Majnoni Guicciardini
In the town of Vico d’Elsa, the small winery of Majnoni Guicciardini is located below the proprietor’s home. Pietro Majnoni, a man dedicated to the land and the vine, manages this small firm almost single handedly from his grand home, which is over 1,000 years old. The beauty of this land, and the craftsmanship found in his wine, is unmatched in the large zone producing Chianti.
Chianti is a blend of Tuscan varietals consisting primarily of Sangiovese. American was awash in bad Chianti for decades, but the wines of Majnoni Guicciardini are different. Still inexpensive for what they are, the wines created by Pietro are interesting and complex, and capture the vintage very well. He creates a Chianti, and in good years, a Chianti Riserva. We import both, and have begged him for his two other wines: a fantasy label white of Chardonnay and Malvasia, and the “Tintero,” a red blend of Sangiovese, Malvasia Nera, and surprisingly, Dolcetto, which Pietro found in his vineyards in the ‘70s. All of the wines exhibit the great care Pietro takes with his wines. His production level is low, and he is completely organic and sustainable now, a goal he has long envisioned.
The Chianti from Majnoni is amazing. It’s appealing for so many reasons, and to a broad range of palates. It’s softer than most Chianti, and is both easy to drink and easily paired with food. The Riserva is bigger, and it’s a fine wine to serve with a Florentine steak. We loved the dinner we had with Pietro. A tomato based pasta, simple yet wonderful, and a marinated beef filet that was perfect with the wine. There may be no more nostalgic way to spend a day than with Pietro, one of our finest, if completely unknown producers.
Via 2 Giugio, 10
50050 Vico d’Elsa (FI) Italia
Web site: http://www.majnoni.com
