Le Chiuse has ancient origins as a source of wine, wheat and olive oil. The estate came into the possession of the Biondi Santi family at the end of the 18th century as a dowry of Maria Tamanti when she married Clemente Santi. Their daughter Caterina married Jacopo Biondi and their son Ferruccio, the great grandfather of Simonetta Valiani, respected his mother’s wishes and added her surname Santi to the family name. Ferruccio Biondi Santi, after having fought alongside Garibaldi, continued the work of his grandfather Clemente by selecting and enhancing vines until he obtained a particular clone of Sangiovese Grosso that became the source of the original Brunello di Montalcino.

Ferruccio’s son Tancredi bequeathed Le Chiuse and two other properties to his daughter Fiorella, urging her never to sell the estate because it was there that the grapes for the famous Brunello Riserva originated. From then on Fiorella leased the farms to her brother Franco, owner of the renowned Il Greppo estate, who cultivated the vineyards and vinified the grapes until 1990. When Fiorella died in 1986, her daughter Simonetta Valiani, who inherited her grandfather Tancredi’s love for the land and passion for wine, began to produce her own Brunello from Le Chiuse. With great dedication, she worked with her husband Nicolò Magnelli and son Lorenzo in restoring the estate buildings and chapel, constructing an underground cellar and planting new vineyards. The estate covers 18 hectares comprising vineyards, olive groves and woods situated in part on the northeastern side of the Montalcino hill at 300 meters above sea level and in part on the southeastern slope at 500 meters above sea level.

The estate has five vineyards of Sangiovese Grosso vines with respective ages of 26, 16,14,10 and 2 years. Together they cover 8 hectares with an average density of 4,000 vines per hectare trained in spurred cordon. Most vines derived from a massal selection of very old Sangiovese Grosso from the Biondi Santi Il Greppo estate.

The terrain, of marine origin, is rich in fossil matter combined in clay striations with a notable presence of schistous galestro and tufa. This composition favors wines of rich aromas, full body and well-balanced alcohol levels.

Le Chiuse produces about 30,000 bottles of wine annually divided between Rosso di Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino Riserva and a bottle-fermented classic method sparkling wine called Stellare. The estate also produces extra virgin olive oil, grappa and honey.