Uccelliera

Medieval origins

Uccelliera takes its name from an old farmstead on the slope of Castelnuovo dell’Abate, overlooking the ancient volcano of Monte Amiata. Documents dating from the late Middle Ages already record the locality near the Abbazia di Sant’Antimo and the local alabaster or onyx quarries. The name is associated with an uccelliera, or aviary, and is thought to refer to the use of birds of prey in hunting. At least seven centuries of the property’s history are documented.

Andrea Cortonesi’s agricultural formation

Andrea Cortonesi was the only son of a sharecropping family. He began helping his father in the vineyards and throughout the farm while still a boy. The sacrifice and demanding manual work of that rural culture taught him respect, affection and humility toward the land. Encounters with important figures in wine subsequently helped him develop his abilities as a winegrower, winemaker and agricultural entrepreneur.

Andrea describes becoming an agricultural entrepreneur as a deliberate choice rather than an inevitable consequence of his upbringing. He experienced the final phase of old-style farming, at a time when Brunello was still little discussed, and retained from it the principle of asking the earth respectfully for the fruits needed to live.

1986: acquisition of Uccelliera

In 1986 Andrea acquired Uccelliera, then comprising an old farm building that was almost a ruin, centuries-old olive trees, arable fields and a small vineyard. His objective extended beyond a purely commercial result: the new estate was to remain rooted in the agricultural and human heritage of the property and preserve it as a living inheritance for the future.

The historic farm name was retained for the wine estate. The architecture of the original building was preserved and incorporated into the operational premises, while the cellar was constructed beneath the old farmstead. A 0.5-hectare olive grove was deliberately retained beside the residence despite the greater potential return from vines, expressing Andrea’s conviction that demanding too much from the land ultimately diminishes quality of life.

Viticulture follows principles of agricultural sustainability, with practices intended to respect the soil, grape variety and conditions of each growing season while encouraging the character of the different sites to emerge. The vineyards are almost entirely devoted to Sangiovese; Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon are also grown. Vine age across the estate is described as ranging from 5 to 45 years.

Row orientation, continuous manual work and management of vegetative balance are used to bring the grapes to full, healthy and aromatic maturity. Bunch thinning regulates the crop. Most parcels combine spurred-cordon and Guyot training, while Giacinto and Due terre use guided bush-vine training. Recorded planting densities range from 2,778 to 5,698 vines/ha.

Winter pruning is performed during vine dormancy and determines the plant’s subsequent development. It is generally scheduled between February and March to delay budbreak and reduce exposure to early-spring frost. The cut canes are subsequently removed by hand to clear space for the new shoots.

Biological pest-management measures include releasing eggs of beneficial antagonist insects to maintain the vineyard ecosystem’s balance. Mating disruption is used at the same time against potentially harmful insects, including grapevine moth: pheromone dispensers attached to the vines imitate the scent of females and inhibit mating.

Harvesting is manual and undertaken by qualified estate personnel, generally around the second half of September. Selection begins in the vineyard at picking, following careful management throughout the vegetative cycle to express the character of the vintage and denomination.

The cellar is built beneath the historic farmstead, limiting its impact on the landscape and providing naturally regulated temperature and humidity. Its functional spaces accommodate the sequence of vinification and maturation.

After manual harvesting and selection in the vineyard, the grapes reach the cellar promptly. Dry ice cools the berries before destemming or destemming-and-crushing, protecting them from oxidation and preserving their original fruit character. Cooling and the subsequent cold maceration maintain those fruit characteristics intact. Low temperatures are held for 7–8 days and allow indigenous yeasts to develop.

Alcoholic fermentation begins spontaneously at approximately 12°C and can rise to a maximum of 27°C. The combined fermentation and maceration period lasts 25–30 days, with frequent pump-overs; sugar conversion takes place between 20°C and 25°C. After drawing off, malolactic fermentation takes place in stainless-steel vats.

Maturation is adapted to the individual cuvée. Brunello di Montalcino matures in Slavonian and French oak vessels of different sizes for at least 24 months, followed by at least 6 months in bottle. Brunello di Montalcino Riserva receives at least 30 months in French and Slavonian oak of different sizes and at least 16 months in bottle. Rosso di Montalcino spends several months in Slavonian and French oak vessels of varying dimensions, then at least 4 months in bottle. Rapace matures for at least 12 months in French oak with different toast levels and for at least 6 months in bottle. Costabate matures for at least 18 months in French-oak barriques made from century-old trees, followed by more than 30 months in bottle.

Andrea Cortonesi’s approach begins with an emotional and practical attachment to the territory in which he was born. He sees wine as an interpretation of that place and seeks harmony with the surrounding environment, accompanying nature without asking it to provide more than each growing season offers.

His stated objective is to care closely for the vines and make wholesome wines with a clear identity. The wines are intended to communicate their place of origin and the land in which his own roots lie. Elegance, territorial expression and the capacity to convey the estate’s identity take precedence over an abstract or purely technical description of wine.

The same outlook governs stewardship of the property. Historic architecture, the old farm name and the olive grove are retained as parts of a living inheritance rather than displaced in pursuit of maximum economic return. Human history does not change the soil itself, but Andrea regards it as shaping the conduct of those who cultivate it by teaching respect and perseverance.

Agriculture is also understood as a collective responsibility. Andrea rejects the idea of farming as isolated work: neighbouring decisions affect the whole agricultural community, so he devotes time to professional associations, meetings and study beyond the fields. Agricultural work, in this view, carries a responsibility to society and must be undertaken conscientiously.