Rosso di Toscana 'Bulgarelli' 2022 Ficomontanino
In stock
Grape Varietal: Sangiovese
Country: Italy
Region: Toscana IGT, Chiusi, Siena
The Wine: Ficomontanino is the biodynamically farmed estate of Maria Sole Giannelli near Chiusi, in the quiet southeastern corner of Tuscany where the borders of Siena, Umbria, and Lazio converge at 350 meters. Her grandfather bought the property in the 1960s to breed horses and make olive oil; ancient terracing hidden in the undergrowth hinted at a viticultural past going back perhaps to the Etruscans. Maria Sole took charge of the vines in 2014 and rebuilt them as a living ecosystem — biodynamic preparations, free-growing cover vegetation, minimal copper-sulfate, and a cellar philosophy informed by Slow Food studies, the natural wines of Tenute Dettori, and years working in Piedmont. Her cellar partner Fabio came via Ar.Pe.Pe in the Valtellina. Bulgarelli — named after her grandfather's prized stallion — is the estate's workhorse wine, pure Sangiovese from three parcels (Ficomontano, Melogranino, and Campo Cavalli) on 20–30 year-old vines in sandy clay soils.
Hand-picked and destemmed, spontaneously fermented with a two-week maceration in cement, then aged at least 10 months in cement and 8 months in steel, bottled unfiltered and unfined.
The 2022 Bulgarelli is a fresh, direct, and characterful Sangiovese that pulls in multiple directions at once — earthy and bright, spicy and politely wild. It opens with aromas of red plum, crushed cherry, dried herbs, and scorched earth, with a balsamic lift and a thread of smoke. On the palate it is medium-bodied and lively, with spreading fine tannins, crisp acidity, and a savory, mineral finish that lingers without weight.
Pairing: Grilled sausage with white beans and sage, ribollita ladled over toasted bread, a board of Pecorino Toscano with cured olives and salted crackers, or a weeknight pasta of tomato, anchovy, and capers eaten with the windows open and no occasion required.
