Storia
Vineyard development
Vineyards supplying the 2015 Tenuta Perano bottling were planted in 1999. They were established on south- to south-west-facing, stony Alberese soils at 5,500 vines per hectare, using cordon training and spur pruning.
The Frescobaldi family and Perano
The Frescobaldi family describes Perano as an estate the whole family was determined to acquire. The acquisition date and the estate's earlier ownership history are not recorded. Within the property, the family selected the elevated Rialzi vineyard, whose three natural steps gave it its name. The development of a Gran Selezione from this vineyard was pursued for several years as an expression of the family's emphasis on place and quality.
2015: a documented new chapter
The 2015 harvest became the first vintage of Tenuta Perano Chianti Classico Riserva. The estate's published vintage archive also begins with 2015 for Tenuta Perano, Tenuta Perano Riserva and Rialzi, although only the Riserva is explicitly identified as a first vintage.
Terroir
Location and elevation
Tenuta Perano lies in the historic Chianti area between Gaiole and Radda, within the municipality of Gaiole in Chianti in the Province of Siena. The estate extends over more than 250 hectares. Its general elevation ranges from approximately 400 to 500 metres, while the principal descriptions of its vineyards place them at about 500 metres. This is close to the upper limit considered suitable here for late-ripening red varieties such as Sangiovese.
Landform, exposure and air movement
Three amphitheatre-like formations dominate the property. Their south-western orientation captures and reflects sunlight, concentrates warmth and supports grape ripening at this high elevation. The vineyards occupy markedly steep slopes. Their configuration encourages healthy air circulation, while the surrounding woods send cool breezes through the vineyards at night. The combination of warm daylight, ventilation and cooler nights shapes the estate's mesoclimate.
Climate and soils
The climate is continental. Soils contain a high proportion of stones and are described more specifically as marl and limestone, including the local stony Alberese formation. The steep gradients and skeletal soils promote drainage. At Rialzi, the stepped configuration is especially free-draining.
Rialzi
Rialzi occupies an elevated position at 500 metres and above, with a south-west exposure. It rises over three natural terraces of Alberese soil and faces the medieval village of Vertine. The vineyard's altitude, exposure, slope, drainage and distinctive microclimate underpin its selection as the estate's single-vineyard expression.
Vinificazione
The estate cultivates red varieties on unusually steep, high-elevation ground. Sangiovese is the principal focus, with Merlot and other complementary varieties also documented.
The vineyard material described for the 2015 estate bottling was planted in 1999 at a density of 5,500 vines per hectare. The vines were cordon-trained and spur-pruned. At Rialzi, careful vineyard work precedes a gentle manual harvest. The grapes are then subjected to a second, exacting selection in the cellar.
The steep slopes, stony soils and stepped form of Rialzi provide natural drainage. South- and south-west-facing rows receive sustained sunlight, while regular winds and cooler night air from the surrounding woods ventilate the canopy. No formal organic, biodynamic or other farming certification is identified.
Production is based on manually harvested fruit, with especially rigorous vineyard selection for the Riserva and Rialzi. Rialzi undergoes a further selection after delivery to the cellar.
Fermentation takes place in stainless-steel tanks or vats under controlled temperature. Skin maceration is accompanied by measured, gentle pump-overs to extract colour and polyphenols. For the Riserva, the cap is broken frequently to regulate extraction and develop its structure.
Wood maturation varies by selection. The estate Chianti Classico is matured in a combination of barriques and stainless steel, with part of the wine spending time in wood. The Riserva matures for 24 months in oak barrels; another estate description specifies Slavonian oak. Rialzi matures for 36 months in total, including 24 months in barriques. Each selection receives an additional period of bottle ageing before release.
Filosofia
Tenuta Perano is presented through a place-first philosophy: the identity of the wine begins with the individual estate, and each property is managed in a way intended to respect its own vineyards and character. For Perano, that means working with high elevation, very steep slopes, stony soils, natural amphitheatres, sunlight and ventilation rather than treating the property as interchangeable with the family's other estates.
The Frescobaldi family describes Rialzi as a project pursued over many years. Its selection from the three-stepped vineyard reflects a continuing commitment to expressing the most distinctive part of Perano. The broader family principle is that Tuscany's richness lies in the diversity of its territories and that each estate's wines should preserve that diversity and authenticity.