Monteraponi Trebbiano: A Whiter Shade of Chianti Classico

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | SEPTEMBER 23, 2026

Monteraponi is one of the recent success stories of Chianti Classico. Most of the attention naturally focuses on the reds, but the Trebbiano is just as compelling. This recent retrospective back to 2011 provided a fascinating opportunity to check in on older vintages and track the evolution of one of the world’s most distinctive whites.

A Little Historical Background

Visitors to Monteraponi will find a typical Tuscan borgo, a self-contained hamlet that dates to Medieval times. The sprawling property spans 200 hectares, of which only 12.5 are under vine. A collection of small parcels is nestled into the rugged terrain at high elevations that are increasingly valuable in today’s world.

Proprietor Michele Braganti describes himself as the black sheep in a family whose main business activity is the production of fine silver in Florence. “My father bought the property in 1974, which was abandoned at the time, to make a little wine for fun,” Braganti explained. “I finished my studies in economics in 1998. Let’s just say I didn’t do too well. My mother sent me here as punishment. First, I sold fruit, and then in 2003, we started making our own wines.” Braganti takes much of his inspiration from Burgundy. Not surprisingly, his wines often have a striking sense of transparency in both colors.

Alessandra Deiana and Michele Braganti in their cramped cellars at Monteraponi.

Diving into Trebbiano

“We’ve always had a few rows of Trebbiano in all our vineyards,” Braganti explained. Up until 2005, Braganti used Trebbiano in his Chianti Classico. In 2006, regulations changed and excluded the use of white grapes. “I made a little Vin Santo in 2006 and 2008, but skipped 2007 as birds ate the entire crop. In 2010, I decided to experiment with a pure Trebbiano. Back in Medieval times, Trebbiano was more highly regarded than Sangiovese because of its use in Vin Santo and its link to the church.”

The first two vintages, 2009 and 2010, did not turn out as expected. “I threw them out; the wines were undrinkable,” Braganti continued. “My father, Antonio, was incensed. ‘What are we doing here, making wine to throw it away?’” However, those early vintages provided quite a bit of learning. “Two thousand twenty-one is the first vintage that was drinkable,” Braganti added with his usual mix of sarcasm and dry humor.

The Monteraponi Trebbiano is unique among the top wines in the range in that it is not a single-vineyard wine, but is made from fruit across several estate vineyards. The 2011 was fermented and aged entirely in cement with no skin contact but with very ripe grapes. Trebbiano was harvested after Sangiovese, resulting in a fairly high alcohol level of 13.5%. With the 2012 vintage, Braganti shifted to picking Trebbiano before moving on to Sangiovese. The 2014 Trebbiano is the first wine made in the style that has carried through to today. Trebbiano is vinified in cement with about 20% whole bunches, where it spends six days on the skins before being pressed to used French oak barrels for aging.

​A stunning lineup of Trebbiano back to 2011.

My biggest takeaway from this tasting is how well the Trebbiano ages. There’s a great deal of discussion in Italy these days about Trebbiano and its various biotypes. While plant material is certainly important, vine age, site character and a producer’s ambition are likely even more determinant of quality. Readers who can find the Monteraponi Trebbiano should not hesitate.

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