Suvereto estate founded 1984; Redigaffi, a 100% Merlot, scored 100 points from Wine Advocate for the 2000 vintage and put the Val di Cornia on the Super Tuscan map.
Signature wines: tua-rita-redigaffi, tua-rita-giusto-di-notri, tua-rita-perlato-del-bosco
Scores: Wine Advocate 100 (2000), Vinous 97 (2019)
Address: Localita Notri 81, 57028 Suvereto, Livorno, Italy, Tuscany
Small Chianti Classico estate at Poggibonsi run by Vicky Schmitt-Vitali since 1999. Certified ICEA-organic; the Vin Santo del Chianti Classico is aged 10 years in caratelli.
Tasting: Small-group estate tastings and cellar visits by appointment; agriturismo rooms available; certified organic.
Signature wines: le-fonti-chianti-classico-riserva, le-fonti-vito-arturo, le-fonti-vin-santo
Scores: Vinous 92 (2019), Wine Advocate 91 (2019)
1,200-hectare estate at Gaiole in Chianti with 240 hectares under vine. Bettino Ricasoli codified the modern Chianti formula here in 1872; the family has owned the castle since 1141 and produces Gran Selezione plus the Casalferro IGT.
Tasting: Cellar visits, guided tastings, wine shop, agriturismo, and the Osteria del Castello restaurant at the Madonna a Brolio property. Open daily 10:00 to 19:00.
Signature wines: castello-di-brolio-gran-selezione, colledila-gran-selezione, casalferro, brolio-bettino
Scores: Wine Advocate 96 (2019), James Suckling 96 (2019)
Sergio Manetti founded Montevertine at Radda in 1967 and walked out of the Chianti Classico consortium in 1981 to bottle pure Sangiovese as Toscana IGT. Le Pergole Torte (1977 first vintage) is the canonical pure-Sangiovese IGT.
Tasting: Cellar tour and tasting by appointment only; small-group visits hosted at the estate cellar at Radda in Chianti.
Signature wines: le-pergole-torte, montevertine-rosso, pian-del-ciampolo
Scores: Wine Advocate 97 (2019), Vinous 96 (2019)
Castelnuovo dell'Abate estate founded by Piero Palmucci in 1989, now part of the ColleMassari Group (acquired 2011). Long Slavonian-oak ageing and southeastern Montalcino fruit anchor a top-tier modern Brunello.
Tasting: Cellar visits and Brunello tastings by appointment only at the Castelnuovo dell'Abate estate.
Signature wines: poggio-di-sotto-brunello, poggio-di-sotto-brunello-riserva, poggio-di-sotto-rosso-di-montalcino
Scores: Wine Advocate 97 (2016), Vinous 96 (2016)
Mazzei has owned Castello di Fonterutoli at Castellina since 1435. Today 117 hectares of vineyards across 120 parcels, with the Castello Fonterutoli Gran Selezione, the Sangiovese-Merlot Siepi IGT, and the 1981-launched Concerto.
Tasting: Estate tour and tasting at the Fonterutoli hamlet, plus the Osteria di Fonterutoli restaurant; booking via mazzei.it. The cellar at Castellina is open by appointment.
Signature wines: castello-fonterutoli-gran-selezione, siepi, concerto-di-fonterutoli, poggio-badiola
Scores: Wine Advocate 97 (2019), James Suckling 97 (2019)
31-hectare estate in upper Val d'Arno owned by the Sanjust family since 1947. The Galatrona vineyard produces a 100 percent Merlot widely cited among Italy's top Merlots; Torrione and Boggina cover Sangiovese under the Val d'Arno di Sopra DOC.
Tasting: Estate tasting and cellar visits by appointment; multiple agriturismo properties (La Villa, Boggina, La Vigna, La Costa, Feriale) on the estate.
Signature wines: galatrona, boggina-c, torrione
Scores: Wine Advocate 97 (2019), James Suckling 97 (2019)
