Podere Canalino
(Winery in Montalcino)
About Winery and Wines
The estate of approximately four hectares is located a few hundred metres from the centre of Montalcino on the edge of chestnut groves along the north west side of the medieval boundary walls. It extends over terracing held up by defensive walls of hilly land and, like a balcony over Tuscany, allows you to enjoy as far as the eyes can see spanning from the view of the Sienese Crete and Siena to the north with Abetone further in the distance, to the Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore to the east with Pratomagno and Casentino in the background, to the woods that extend as far as the Maremma and the metalliferous hills that reach Volterra to the west, and to the islands of Elba and Capraia on the horizon.
The Podere Canalino vineyard produced its first harvest in 2004 after replanting the vines in 1999 on pre-existing terracing around the Montalcino hill at an altitude ranging from 350 to 400 m.a.s.l. The 4ha estate is located just over 800 meters from the town on the edge of a chestnut grove that skirts around the northwest side of the old Montalcino wall and can be reached through the old Porta Burelli gate down a particularly steep dirt road which was once an ancient route to Siena where wayfarers and working animals roamed past the Romanesque church of Madonna delle Grazie, built over the remnants of an old isolation hospital. Legend has it that Our Lady appeared before Don Garcia di Toledo, commander of the Spanish imperial troops, convincing him to stop the siege on the town in 1553. The new vineyard was planted with double vines at 9,500 buds per hectare in order to achieve a limited production of 800-900 grams of grapes per vine: the optimal combination of special intense aromas that are produced at mid-hill range with an excellent structure – essential characteristics to create a “Great” wine. The plants were selected from four different pure local Sangiovese clones to bring out the uniqueness of the land in order to get a final product with the intensity of velvety aromas, soft tannins and an enchanting finish.