Altesino
At the heart of the Altesino estate sits the imposing structure of the 15th century Palazzo Altesi, site of the original Altesino winery and cellars.
It was built by the Tricerchi family, whose marble crest can still be seen set over the old oak entrance door. Throughout its long history the Altesino estate has enjoyed a reputation for excellence and innovation. In 1975 it was the first winery to introduce the “Cru” concept with Brunello di Montalcino Montosoli and in 1979 it was the first to use barriques. In 2002 Altesino was acquired by the Gnudi Angelini family who developed a close working relationship with the renowned winemaker, Paolo Caciorgna, to create one of the region’s great wine estates.
The Hills of Montalcino
The Altesino estate sits in the heart of southern Tuscany, approximately forty kilometres south of the City of Siena. Today, the borders of the Montalcino wine producing region mirror those of the historical Municipality of the same name. Over the years, the region has remained largely unscathed by the influences of modern development, allowing it to retain its unique culture and beauty. These distinctive characteristics were recognised in 2004 when Montalcino was declared it a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Montalcino and its wines are an inseparable. The old traditions and culture that shaped the region have had a strong influence on the development of “Azienda Agricola Altesino” (winery and farm) for which the area is famous.
Altesino’s Philosophy
Today, the winery’s approach combines a deep-rooted respect for the region’s traditions with a forward-looking perspective. This approach has produced consistently high-quality wines that have elevated Brunello’s reputation on the world stage. Throughout its history, the company’s philosophy has been based on maintaining the highest levels of quality by paying attention to detail at every level; from its emphasis on traditional agricultural methods, to the hand selection of the grapes and use of rose bushes to protect its vines – it is a principle that governs every aspect of life and work on the estate.
The Altesino Cellars
Part of Altesino’s historical cellars are situated within the historic walls of Palazzo Altesi, while its modern production facilities, where fermentation, refining and bottling take place, were built underground on the slopes of the surrounding vineyards to create an eco-sustainable winery. Every aspect of the winery has been carefully designed to improve and streamline production, whilst minimising its impact of the local environment. All structural work was therefore carried out on-site and no prefabricated parts were permitted within the build. Within the historic 15th century Palazzo Altesi, a section remains that was built in the 1970s, which is now used for refining Brunello Montosoli.
