Eneo IGT Toscana by Montepeloso 2018

In 1998, when Fabio Chiarelotto, a trained historian, acquired the Montepeloso estate, it was already gaining international acclaim. Montepeloso sources its grapes from hillside vineyards near the town of Suvereto. The region's petrified clay soils, coupled with its proximity to the sea, contribute a remarkable intensity of flavour to the wines. Not surprisingly, several estates have emerged in the past two decades, but most are situated in the denser clays of the valley floor.

Over eight painstaking years, Chiarelotto meticulously transformed the estate's vineyards. With each vintage, he experimented with blends and techniques to capture the latent power of the terroir, yet temper it to allow the terroir's full expression.

Similar to the renowned Montalcino figure Gianfranco Soldera, Chiarelotto adheres to his own philosophies, displaying an obsessive commitment to quality and a seeming indifference to others' opinions about him or his wines.

While initial progress was steady, the turning point came in the 2006 vintage, marking the onset of the estate's 'mature phase.' The vineyards were finally rehabilitated, and Fabio had settled on a blend of varieties perfectly suited to convey the essence of Suvereto and Montepeloso. His experiments in winemaking and aging had revealed the right balance for each wine. Moreover, he had gained a profound understanding of his terroir and the specific path each wine should follow.