Tenuta di Sesta

The Sesta property has one of Brunello's deepest documented histories. The first written reference to Sesta appears in a document dating to 714 AD, placing the land's recorded use among the earliest in the Montalcino zone. During the medieval era the property passed under the control of nearby abbeys, including the Abbey of Sant'Antimo. Following the suppression of the Abbey of Sant'Antimo by the Pope in 1462, the Sesta estate was formed under the Republic of Siena. During the era of Sienese expansion, Sesta came into the possession of the noble Tolomei family. In 1850, two brothers from Castelnuovo dell'Abate, Felice and Giovanni Ciacci, acquired the property, establishing the family ownership that continues to today. The Ciacci family was instrumental in the founding generation of Brunello di Montalcino as a commercial appellation.

• First documented reference to Sesta in a 714 AD document; one of Montalcino's oldest documented land holdings
• Property under control of medieval abbeys, then the Republic of Siena after the 1462 suppression of the Abbey of Sant'Antimo
• Owned by the noble Tolomei family during the era of Sienese expansion
• Ciacci family ownership since 1850; brothers Felice and Giovanni Ciacci of Castelnuovo dell'Abate acquired the property

Tenuta di Sesta is located in Castelnuovo dell'Abate, the southeastern sector of the Montalcino municipality near the Romanesque Abbey of Sant'Antimo. The area sits at moderate elevation on slopes that face primarily south and east, benefiting from warm growing conditions tempered by morning sun exposure and afternoon influence from Monte Amiata to the southeast. Soils combine galestro (crumbly schistous marl), albarese (limestone), and clay with stony patches, providing mineral character and excellent drainage. Wines from Castelnuovo dell'Abate are typically richer, more deeply fruited, and more structurally generous than those from the cooler northern sector, though within the Tenuta di Sesta range the family maintains a clear traditional house identity emphasising freshness and balance rather than power alone.

• Located in Castelnuovo dell'Abate, southeastern Montalcino, near the Romanesque Abbey of Sant'Antimo
• South- and east-facing slopes at moderate elevation; warm growing conditions tempered by Monte Amiata's influence
• Soils: galestro, albarese, clay, and stones, providing mineral character and excellent drainage
• Southern-sector microclimate yields richer, deeper-fruited Brunello with structured tannins

Tenuta di Sesta's winemaking follows the traditional Brunello school: native yeast fermentations, extended maceration on the skins, and aging in large Slavonian oak botti for Brunello rather than smaller French oak barriques. The Ciacci family approach emphasises consistency, vineyard expression, and patient cellar work. Giovanni Ciacci has led the estate since 1995, with his children Andrea (commercial operations) and Francesca (agronomic management) representing the sixth generation of Ciacci family stewardship. The family is actively involved in the Consorzio del Vino Brunello di Montalcino and represents Tenuta di Sesta at international Brunello tastings, anteprime, and trade events.

• Traditional Brunello winemaking: native yeast fermentation, extended skin maceration, large Slavonian oak botti aging
• Aging vessel choice favours classical large-cask tradition over French barriques
• Giovanni Ciacci leads since 1995; sixth-generation Andrea and Francesca handle business and agronomic operations
• Active in Consorzio del Vino Brunello di Montalcino; represents Tenuta di Sesta at international tastings

Tenuta di Sesta's portfolio centres on Brunello di Montalcino as the flagship, with Brunello Riserva produced in exceptional vintages from selected lots. The Phenomena (a Sangiovese-based single-vineyard expression) and Rosso di Montalcino round out the Sangiovese-driven range. The estate also produces Sant'Antimo DOC wines from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, a Sangiovese-based Toscana IGT, and a Vin Santo. The wines are consistently regarded as classical southern Montalcino expressions, with the Brunello showing the warm-zone richness of the Castelnuovo dell'Abate sector tempered by the family's traditional methodology. Critical reception includes regular acclaim from Italian publications (Gambero Rosso, Bibenda) and international critics (James Suckling, Vinous, Wine Spectator).

• Brunello di Montalcino: estate flagship from Castelnuovo dell'Abate's warm southern slopes, traditionally aged
• Brunello di Montalcino Riserva: prestige Riserva produced only in exceptional vintages from selected lots
• Phenomena: Sangiovese-based single-vineyard expression highlighting site identity
• Sant'Antimo DOC range: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot bottlings; plus Rosso di Montalcino and Vin Santo

Tenuta di Sesta welcomes visitors by appointment for cellar tours, tastings across the range, and access to the southern Montalcino landscape near the Abbey of Sant'Antimo. The estate's depth of historical heritage, the 714 AD documentation, the medieval abbey connections, and the 1850 Ciacci family acquisition combined with its founding-generation Brunello status (1966 first vintage) give Tenuta di Sesta unusual narrative depth for visitors interested in the appellation's heritage. The Ciacci family's continuing presence across six generations represents one of the most continuous ownership lines in Montalcino. The estate's wines are widely distributed internationally and reach collectors and sommeliers focused on classical southern-zone Brunello expressions.

• Visitor tastings and cellar tours by appointment at the Castelnuovo dell'Abate estate
• Unusual narrative depth: 714 AD land documentation, medieval abbey heritage, 1850 Ciacci acquisition, 1966 founding-Brunello producer
• Six generations of continuous Ciacci family ownership represent one of Montalcino's longest unbroken lines
• Wines distributed internationally; favoured by collectors and sommeliers seeking classical southern-zone Brunello