La Serena
Region: Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany
Family owned and run estate La Serena was established in 1934 with commerical production of wine beginning in 1988 utilising three blocks of Sangiovese. Organically farmed from the beginning, with certification awarded in 2013, they very much make terroir driven wines reflective of site. This 12 hectare estate is located east of Montalcino next to Casanove and produces highly acclaimed wines with both power and elegance. Making three Brunello including a DOCG and a Riserva Gemini, these wines age beautifully and are released with cellaring so that they can be enjoyed on purchase, or they will continue to envolve in the bottle.
History
The Mantengoli family have been living in Montalcino since the early 1930s, when they bought their farm ‘La Rasa’. What started as a hectare of Sangiovese, used to make wine for family consumption, has slowly grown since the 1980s (when they first bottled their wine. Today they farm 12 hectares of organic Sangiovese vines interspersed with the family’s olive trees, cereal crop and native woodland. Now in the hands of the third generation, husband and wife team Andrea and Elisabetta manage the winemaking side of the estate, producing three wines exclusively within the Brunello di Montalcino DOC.
Viticulture & Winemaking
Viticulture
Andrea is the driving force in the vineyard and winery and very passionate about allowing terroir to be driven through into the bottle. The domaine has farmed organically since the inception and began official accreditation in 2010, with certification in 2013. Situated East of Montalcino, the estate comprises of three different vine parcels around 450m above sea level, with the youngest vines planted in 1991 and used for the Riserva. Surrounded by Cerbaiona, Casanova di Neri and Biondi Santi’s famous ‘Il Greppo’ vineyard, the soils are very similar to the stony galestro found in the famed Montosoli cru, but less compact, helping to produce wines that are more approachable from a younger age. The vines are planted at a density of 6000 vines h/a, cane pruned and the canes are arched over the wire (capovolto Toscana).
Vineyard activities are kept at a ‘minimum’, starting from the belief that everything begins at the root, so being gentle to the soil must be front of mind. In Andrea’s words, ‘Not doing does not mean not knowing and not watching over our rows, but to intervene in the vineyard only when necessary.’ This includes chosing to minimise their interference on the spontaneous flora and fauna of the vineyard encouraging. Grassing with self-produced seeds on the farm and postponing the mowing after flowering so that the bees present on the farm can do their pollination work.
Winemaking
All grapes are hand-picked, with fermentation primarily in temperature-controlled stainless steel (although some parcels will undergo ferment, malo and ageing in the same oak vessel). Whilst much more approachable in their youth, the goal is still to produce wines that will last 10-30 years. Working almost exclusively with 2000-4000L foudre (“botti”), the casks are a mixture of French and Slovenian oak and Andrea is incredibly gentle and careful in the cellar, eschewing commercial yeasts and using paper to filter if necessary. All La Serena wines are vegan friendly.
With the Rosso di Montalcino, the aim is to bottle a ‘baby Brunello’, using exclusively Sangiovese grapes aged in wood for 12 months and a further 10 months in bottle before release.
The Brunello di Montalcino DOCG spends two years in oak and a year in bottle before release, whilst the Riserva coming from a single foudre that is aged for 3 years before it’s 12 months further ageing in bottle.