Valdicava | Montalcino

Valdicava is one of the finest Brunello producers located in the cool Montosoli area north of Montalcino, where the Sangiovese vineyards enjoy perfect growing conditions. Valdicava is the actual name of the valley in which the greatest single-vineyard wines of Brunello are produced. In the middle of this valley sits the grand Madonna dell Pianno vineyard along with the Valdicava estate.

A relatively small property, covering just 10 hectares, it was bought by the present owner’s grandfather, Martini Bramante in 1953, who began to cultivate the Sangiovese Grosso grape and bottled it under a consorzio label with the family name on the bottles. In 1977, Bramante decided to bottle his wines under the Valdicava label and the initial vintages (77-85) produced wines of great intensity, but which needed many years in the cellar before they approached drinkability. 

In 1987, Vincenzo Abbruzzese (Martini's Grandson) took over and began to work in the vineyards and cellar, developing the Valdicava style. During the 90's the Brunello's Vincenzo produced were extremely well-balanced with the capacity to offer short-term drinking whilst retaining the traditional Brunello characteristics and the ability to age. At the turn of the 21st century Vincenzo's style had developed further, combining the balance of his previous vintages and the traditional Brunello characteristics, alongside a new found power and fruit aroma. Vincenzo attributes this new found transformation in his wines to the long work and investment in the vineyards over the past 25 years.

All Valdicava grapes are organically grown and no chemical pesticides or fertilisers are used in the vineyards. With low yields and long ageing potential Valdicava Brunellos are increasingly being recognised as highly collectable wines, most notably the reserve label, Madonna del Pianno.