Pruneto

Pruneto is a small winery located in Volpaia, a tiny hamlet within the municipality of Radda in Chianti. The estate comprises three hectares of vineyards, two hectares of olive groves, and an additional twenty hectares of forests and meadows.

Pruneto was founded in the early 1980s by Riccardo Lanza, who began his journey by doing what any sensible newcomer to the region should: he sought out the oldest winegrowers in the area to learn everything he could about the terroir. Through them, he gained deep insights into the local climate, geology, and traditional viticultural practices—then set out to put that knowledge into action.

Surrounded and protected by woodlands, he planted Sangiovese. A few years later, he added Merlot—his only major concession to then-current trends (a decision now being gently reversed by his son Massimiliano, who has begun replanting Canaiolo, Colorino, and Canaiolo Bianco).

From the beginning, the work at Pruneto has been guided by a deep respect for nature in the vineyard and a hands-on, artisanal approach in the cellar—without the use of chemical additives or industrial interventions. This philosophy has given rise to three wines.

In 2018, an important and defining shift occurred: the five percent Merlot was removed from the Chianti Classico and now goes into its own wine—Démodé. The result is a respectful, stand-alone expression of Merlot. More importantly, the Chianti Classico has become even more refined, balanced, and nuanced—an ideal reference point for anyone seeking a textbook interpretation of the region and its style.

The third wine is a Chianti Classico Riserva, whose new vintage is currently still aging in barrels.