Questo vino
Vineyard and terroir
Mezzo Braccio comes from Rhine Riesling grown in the Le Fonti vineyard at Tenuta Monteloro, near Fiesole on the foothills of the Apennines outside Florence. The estate has a cool year-round climate and an average elevation of 500 m above sea level. Its mineral-rich clay soils tend towards calcareous and contain a notable proportion of fine gravel and rocky material.
Grapes
100% Rhine Riesling.
Vinification
For the 2022 vintage, the grapes were picked by hand in two stages. Harvest began in the more vigorous parcels in mid-September to preserve acidity and mineral character. The higher parts of the vineyard were harvested during the first week of October, once the grapes had achieved greater aromatic concentration and ripeness.
The bunches were destemmed and gently pressed. Each vineyard parcel underwent alcoholic fermentation separately in stainless-steel vats, with the temperature kept at or below 16 °C.
Ageing
The wine matured on its lees and was maintained at 10 °C until bottling in mid-July 2023. It then received a further 24 months of bottle ageing.
Tasting profile
The 2022 vintage is light straw yellow with greenish reflections. Intense pear and white-peach aromas alternate with delicate notes of citrus pith and white flowers. Aromatic herbs and the variety’s characteristic hydrocarbon nuances complete the bouquet. The palate is fresh, mineral and full-bodied, leading to a persistent herbal finish.
Vintage notes
The 2022 season began with a cold, rainy winter that replenished the soil’s water reserves. Mild, slightly warmer-than-average spring temperatures supported regular and even budbreak, while dry conditions developed from May. Summer was hot and dry during flowering and berry growth. Rainfall from mid-August moderated peak temperatures and helped the clusters progress steadily through veraison. Occasional rain and pronounced day-to-night temperature changes in September and early October encouraged slow, even ripening in the Le Fonti vineyard.
Label / history
Mezzo Braccio has been produced since the 2007 vintage. Its name derives from an old Florentine unit of measurement used in rural areas for small plots of land and related to the better-known Braccio Fiorentino. The estate’s intertwined triton-bodied, dragon-winged creatures form the letter “M” and refer to the local tradition connecting Monteloro’s landscape with Dante Alighieri and the Divine Comedy.
