Tenuta Montecchiesi Winery

Tenuta Montecchiesi was founded in 1980 as a passion project dedicated to Tuscan wines. Today the winery is run by Augusto’s grandchildren, Davide, Alberto, Francesca, and Nico. The winery encompasses 10 hectares and is located by Lake Trasimeno.

Points of Differentiation

• 100% estate-owned and estate-bottled by the Dal Cero Family for two generations
• The Cortona terroir is particularly suited to Syrah, but also Sangiovese, Vermentino, and Chardonnay
• Hot summer days in Cortona are tempered by vast diurnal temperature shifts, ensuring the wines maintain good acidity and freshness
• Capitalizing on their white wine expertise, the Dal Cero family makes whites and roses in the otherwise red-centric region of Tuscany
• Authentic, versatile, food-friendly, and easy to drink

The History

The Dal Cero family’s story began when the very charismatic Augusto Dal Cero purchased his first three hectares in 1934, leaving the winery to his sons Dario and Giuseppe, when he passed away. The two brothers quickly proved they were up to task, growing the original winery and acquiring a second estate in Cortona, Tuscany to make beautiful terroir- and quality-driven wines with a Tuscan soul.

Today, the winery is run by Dario’s children, Francesca, marketing and export manager, Nico, domestic sales and vineyard manager, and Davide, enologist and cellar manager. While at the helm, the three siblings purchased a third estate in Valpolicella, diversifying the Dal Cero range even further. Each estate – Corte Giacobbe in Soave, Dal Cero in Valpolicella, and Tenuta Montecchiesi in Cortona, Tuscany – has its own line and personality. Their great respect for local traditions, which started with Augusto, is paralleled by their commitment to crafting wines that are the perfect expression of the respective terroir. Their wines also reflect three generations of incomparable dedication and flawless expertise.

The family currently cultivates 272 acres (110 hectares) on the three different estates.

The Terroir

The Dal Cero family bought this estate in 1980 as a passion project dedicated to Tuscan wines. It is located in Cortona (in the Arezzo province) in southeastern Tuscany. The vineyards are located about 853-1,148 feet (260-350 meters) above sea level and see primarily sandy clay soils though there is also some sandstone, marl, and schist. The family mainly concentrates on Vermentino, Chardonnay, Syrah, which is particularly suited to the area, Sangiovese and Cabernet, which all do well in the area’s climate. Hot summer days, mild winters, good day/night temperature swings and constant breezes also see mitigating effects from Lake Trasimeno and contribute to the wines’ profile. After much research, the siblings learned the local terroir is similar to that of Provence. As a result, they began white and rosé programs, focusing on a Chardonnay and Vermentino (Rolle in France) blend and Provence-style Rosé.