Giulio Gambelli

Giulio Gambelli earned his reputation as the master of Sangiovese by consulting for over 50 wineries throughout Tuscany during his multi-decade career. He was instrumental in revolutionizing the quality of Chianti by advocating for the selection of superior Sangiovese clones.

Gambelli was a strict traditionalist who heavily criticized the mid-20th-century trend of blending international grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon into Tuscan wines. He believed in pure Sangiovese and fought against the use of excessive oak, favoring large, neutral chestnut or Slavonian oak casks.

Gambelli collaborated with some of Italy's most prestigious estates, including Montevertine, Villa a Sesta, and Biondi Santi. His work at Montevertine helped cement the legendary status of their 100% Sangiovese wine, "Le Pergole Torte."

Gambelli was famous for his extraordinary palate, relying entirely on taste rather than laboratory data to select the best vines. He would spend weeks walking through vineyards tasting thousands of grape berries to isolate the most expressive and balanced fruit.