Silvio Messana lived in NYC for the better part of a decade working in the wine business and learning about wines from all over the world. In the late 1990’s he returned to his family’s farm in Cerbaie, a village in the Chianti Classico region, to take over operations for his father. The property contains olive groves and forests, as well as vineyards whose fruit had traditionally been sold to the local co-op. Silvio immediately began setting up his own winery and in 2000 was able to bottle the estate's first wines. He also set about converting the farming to organic and biodynamic practices and secured a long term lease on a separate parcel of vines just up the hill. For many years Silvio has worked with famed U.S. importer Louis/Dressner and the relationships he has courted with the other growers (including his good friend Elisabetta Foradori) has certainly shaped his own philosophy on winemaking. In the cellar he uses only natural yeasts and a variety of vessels for aging, but zero new oak. He does not add any sulphur except during bottling and only when he thinks it necessary. In a famous wine region with hundreds of wineries Silvio’s operation is very much under the radar for most except lovers of natural wine who also want something a bit more “classic”.
Professional Reviews
Antonio Galloni
Details
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Grape Variety
Sangiovese
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Vintage
2020
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Size
750ml
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Farming Practice
Biodynamic
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Style
Aromatic , Fruity , Minerally
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Sweetness
Dry
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Body
Medium Bodied