Fornacella is a small, family-run organic estate in Montalcino, where the Ciacci family carries forward several generations of local peasant farming tradition.
Backstory
The roots reach back to 1976, when Alvaro Ciacci acquired the land. His grandson Marco Ciacci established the winery in 1990 and runs it today, drawing on the family's long background as farmers in the area. It remains a modest operation, the kind of grower-bottler estate that gives Montalcino its quiet backbone rather than its headlines.
The Region
Montalcino, in southern Tuscany, is home to Brunello, one of Italy's most celebrated reds and one of the first wines to earn DOCG status. Warm, dry, and well-ventilated, the zone ripens Sangiovese to full power while preserving its structure, and the long mandatory aging gives the wines their reputation for longevity.
Vineyards & Farming
The estate works roughly 2.5 hectares of vineyards at elevations between 300 and 400 meters. The soils mix sandstone and sand with galestro schist and marine fossils, a combination that lends Sangiovese both grip and perfume. Farming is certified organic and extends to the estate's olive groves, worked with the same care as the vines.
Winemaking
Grapes are hand-harvested and fermented for about 25 days in a combination of wooden and steel vats. The Brunello then ages for 36 months in Slavonian oak casks ranging from 10.5 to 22 hectoliters, the large, neutral format that lets fruit and terroir lead. A minimum of six months in bottle follows before release.
The Wines
The flagship is the Brunello di Montalcino, made from 100 percent Sangiovese in keeping with appellation rules. It is a traditional, patient expression built to reflect its terroir rather than the cellar, alongside earlier-drinking releases from the same organic fruit.
