Chianti Montalbano is one of Chianti's seven subzones, covering a chain of hills to the west of Florence. Its Sangiovese-based wines fall under the iconic DOCG, but Montalbano as a whole is overshadowed by the Carmignano DOCG, with which it overlaps. Chianti Montalbano wines tend to be light and fruit-driven, and quite different to those of the separate Chianti Classico DOCG, and Carmignano with its higher proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon.
The vineyards of Montalbano are situated on hills in the province of Prato west of Florence and the south of Pistoia. Generally, Montalbano wines come from vineyards on the western side of the hills, while Carmignano's vineyard land is on the eastern slopes. This production zone is also located near Vinci, which was once the home town of Leonardo da Vinci during the Renaissance era.
The terroir here is conducive to grapegrowing, with the vines planted on sunny, well-drained slopes with lime-rich soils. These allow for deep root growth, and consequently healthy vines, with enough water storage that the vines are hydrated throughout the year. The Montalbano side of the hill has slightly more sandstone and is lighter in texture than in Carmignano, in turn leading to a slightly lighter style of wine. The warm, sunny Tuscan days are followed by cooler nights, helping with the grapes' retention of acidity and flavor development.
As stipulated in the Chianti DOCG laws, Chianti Montalbano wines must be at least 70 percent Sangiovese, the traditional Tuscan grape variety. This may be ameliorated with smaller amounts of native varieties Canaiolo and Colorino. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are also permitted, but are used in much smaller quantities than across the hill in Carmignano. Chianti Montalbano wines are known for their soft and scented personality. They are also the Chianti with the shortest lifespan and should be drunk young.
To learn more about Chianti and its other subzones, please visit the Chianti region page.
