San Polo Rubio

Sincerity and maximum expression. Nothing artificial. Tuscany in its purest form. This is how we could describe San Polo Rubio, a red wine produced by the San Polo winery (owned by the Allegrini family) using Sangiovese (the local grape also known as Brunello) and within the IGP Toscana.

San Polo Rubio is a red wine made free from the restrictions and high standards required by the Controlled and Guaranteed Denomination of Origin (DOCG) and the Controlled Denomination of Origin (DOC). Both denominations, established by the Italian government in 1960, were created with the aim of bringing order to the great oenological wealth of this country. It is rare to find a place where wine isn’t produced, each with its own style, its own terroir and its own varieties. However, this new classification (which was inspired by the French one), was more of a problem than a benefit, as some winemakers found it very difficult to conform to the high standards required, and their wines were downgraded directly to the classification of Vino di Tavola. In some cases, this was a big problem because wines of excellent quality were relegated to the most basic classification (including some super Tuscans). A solution to this problem was soon found with the creation of the Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT), now known as the Indicazione Geografica Protegida (IGP), a step between the DOC and the Vino di Tavola that meant great freedom of expression for Italian red wines.

This group includes San Polo Rubio. This red wine is made in Montalcino, a municipality one hour from Siena, on the 16 hectares that this well-known family bought in 2007 (specifically in the Montalcino area of Castelnuovo dell'Abaste). Here, the young, organic certified vineyards, grow between 300 and 450 metres above sea level, on galestros (schistose clay) soils. Marilisa and Franco (particularly the latter), siblings and the second generation of this company, can easily claim this certification. Both have fought hard, positioning the family name at the top of the Italian wine world.

The grapes are harvested by hand in small 17 kg boxes during the second half of September. From there they go directly to the winery, where the bunches are selected. Only the best grapes will be worthy of being used in the San Polo Rubio winemaking process. From here, the grapes will be pressed and undergo cryomaceration. This technique, which produces more aromatic wines, involves lowering the temperature of the grape harvest (as quickly as possible). Once achieved, San Polo Rubio will ferment in conical stainless steel tanks for 5-6 days. Here, where it will also undergo malolactic fermentation, it will be aged for 10 months until it is finally bottled. Finally, San Polo Rubio will follow in the footsteps of its older sibling (Brunello de Montalcino), by aging in the bottle for 4 months before being released for sale.

San Polo Rubio: a flavoursome red wine, in the purest Tuscan style, without submitting to the rules. A true rebel without cause.