 2015 100% Sangiovese. | 2018 100% Sangiovese. 25,000 bottles.

Chianti Classico DOCG, Il Caggio: 2018 100% Sangiovese.

Chianti Classico DOCG Riserva: 100% Sangiovese from Castelnuovo Berardenga. | 2009 100% Sangiovese. £15-29.99. Openknit nose with orange overtones, odd and lumpy, over-ripe, drying out, prune-like, no medal (DWWA 2013). | 2013 97% Sangiovese, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon. | 2015 90% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. | 2018 92% Sangiovese, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon. 15,000 bottles.

Chianti Classico DOCG Gran Selezione, Sorleone: 2015 100% Sangiovese. | 2018 100% Sangiovese. 13,000 bottles.

Toscana Rosso IGT, Vas: The top wine. From the Casanova vineyard. 450 metres. | 2009 70% Sangiovese, 25% Merlot, 5% Colorino. £15-29.99. Smoky blackcurrants, intense sticky fruit palate, fades, but not over-extracted, some elegance too (Silver, DWWA 2013). | 2015 100% Merlot. | 2016 100% Merlot.

Toscana Rosso IGT, Vas Oro: 2018 100% Cabernet Franc. 5,000 bottles.

Vin santo

Vin Santo del Chianti Classico DOC: 2010 80% Malvasia del Chianti , 20% Trebbiano Toscano. | 2011 40% each Malvasia and Trebbiano Toscano, 12% Canaiolo, 10% Grechetto. Very rich amber colour, caramel-like but in no way a caricature, good (Anteprima 2020).

Other activities: 7 rooms and 4 apartments to rent. Restaurant La Bottega del 30. Polo club, located in Loc. Ripaltella Bucine (Arezzo); has a club house and a polo school.

Contact

Villa a Sesta

Loc. Villa a Sesta

53019 Castelnuovo Berardenga (SI), Italy

Tel+39 0577.359014 | Website:  www.villasesta.com

Bibliography

Bill Nesto MW & Frances Di Savino, Chianti Classico, the Search for Tuscany’s Noblest Wine, (University of California Press, 2016), p.180.