Le Potazzine
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Country of Origin: Italy
Location: Montalcino
People: Gigliola Giannetti with daughters Viola & Sofia Gorelli, Owners & Winemakers
Viticulture: Certified Organic
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Gigliola Gianetti founded Le Potazzine in 1993 after years of working with Biondi Santi and drawing inspiration from Soldera. Le Potazzine means “chickadees” and refers to the colorful little songbirds found in the Tuscan countryside. It’s also the affectionate nickname for her two daughters, Viola and Sofia. The name captures the spirit of the winery: family-owned, deeply personal, and entirely run by women. Today, the estate is firmly established and widely considered a benchmark in Montalcino. Viola now leads winemaking, and Sofia manages sales and exports. Their wines have earned a loyal following and are allocated globally (total production is only 35,000 bottles!).
The estate sits high in the hills southwest of Montalcino, in a small village called La Prata. It consists of 5 hectares of Sangiovese planted at altitudes once considered too extreme for proper ripening. In the beginning, many thought Gigliola was crazy to plant there. The two sites—3.5 hectares in Le Prata next to the winery at 1,665 feet, and 1.5 hectares in Sant’Angelo in Colle at 1,378 feet—are now recognized as prime vineyards in a warming climate.
The high elevation brings constant cooling breezes, which allow for chemical-free farming. Farming is fully organic, and a few biodynamic preparations are used, such as 500 spray. Everything is done by hand by a small team of five. Work in the vineyard is paramount, as very little is done in the winery. The altitude also brings dramatic diurnal temperature swings—hot days and cool nights—essential for producing great wine. The growing season is long, often stretching into October. At harvest, careful selection in the vineyard is key. Picking decisions are guided by taste, not formulas, with lab analysis used only as a backup.
The winery itself is beautifully designed—built to perfection and to Gigliola’s exact specifications. Fermentation tanks are located on the top floor, with a large window looking out over the estate’s vines. The aging cellar lies below, allowing gravity to move the wines naturally through the building. Fermentations are long, slow, and spontaneous, usually lasting 30–40 days. Stainless steel and three large barrels are used, all without temperature control. Pump overs are done daily. By mid-November, the grapes are softly pressed, and the juice is returned to the tanks. Malolactic fermentation starts naturally and typically finishes by December. The wines are then racked and transferred by gravity to the cellar for aging. Aging is traditional and takes place in large, neutral Slavonian oak with zero toast, preserving the purity of fruit and site. The exception is their IGT Sangiovese, which is aged in stainless steel. The wines are never filtered.
The results are exceptional: traditional, 100% Sangiovese wines that offer both concentration and finesse. They show balance, energy, and that classic sanguinella character (bloody, savory, and meaty) beneath layers of pure mountain fruit. Citrus peel, blood orange, and savory minerality are hallmarks, alongside a distinctive elegance that has earned the wines global acclaim.
The Rosso, aged for 10–12 months, seriously over delivers. Made from declassified Brunello lots after fermentation, it drinks like many top-tier Brunelli and is the wine to enjoy while waiting for their Brunello and Riserva to mature.
The regular Brunello is aged for 30–40 months and, by law, qualifies as a Riserva. For that reason, the labeled Riserva is produced only in the most exceptional vintages (2004, 2006, 2011, 2015, 2019, 2021). It is a vineyard selection of the best grapes and rows, aged for nearly five years, and built to last for decades.