MONTESECONDO
SILVIO MESSANA

Silvio Messana was born in Tunisia into a family of Italian origin. He studied in Florence and Boston then became a jazz musician in New York before founding the Montesecondo estate in Tuscany.

He took possession of the estate in 2000 and moved without hesitation from conventional agriculture to biodynamic practices. Because immediately, Silvio realized that not only was his health threatened by the chemistry used in the vineyard, but also that the terroir was not expressing its full potential in such conditions. This awareness led him to create authentic wines of great drinkability, which reflect the depth of the Chianti terroir.

The estate is split into two plots in the Chianti Classico zone, each giving different qualities to the blends. The first, a lower plot of land on deep clay-limestone soils, produces richer and more complex wines while the second, perched at an altitude of 500 m on more calcareous soils, gives acidity and freshness.

Silvio grows Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Trebbiano and some Cabernet Sauvignon. All fermentations in the cellar are carried out using indigenous yeasts, SO2 is only used lightly during bottling, and aging is carried out in neutral containers such as cement, amphora and large barrels. Each in their own way, these wines are surprising, refreshing and utterly charming, just like Silvio.