Ragnaie, Le
Summary
Le Ragnaie is a boutique Brunello di Montalcino producer owned by Riccardo and Jennifer Campinoti, cultivating 15-20 hectares of Sangiovese across three distinct zones including some of the region's highest-elevation vineyards at 600 meters. Their traditional approach features organic farming, hand harvesting, concrete fermentation, and aging in large Slavonian oak casks, resulting in terroir-transparent wines that showcase the elegant, high-altitude character that has quickly established them among Montalcino's most exciting producers.
Heritage & Leadership
Le Ragnaie is a wine estate located in the Montalcino region of Tuscany, Italy. The property was revitalized in the early 2000s by Riccardo and Jennifer Campinoti, who serve as the estate's owners. Riccardo Campinoti functions as the winemaker and guides the estate's winemaking philosophy. The name "Le Ragnaie" draws from a natural phenomenon observed at the property—spider webs that form in the vineyards due to the high altitude and morning mist that characterizes this elevated section of Montalcino.
The estate has established itself as one of the more traditional-minded producers in Montalcino, with a focus on expressing the unique characteristics of their high-altitude vineyards. Under the Campinotis' leadership, Le Ragnaie has developed a reputation for producing wines that highlight the elegant, terroir-driven aspects of Sangiovese from the Montalcino region.
Vineyards & Wines
Le Ragnaie possesses some of the highest altitude vineyards in the Montalcino appellation, with elevations reaching approximately 600 meters above sea level. This significant elevation contributes to wines with bright acidity and elegant structure. The estate's vineyard holdings span approximately 15-20 hectares distributed across multiple zones of the Montalcino appellation, providing both northern and southern exposures.
The property includes vineyards in three distinct areas: the Ragnaie zone at high altitude, Petroso in the mid-slope region, and Castelnuovo dell'Abate in the warmer southern section of the appellation. This diversity of vineyard sites allows Le Ragnaie to work with different expressions of Sangiovese from across the Montalcino territory.
Le Ragnaie's wine portfolio centers on Sangiovese, producing both Brunello di Montalcino DOCG and Rosso di Montalcino DOC wines. In exceptional vintages, they release a Brunello di Montalcino Riserva. The estate also produces single-vineyard Brunello expressions, including "Fornace" and "V.V." (Vigna Vecchia, from old vines), as well as a Toscana IGT wine. This range of wines showcases the various terroirs within their vineyard holdings.
Philosophy & Practice
Le Ragnaie adheres to traditional winemaking methods for their Brunello production. The estate practices organic farming methods across their vineyards, with harvesting performed by hand and careful selection of grapes. This approach to viticulture aligns with their focus on expressing the distinctive character of their high-altitude sites.
In the winery, fermentation takes place in concrete or neutral vessels rather than new oak, preserving the pure expression of Sangiovese. For aging their Brunello wines, Le Ragnaie utilizes large Slavonian oak casks (botti) instead of smaller French barriques, a traditional approach that allows for gentle oxidation while minimizing oak influence on the wine.
The winery employs minimal intervention techniques throughout the winemaking process, prioritizing the expression of terroir over winemaking manipulation. This philosophy has positioned Le Ragnaie as a producer of terroir-driven Brunello that emphasizes elegance and purity rather than power and extraction, with their high-altitude vineyards contributing significantly to this distinctive house style.