Casanova di Neri
With a long-held dream to make great Italian red wine, Giovanni Neri bucked convention, and passed up on Chianti Classico in favour of purchasing Podere Casanova in 1971, a mere 4 years after Montalcino had achieved DOC status.
Changing the name to Casanova di Neri, he worked in consultation with some of Tuscany’s leading winemakers, to restore the estate’s existing Sangiovese vines and plant new ones.
Today run by Giovanni’s grandson (also Giovanni), the estate is now farmed organically, with four single Cru Brunellos which showcase the old-vines of the estate, now over half a century old.
They have transitioned from an upstart producer in an unknown DOC, to a superstar, and one of the benchmarks against which Brunello di Montalcino is judged.
