Argiano

The name Argiano may derive from Ara Jani, a temple to the Roman god Janus (Giano) at the foot of the estate's hill, or from the nearby Orcia River. Argiano is first documented in 813, in a charter issued by Ludwig the Pious recording the transfer of its church to the Abbey of Sant'Antimo. In 1212 the Abbot of Sant'Antimo ceded Argiano to Siena, beginning a series of ownership transfers among Sienese families. Between 1581 and 1596 the Pecci family built Villa Bellaria, a commission the estate credits to Sienese architect Baldassarre Peruzzi; in 1616 Bartolomeo Gherardini called it 'the most beautiful country Palazzo in the Sienese State.' In 1932 Argiano won a medal at the Brussels International Food Fair, and in 1967 it became a founding member of the Consorzio del Brunello. In 1995 enologist Giacomo Tachis worked with then-owner Noemi Marone Cinzano on the first vintage of the estate's Super Tuscan, Solengo. Countess Cinzano sold the estate in 2013 to Brazilian entrepreneur Andre Santos Esteves, and the period since, which the estate calls its 'New Renaissance,' has included soil studies led by Pedro Parra and a restoration of Villa Bellaria by architect Filippo Gastone Scheggi.

• 813: first documented mention of Argiano, in a charter of Ludwig the Pious transferring its church to the Abbey of Sant'Antimo
• 1581-1596: the Pecci family builds Villa Bellaria, credited by the estate to architect Baldassarre Peruzzi; Bartolomeo Gherardini called it 'the most beautiful country Palazzo in the Sienese State' in 1616
• 1967: founding member of the Consorzio del Brunello; 1995: first vintage of Solengo, made with enologist Giacomo Tachis under then-owner Noemi Marone Cinzano
• 2013: Countess Cinzano sells the estate to Andre Santos Esteves; restoration of the historic buildings and wine production begins

Argiano spans 125 hectares on a plateau roughly 350 metres above sea level, descending from Montalcino toward Tavernelle on Montalcino's southwestern slope, just west of the village of Sant'Angelo in Colle. Its soils are ancient calcareous marl, laid down around 25 million years ago when the sea that once covered the area receded, and marine fossils are found in the vineyards. Of the 125 hectares, 60 are planted to vine and 10 to olive groves, with the remainder mostly woodland. Sangiovese is the principal variety, covering 42 hectares mainly in the central-northern part of the property; the rest of the vineyard area is planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot, which have been part of the estate for decades. In 2013 a soil study led by viticultural consultant Pedro Parra and agronomist Francesco Monari mapped the property into four broad zones (north, center-north, center-south, and south), and since 2015 the estate has vinified and aged grapes from its six best plots, all in the north-central marl-rich zone, separately from the rest of the crop.

• 125 hectares total: 60 hectares under vine (42 hectares Sangiovese), 10 hectares olive groves, remainder woodland
• Plateau at approximately 350 metres above sea level, southwestern Montalcino near Sant'Angelo in Colle
• Soils: ancient calcareous marl formed about 25 million years ago, containing marine fossils
• 2013 soil study by Pedro Parra and Francesco Monari mapped the estate into north, center-north, center-south, and south zones; six best plots vinified separately since 2015

The estate describes its cellar approach as minimal-intervention, paired in the vineyard with organic-regenerative practices such as green manure sowing, the introduction of beneficial insects, and the use of mycorrhizal microorganisms. The classic Brunello di Montalcino is a blend of six vineyard parcels; after harvest the grapes are chilled with carbon dioxide for a five- to six-day cold maceration, fermented in cement vats with indigenous yeast, and macerated on the skins for 20 to 21 days. Following malolactic conversion in cement, the wine ages 3.5 years in large casks of 1,000, 2,000, and 3,000 litres. After Sani's team arrived in 2014, the barriques previously used for both the classic Brunello and the Vigna del Suolo bottling were replaced with large casks and 600-litre tonneaux, and in late 2014 Sani brought in consulting enologist Alberto Antonini to work alongside cellar master Adriano Bambagioni and vineyard manager Francesco Monari.

• Organic-regenerative viticulture: green manure sowing, beneficial insects, mycorrhizal microorganisms
• Classic Brunello: blend of six parcels; 5-6 day cold maceration, indigenous-yeast fermentation in cement, 20-21 days skin contact
• Malolactic conversion in cement; 3.5 years aging in 1,000-3,000-litre casks; barriques replaced by large casks and 600-litre tonneaux after 2014
• Team assembled after the 2014 leadership change: consulting enologist Alberto Antonini (from late 2014), cellar master Adriano Bambagioni, vineyard manager and agronomist Francesco Monari

Argiano's 2018 Brunello di Montalcino was Wine Spectator's Wine of the Year in its 2023 Top 100, scoring 95 points, with a drinking window of 2025 through 2042 in the magazine's review. Gambero Rosso named the 2016 Vigna del Suolo its Red Wine of the Year in the Vini d'Italia 2022 guide, and at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2021 the 2016 Brunello di Montalcino scored 97 points and a Platinum medal.

• 2018 Brunello di Montalcino: Wine Spectator Wine of the Year, 2023 Top 100, 95 points; drinking window 2025-2042
• 2016 Brunello di Montalcino Vigna del Suolo: Gambero Rosso Red Wine of the Year, Vini d'Italia 2022 guide
• 2016 Brunello di Montalcino: 97 points, Platinum medal, Decanter World Wine Awards 2021
• Certifications: organic, plastic-free, carbon neutral, and Equalitas (since 2024)

Argiano's current range centers on Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, which the estate calls 'the soul of Argiano.' The Brunello di Montalcino DOCG Vigna del Suolo is the estate's single-vineyard cru, and a Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG is also produced. There are two Rosso bottlings: Rosso di Montalcino DOC and Rosso di Montalcino DOC Sella del Leccio, from a young vineyard. Solengo IGT Toscana, first made in 1995 with enologist Giacomo Tachis, is what the estate calls 'the Supertuscan of Montalcino.' The range also includes Non Confunditur IGT Toscana, a Grappa di Brunello di Montalcino, and two extra-virgin olive oils, Organic Italian Extravirgin Olive Oil and Anima Organic Italian Extravirgin Olive Oil.

• Brunello di Montalcino DOCG: the estate's core Brunello
• Brunello di Montalcino DOCG Vigna del Suolo: single-vineyard cru; Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG also produced
• Rosso di Montalcino DOC and Rosso di Montalcino DOC Sella del Leccio (young vineyard)
• Solengo IGT Toscana (first vintage 1995, with Giacomo Tachis) and Non Confunditur IGT Toscana; also Grappa di Brunello di Montalcino and two extra-virgin olive oils

Primary source: argiano.net, the estate's own site (history, estate, philosophy, people, and individual wine pages). Secondary sources: Wine Spectator's Top 100 2023 profile (No. 1 wine of the year); Gambero Rosso International, "Red Wine of the Year" award announcement for Brunello di Montalcino Vigna del Suolo '16; Decanter, Decanter World Wine Awards coverage. Last verified 2026-10-12.