From sparkling wines and whites to Montefili’s Sangiovese: in the Gran Selezione, freshness and drinkability go hand in hand with structure and ageing potential, while preserving the wine’s distinctive identity.
September 25, 2026 (Greve in Chianti) — Serena Gusmeri began working with red wines when she joined Vecchie Terre di Montefili in 2015. Before that, there had been the sparkling wines of Franciacorta and the whites of Campania: experiences that taught her to work with precision and to calibrate every intervention. In Chianti Classico, those skills encountered Sangiovese and a practical question: how can its depth be enhanced while preserving freshness and drinkability?
The Montefili Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG expresses this pursuit. Notes of cherry and dark-toned plum blend with nuances of blackberry, enhanced by warm and refined spice notes. On the palate, it moves with vivid energy, framed by elegant, finely woven tannins that provide depth and balance, while the fruit remains central to the wine’s profile.
For Serena Gusmeri, freshness is an inherent characteristic of Sangiovese. The work lies in enhancing it alongside the grape variety’s natural drinkability, without following trends. This vision guides Montefili’s decisions, from vineyard management to the interpretation of the grapes in the cellar.
“In Sangiovese, I look for a balance between depth and momentum. Structure matters, but it must leave room for the fruit and for a sip that invites you back to the glass. With our Gran Selezione, we work so that freshness and tannins support one another, accompanying the wine throughout its evolution,” explains Serena Gusmeri.
The starting point is the vineyards. Montefili extends across 12.5 hectares of vines in the municipality of Greve in Chianti, between the UGAs of Panzano and Montefioralle, with vineyards reaching 540 metres above sea level. Ventilation and wide diurnal temperature variations encourage gradual ripening and help preserve grape freshness. The soils are composed of three distinct geological formations, Pietraforte, Alberese and schistous clay, each requiring individual understanding and management.
By combining the roles of agronomist and winemaker, Serena Gusmeri is able to follow the grapes throughout the growing season and then meet them again in the cellar with a direct understanding of their journey. Soil studies, observation of the vines and monitoring of ripeness guide decisions; separate vinifications make it possible to identify the characteristics of each vineyard before making the choices that will define the wines.
Her training with white and sparkling wines has led Serena Gusmeri to place particular emphasis on aromatic precision and freshness. In her work with Sangiovese, these sensitivities engage with the structure and tannins of a red wine. Montefili’s Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG is born from this encounter: a wine that preserves depth and ageing potential, with clearly defined fruit and well-integrated tannins that enhance overall drinkability.
It is this balance that makes its interpretation contemporary. The search for more approachable red wines finds an answer in Sangiovese itself: freshness can support a structured wine and accompany it at the table without the need to redefine its identity.
For Montefili, being contemporary means recognising the relevance of its heritage and continuing to interpret it: maintaining a close connection with the vineyards while giving the wine’s structure a balance that continually invites another sip.
About Vecchie Terre di Montefili
Located between the UGAs of Panzano and Montefioralle in the heart of Chianti Classico, Vecchie Terre di Montefili was founded in 1975 and acquired in 2015 by Frank Bynum and Tom Peck Jr. Today, under the direction of winemaker and agronomist Serena Gusmeri, the estate farms 12.5 hectares of vineyards at approximately 540 metres above sea level, following a philosophy rooted in sustainability, biodiversity and the careful expression of individual vineyard parcels. Sangiovese lies at the heart of production, giving rise to wines that combine elegance, a profound sense of place and outstanding ageing potential.
