Emanuele Pellegrini, the fourth generation of the family, is setting a new course for the company together with enologist (and wife) Monica Rossetti. The valorization of native vines, precision viticulture and organic certification are the cornerstones of the new venture, in addition to the blend of innovation and tradition in terracotta fermentation. MEME and ORCI. These two names, mark the beginning of the new challenge of Fattoria di Petrognano, owned by the Pellegrini family (the very same one of Pellegrini S.p.A.) located on the hills of Montelupo Fiorentino, the internationally renowned “city of ceramics” in Tuscany. Their two flagship wines, MEME Chianti Superiore Docg and MEME RISERVA Chianti Riserva Docg, are the symbol of Fattoria di Petrognano. These two wines merge the memory of the family with the new generation, now at the helm of the winery together with Monica Rossetti – a highly experienced Italian-Brazilian enologist and Emanuele’s wife who is in charge of the technical direction of the winery. ORCI represents a totally new challenge, with the goal of enhancing a traditional local element, the terracotta containers traditionally produced in the area of Montelupo Fiorentino and called in Tuscany, precisely, Orci. «Respecting the identity and emphasizing the history of Petrognano through the winemakingpotential of the area is the goal that me and Monica want to pursue – says Emanuele Pellegrini – for this reason we have chosen to focus on three typical Tuscan grape varieties: Sangiovese, Canaiolo and Trebbiano Toscano, grape varieties intimately linked to the history of the territory ». MEME: “family” wines MEME Chianti Superiore Docg is a pure Sangiovese of good overall pleasantness, the 2019 vintage was one of the best for this wine, carrying out a constant commitment to reflect the term “Superiore” in a glass. 2019 was also the year in which the “Animavitis” project started. A precision wine management program implemented to increase self-knowledge of each microclimate of the vineyard, with the best viticultural techniques. MEME Chianti Superiore Docg grapes come from several plots whose medium clayey soils contribute to giving the wine a rich tannic texture. MEME RISERVA Chianti Riserva Docg has a longer maceration process than Chianti Superiore Docg and aims to be a more intense and elegant Sangiovese. These two wines represent 90% of the total production of the Fattoria di Petrognano. From terracotta to raw earth: the Orci project The ORCI project was created from the desire to enhance a characteristic aspect of Montelupo Fiorentino: the terracotta jars. Orci Sangiovese represents a return to tradition not only for the vinification in terracotta, but also for the long maceration of grapes, about three months. For Orci Trebbiano the long macerations have revealed an interesting facet of Tuscan Trebbiano, a grape variety capable of exalting the potentialities of aging. The use of terracotta helps to refine tannins and to intensify varietal authenticity. Pellegrini is also an agricultural producer with a philosophy of preserving nature and the native grapes of the places, inherited from four generations.
