Lamole di Lamole

The Lamole village in the upper Greve hills has been a viticultural site since Roman times, with terraced vineyard farming documented across more than two millennia of continuous cultivation. The historic Lamole di Lamole winery dates to the mid-14th century, when it was incorporated into the Castle of Lamole built by the Florentine Gherardini family around 1350 to protect the area's valuable agricultural assets. The Gherardini family (the same dynastic name as Lisa Gherardini, the model for Leonardo's Mona Lisa, who has dynastic ties to several Greve estates) commissioned the castle as a defensive outpost during the Florentine-Sienese conflicts that defined the medieval Chianti region. The original aging cellars and the vinsantaia (the special loft used for drying grapes for Vin Santo production) are still in use today, providing physical continuity with the 14th-century winemaking tradition. The modern Lamole di Lamole operation has built on this medieval foundation through continuous investment in vineyard restoration (particularly of the historic terracing) and cellar modernization, transitioning to certified organic farming with the 2018 vintage.

• Viticultural site since Roman times with documented terraced cultivation across two millennia
• Historic winery dates to mid-14th century; part of Castle of Lamole built by Gherardini family around 1350
• Original aging cellars and vinsantaia loft still in use today, providing physical continuity with 14th-century winemaking
• Achieved organic certification with the 2018 vintage; continuous investment in terracing restoration

Lamole di Lamole's vineyards sit at 350 to 700 metres elevation on the steep slopes above Greve, with the upper parcels reaching some of the highest viticultural sites in the entire Chianti Classico zone (rivaling Castello di Albola in Radda for elevation extremes). The terraced hillsides represent one of Tuscany's most distinctive agricultural landscapes, with dry-stone walls supporting narrow vineyard rows on slopes too steep for conventional contour farming. The terracing tradition is centuries old and is itself a protected cultural and agricultural heritage. Soils are dominated by Galestro and macigno (the characteristic sandstone of upper Greve), with significant variation across the elevation range. The high elevation produces dramatic diurnal temperature variation that slows ripening and preserves aromatic complexity, producing Sangiovese expressions that are notably more ethereal, aromatic, and red-fruit-driven than the structured wines from lower-elevation UGAs. Average vineyard age is 25 to 30 years with a peak of 74 years in the upper Il Prato parcel.

• Vineyards at 350 to 700 metres elevation; among the highest viticultural sites in entire Chianti Classico zone
• Centuries-old terraced hillsides with dry-stone walls supporting narrow rows on slopes too steep for contour farming
• Galestro and macigno (sandstone) soils with significant variation across elevation range
• Average vineyard age 25 to 30 years with peak of 74 years in upper Il Prato parcel

Lamole di Lamole winemaking emphasizes preservation of the village's distinctive aromatic profile, with restrained extractions and aging strategies designed to highlight rather than mask the high-elevation Sangiovese character. Fermentations are conducted in temperature-controlled stainless steel and concrete, with parcel-by-parcel vinification for the cru bottlings. Aging strategies vary by tier: estate Chianti Classico in a mix of large Slavonian oak botti and concrete, the Lareale Chianti Classico (a distinguished selection) with selected French oak influence, and the Vigneto Caggiole and Vigna Grospoli Gran Selezione cru bottlings in carefully calibrated French oak to preserve aromatic precision. The house style is distinctly Lamole: ethereal, aromatic, red-fruit-driven Sangiovese with bright acidity and fine-grained tannins, contrasting with the structured, dark-fruit, leather-and-tobacco profile of lower-elevation Chianti Classico UGAs like Castelnuovo Berardenga. The estate's commitment to terraced hillside vineyards and organic farming reinforces this aromatic, site-driven identity.

• Restrained extractions and aging strategies preserve high-elevation aromatic Sangiovese character
• Parcel-by-parcel vinification for cru bottlings; estate Chianti Classico aged in mix of Slavonian botti and concrete
• Lareale and Gran Selezione cru bottlings see carefully calibrated French oak to preserve aromatic precision
• Distinct Lamole house style: ethereal, aromatic, red-fruit-driven Sangiovese with bright acidity and fine-grained tannins

The estate produces a tiered range built around the Lamole UGA identity. Lamole di Lamole Chianti Classico DOCG is the core estate wine, a Sangiovese-dominant expression that captures the village's ethereal aromatic house style. Lareale Chianti Classico is a distinguished selection above the Annata tier, with extended aging and greater complexity. Duelame Chianti Classico DOCG is a parallel offering. The Gran Selezione cru tier includes Vigneto Caggiole (from a distinguished old-vine terraced parcel) and Vigna Grospoli (from a parallel cru parcel), each showcasing single-vineyard Sangiovese from the village's most distinctive sites. The estate also produces traditional Vin Santo del Chianti Classico DOC in the historic vinsantaia loft of the medieval cellars, using estate-grown Malvasia and Trebbiano dried for several months via the appassimento method.

• Lamole di Lamole Chianti Classico DOCG: core estate wine in ethereal aromatic Lamole house style
• Lareale Chianti Classico DOCG and Duelame Chianti Classico DOCG: distinguished selections with extended aging
• Vigneto Caggiole and Vigna Grospoli Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG: single-vineyard cru bottlings from old-vine terraced parcels
• Traditional Vin Santo del Chianti Classico DOC produced in the historic vinsantaia loft of the medieval cellars

Lamole di Lamole holds a singular position in Chianti Classico as one of the principal estates within the Lamole UGA, which is itself one of the most distinctive of the 11 UGAs by virtue of its extreme high-altitude positioning and centuries-old terraced vineyard tradition. The estate represents the most aromatic and ethereal pole of the Chianti Classico stylistic spectrum, contrasting with the structured, dark-fruit-driven wines from lower-elevation UGAs like Castelnuovo Berardenga or Castellina. The Lamole UGA's identity has been a leading argument in the appellation-wide debate over extending UGA-tier identification beyond Gran Selezione to Riserva (since Lamole's distinctive character is widely recognized and would benefit consumers if labeled at the Riserva tier). The estate's organic certification, terraced-vineyard restoration, and old-vine commitment also position it within the contemporary Chianti Classico movement toward greater terroir transparency and farming integrity.

• Principal estate within Lamole UGA, the highest-altitude village UGA in Chianti Classico
• Represents the most aromatic and ethereal pole of the Chianti Classico stylistic spectrum
• Lamole UGA identity is leading argument in debate over extending UGA-tier identification beyond Gran Selezione to Riserva
• Organic certification, terraced-vineyard restoration, and old-vine commitment align with contemporary CC terroir-transparency movement