About Casanova di Neri

Casanova di Neri is one of the benchmark estates of Montalcino, a family-run winery whose name is now inseparable from the modern greatness of Brunello.

The estate was founded in 1971 by Giovanni Neri, who purchased Podere Casanova on the eastern side of Montalcino with the ambition of producing one of Italy’s great red wines. At the time, Brunello was still a small and developing appellation. Giovanni recognized that Montalcino’s hills, soils, altitude, and exposures could give Sangiovese extraordinary power, elegance, and longevity.

In 1991, Giovanni’s son Giacomo took over the estate and brought Casanova di Neri to international prominence. Under his direction, the winery deepened its focus on vineyard identity, precision farming, and the individual character of Montalcino’s different zones. Today, Giacomo is joined by the next generation of the family, Giovanni, Gianlorenzo and Marianna, continuing a legacy built on both continuity and restless ambition.

The vineyards are the heart of Casanova di Neri. The estate works across seven distinct sites within the Brunello di Montalcino appellation: Fiesole, Cerretalto, Collalli, Podernuovo, Pietradonice, Giovanni Neri, and Cetine. Each vineyard brings its own combination of soil, exposure, elevation, vine age, and microclimate, allowing the family to produce wines that are deeply connected to place while still carrying the unmistakable signature of Casanova di Neri.

That signature has earned the estate one of the most decorated reputations in Italian wine. In 2006, the 2001 Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova was named Wine Spectator’s Wine of the Year, becoming the first Brunello ever to receive that honor. Cerretalto, Tenuta Nuova, and Giovanni Neri have also received multiple 100-point scores from leading international critics, confirming Casanova di Neri as one of Montalcino’s essential names for collectors around the world.

The estate’s most famous Brunellos show different sides of that ambition. Cerretalto comes from a singular vineyard in a natural amphitheater, with iron- and magnesium-rich soils and a distinct microclimate that gives the wine its intensity, depth, and remarkable aging potential. Tenuta Nuova, first harvested in the early 1990s from the southern part of the appellation, helped redefine what modern Brunello could be: expressive, polished, generous, and built for the long term.

Casanova di Neri’s range now extends beyond these icons. The classic Brunello di Montalcino, often known by its White Label, remains a central expression of the estate. Brunello Giovanni Neri, produced from old vines in the southern part of Montalcino, adds another prestigious single-vineyard interpretation. Pietradonice, a Cabernet Sauvignon planted on a former onyx quarry, reflects the family’s willingness to explore the full potential of its land beyond traditional expectations.

The cellar reflects the same commitment to precision and respect for place. Built into the hillside to reduce environmental impact and naturally regulate temperature and humidity, it is designed around gravity flow and careful fruit selection. Every step is meant to protect the quality of the grapes and bring forward the distinctive personality of each vineyard.

Casanova di Neri is also a complete Tuscan estate, with olive groves, extra virgin olive oil, Grappa di Brunello, and small agricultural projects that connect the winery to the broader rhythm of Montalcino. Hospitality has become an important part of that vision as well, with a Wine Relais, restaurant, and varied estate experiences allowing guests to go beyond a classic tasting and understand the vineyards, cellar, and landscape that define the wines.

More than fifty years after its founding, Casanova di Neri stands as one of Montalcino’s great family estates: historic but never static, collectible but deeply tied to the land. Through its vineyards, its cellar, and its relentless pursuit of quality, the Neri family has helped shape the global reputation of Brunello di Montalcino and continues to define what the appellation can be at its very highest level.