Introduction: Castello di Montepò is the Maremma project of Jacopo Biondi Santi — son of Franco Biondi Santi, who isolated the Sangiovese Grosso clone and created Brunello di Montalcino as the world knows it. The Sassoalloro Oro is a single-vineyard cru created in 2021 to mark the 30th anniversary of the estate's flagship Sassoalloro label, developed by Jacopo and his son Tancredi in collaboration with enologist Donato Lanati. It represents the pinnacle of what the family's BBS11 clone achieves at a single, carefully selected galestro site.

Terroir: The Aia di Clemente vineyard — named for Jacopo's ancestor Clemente Santi, the 19th-century agronomist who first identified Sangiovese Grosso — sits on east and south-east facing galestro slopes at 300 to 450 meters above sea level within the Montepò estate. Galestro's excellent drainage and mineral richness force deep root development without irrigation and contribute the stony tension that distinguishes this cru from the standard bottling. The Scansano mesoclimate is warm and dry, tempered by cooling breezes that preserve the natural acidity central to the wine's structure.

Appearance: Ruby red, rich and brilliant with violet highlights — vivid and youthful in the glass, with the characteristic Sangiovese brightness that signals freshness and energy.

Nose: Elegant and precise, with cherry and violet leading a bouquet of genuine refinement and depth. As the wine opens, black and red fruit expands alongside earthy mineral notes, licorice, and a light eucalyptus lift. The oak aging introduces spice and toasted notes with elegance rather than imposition — the galestro and the BBS11 clone always at the center of the aromatic narrative.

Palate: Medium to full-bodied with the silky, dense, and finely calibrated tannins that set this wine apart from the standard Sassoalloro. Fresh and layered, with ripe cherry, plum, black fruit, and a distinctly earthy, tarry mineral quality from the galestro soils threading through the mid-palate. The Slavonian oak casks and French barriques provide structure and spice without overwhelming the variety's characteristic acidity and transparency. Firm and focused, yet balanced throughout.

Finish: Long and driven, with black cherry, mineral, dried herbs, and a lingering freshness that speaks to genuine aging potential. The tannins resolve with authority but not aggression, and the finish stays mouthwatering and refined well past the fruit.

Food Pairings:
🥩 Meat: Roasted Maremma wild boar, bistecca alla Fiorentina, or slow-braised Tuscan game birds with juniper and rosemary
🥦 Vegetarian: Truffle and porcini tagliatelle, roasted eggplant with aged Pecorino, or ribollita with good olive oil
🧀 Charcuterie Board: Aged Pecorino di Pienza, Finocchiona salami, truffle honey, dried cranberries, and lardo on toasted bread

Overall Impression: The 2021 Sassoalloro Oro is a wine of ambition, lineage, and genuine terroir character — a single-vineyard Sangiovese Grosso from one of the great Italian winemaking families, crafted to demonstrate what the BBS11 clone achieves at its most carefully selected. The 2021 vintage in Tuscany was outstanding, delivering ripe, elegant fruit with excellent structure and freshness, and this wine rewards decanting and benefits from short to medium-term cellaring. Serve at 63–65°F with at least 30 to 45 minutes of decanting; drink from 2024 through 2032 and beyond.

Alcohol by Volume (ABV %): 14.5%
Farming Practices: Sustainable viticulture; no irrigation; galestro-rich soils; single-vineyard selection from vines over 15 years old; hand-harvested at end of September with selective bunch selection
Producer Name: Castello di Montepò / Jacopo & Tancredi Biondi Santi
Old World / New World: Old World
Country of Origin: Italy
Region: Toscana IGT — Aia di Clemente, Scansano, Province of Grosseto, Maremma, Tuscany
Grape Varietals: Sangiovese Grosso BBS11 clone 100%
Vintage: 2021
Wine Style: Dry Red — Medium-to-full-bodied and mineral-driven, with a structured, elegant Sangiovese Grosso profile shaped by single-vineyard galestro terroir and careful mixed-vessel oak aging. More refined and site-specific than the standard Sassoalloro; built for the table and aging potential of 10 or more years. 
Winemaking Techniques: Hand-harvested; destemmed and crushed; fermentation in stainless steel vats with pump-overs and délestages until sugar exhaustion; malolactic fermentation in stainless steel; aged 14 months in 28.5hL Slavonian oak botti and 225L French oak barriques; assembled and bottle aged before release; winemaking in collaboration with enologist Donato Lanati
Pack Size: 750ml
Container Style: Glass bottle
Closure Style: Cork