MONTEFICALLE LAND OF GRAVES AND KNIVES
In Monteficalle, which was the original name then changed in the 19th century to Montefioralle as it was considered “unsuitable”, there was a specialisation. Most of the young men worked with iron and the rest worked the land.
These craftsmen were so well-known and valuable that thirteen of them were enrolled as ‘masters’ in the Arte dei Fabbri – Art of the Blacksmiths. This guild brought together farriers, swordsmiths, buckle-makers, tinkerers, helmet and headgear makers, true blacksmiths, those who made ploughs, spades, saws, axes, staves, chains and knife grinders etc. The Guild’s coat of arms was a black pincer on a white background, and its patron was St. Eligius, whose feast day was celebrated on 25 June in the church of Orsanmichele. Of the thirteen masters, the oldest was Giovanni di Ghirigoro (64 years old in 1427), the youngest was Chimenti di Cristofano Saltini (30 years old) and the longest-serving was Cerbone di Piero, who registered on 10 August 1385. Since, in addition to the thirteen masters enrolled in the blacksmiths’ guild, there were two others who, although not enrolled practised a profession related to it, and since some adults worked together in a single workshop, it follows that there were a dozen or so “fabbricerie” (blacksmith workshops) in Monteficalle.
About ten of these forges specialised in only one branch of blacksmithing: the working of cutting irons. This means that knives, scissors, forks, spoons, sharpeners, shears, choppers, etc. were made in the workshops. These workshops were called cutlery workshops because knives were almost always the main product. Consequently, the owners of these businesses and those who worked in them were called ‘knife-makers’.
This is the reason for the name of our Chianti Gallo Nero wine, a tribute to the long history of this area between Greve in Chianti , Panzano and Badia a Passignano, to which we are deeply attached and which best represents it with its decisive character and brilliant ruby red colour with violet hues.
The bouquet immediately reveals floral notes accompanied by hints of red fruit and graphite, with slight hints of undergrowth. In the mouth it is lively, fresh with tannins of great character that need refinement in the bottle to better express the balance of taste. The chalky mineral notes as well as the red fruit notes evident on the nose persist even in the long aftertaste. It is a wine of great territoriality that accompanies the dishes of the typical Tuscan cuisine very well. Perfect with grilled meats for those who want fruitier wines and ideal with steak or fillet where it enhances the flavour of the meat.
