Why it matters
The producer
La Palazzetta sits on the southeastern slope of Montalcino, in the hamlet of Castelnuovo dell'Abate, looking out over the Abbey of Sant'Antimo. The Fanti family has farmed this land across generations. Flavio Fanti, along with his wife Carla and their children Tea and Luca, runs the estate today. About 20 hectares of Sangiovese vineyards and roughly 2,500 olive trees make up the working property.
Flavio's arrival at the helm marked a turn toward the vineyard. Organic methods followed, certified from the 2018 harvest onward. The estate had already received the Ecofriendly Cellar Diploma in 2016, two harvests before the wine labels could carry the organic designation, for its programmes in ecological stewardship, land and vineyard protection, and energy savings.
Place and vineyards
Where the wines begin
Castelnuovo dell'Abate is the southernmost settlement within the Montalcino appellation. The southeastern flank runs warmer and drier than the cooler northern and western slopes of the hill, which means Sangiovese ripens more fully here and tends toward rounder tannin and richer fruit concentration. The 365-metre altitude tempers that warmth, preserving acidity and slowing the final stages of ripening.
Brunello di Montalcino is made from Sangiovese and aged in French oak. Castelnuovo dell'Abate wines typically carry depth and generosity alongside enough acidity to age. For a buyer choosing between Brunello producers by sub-zone, the southeastern corner means approachability at a relatively early stage without sacrificing the decade-plus cellar potential that defines the appellation.
In the cellar
Vineyards and cellar
About 20 hectares of vineyards are farmed organically on limestone and rocky ground at 365 metres. No synthetic inputs since certification; the soils are worked to support vine health rather than force yield. Hand harvesting allows parcel-by-parcel selection.
In the cellar, temperature control during fermentation keeps aromatics intact through the long maceration period. Indigenous yeasts, rather than commercial cultures, carry the fermentation, which tends to produce slower, more gradual extraction and a wine that reflects the specific vintage and site rather than a standardised fermentation profile. French oak casks, rather than small barriques, provide oxygen exchange over extended periods without imparting heavy wood flavour. The classic Brunello spends 3.5 years in cask before six months in bottle. The Riserva extends that oak contact to five years, drawn from selected parcels judged capable of sustaining the longer élevage.
Wines to know
The range in view
All four wines in the range are built around Sangiovese from the estate's limestone parcels, arranged by appellation and élevage commitment.
Brunello di Montalcino DOCG is the signature wine: 100% Sangiovese, fermented with indigenous yeasts over about 20 days of maceration, then aged 3.5 years in French oak casks and six months in bottle. Ruby in colour with aromas of cherry, violet, and light spice. Firm tannin and good acidity carry through to a long finish.
A useful way in
A bottle to begin with
Start with the Brunello di Montalcino DOCG. It is the clearest single expression of what La Palazzetta does and where it does it: Sangiovese grown on limestone at 365 metres on the southeastern slope, fermented with indigenous yeasts, aged 3.5 years in French oak, then given six months in bottle. The cherry and violet aromatics lead into firm tannin and a clean acid line that runs all the way to the finish. It is not a wine to open immediately on release.