Castelnuovo Berardenga. Fraction of San Felice. Siena. South of Chianti Classico. Here, Giovanna Morganti has been managing a handful of hectares (3.5 ha) since the late 1990s, jealously guarding against the domination of industrial oenology. It was her father Enzo, an oenologist in the 1950s and 1960s, who understood the potential of Sangiovese and put it on the map as a quality product, rejuvenating it from a popular image and helping to give it its rightful dignity.

Over time, the years of mass-produced, industrial wine came and Chianti Classico became unrecognizable. In the 1980s, her father left her a small farm with olive groves, called Le Boncie. Here, Giovanna Morganti plants historic Tuscan varieties harvested in old vineyards: Sangiovese, but also Ciliegiolo, Colorino, Foglia Tonda, Mammolo and Prugnolo. The soils are a mixture of silt (which gives Sangiovese its finesse) and clay with very active limestone (which gives the acidity). Boncie became a garrison of resistance, against the wine industry and against an idea of land use far removed from true viticulture.

It planted high-density vineyards (7,000 vines/hectare) and bush-driven vines, returning to a management system that was widespread in the past and abandoned due to the difficulty of managing it, but considered to be one of the few forms that allow for greater wood health, which translates into a vineyard's longevity and greater light absorption. This is followed by non-intervention in the field and in the cellar, under the banner of natural agriculture inspired by biodynamic principles. In the cellar, vinification is very traditional, with spontaneous fermentation using indigenous yeasts to preserve the richness and life of the vineyard, carried out in small open vats, without temperature control and with short maceration periods.

Giovanna Morganti's wines are authentic. But above all, they are an act of love for her territory, with the aim of protecting its integrity. Several years ago, she gave up claiming DOCG Chianti Classico for her wines, which are now simply classified as IGT Toscana.

Selection

Le Trame

Trame di Le Boncie is an elegant, earthy and inimitable Sangiovese. It was born at the hands of the now mythical Giovanna Morganti at San Felice, in the heart of Castelnuovo Berardenga, near Siena. A child of the ball, Giovanna grew up between the heat of fermentation and the humidity of the cellar. She worked in various Tuscan wineries until she inherited her father's estate in 1983.

This Sangiovese is the cult wine of the Le Boncie winery. The 4 hectares of vines are entirely low-growing, which for Giovanna represents the most humble and dignified form of the vine: it withstands the heat better, protects the bunches and the birds, and can't stand standing in rows, absolutely indomitable, as she calls herself. Their round shape is a striking sight among the Chianti hills. A non-interventionist policy has always been followed in the vineyard and cellar, where the cornerstone is spontaneous fermentation and the integrity of the grapes. Aging takes place in large oak barrels and lasts at least 13 months.

The Le Trame wine produced by Le Boncie continues to surprise from nose to palate, releasing vibrant, earthy sensations, with complex notes ranging from blueberry to leather. On the palate, it remains textured, lively and present. It is easily recognizable and has a great capacity to tell the story of its terroir energetically. It speaks narrow Tuscan and pairs easily with fresh pasta in meat sauce or wild boar stew.