Pinino - Brunello Di Montalcino
Born from a Passion

Four friends - Two wines - One common Vision.

Pinino wine estate was founded in 1874 in the famous part of Montalcino, Montosoli and Pinino wines were always regarded as one of the best Brunellos in Montalcino. In 2003, the property was purchased by Andrea and Hannes Gamon of Austria together with Silvia and Max Hernandez of Spain with the vision to produce 1st class wines, derived from a common passion.

A Long-term Partnership.

Hannes and Andrea Gamon live in the westernmost part of Austria, Vorarlberg. Andrea has Italian ancestors and is successful as both, a business-consultant and entrepreneur in Italy, Austria and Switzerland with a former focus in the fashion industry.
Max Hernandez is a descendant of a winemaking family in Spain. His father used to produce wine in the area of Toro Doc (Spain). So, for Max this business represents a return to his roots. Silvia, his wife, born from a famous family of Spanish actors - has the sensory talent and the theoretical and practical know-how to create the Pinino wines together with the well-known oenologist Dr. Paolo Vaggagini.
The Gamon and Hernandez families first began to work together building the retail business for fashion brands in Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands. A few years ago, the company was sold to new owners.

A Common Passion.

In addition to the friendship, the Gamon and Hernandez families share their passion for cultivated cuisine and fine wines. So, it was only natural to combine this mutual interest into a successful business partnership by acquiring a vineyard. As their preferred wines are those from the Tuscany region, it soon became clear to them that it had to be a vineyard in Montalcino. Not only are the Montalcino wines of superb quality, but the scenic landscape and the cultural heritage make Tuscany the perfect place to live and work.

Tradition and innovation.

The Pinino philospophy is very simple. Brunello and Rosso are produced according to the old traditions of Montalcino and finished in large oak wood barrels from Slavonian oak. A clear focus on achieving the highest possible quality for both the vineyard and the wine-cellar will allow Pinino to reach the objective of becoming one of the leading Italian winemakers.
Beyond the traditional methods, the Pinino winemakers are also continuously experimenting with innovative approaches. For example, wine matured in French Barrique barrels is marketed under the name ClanDestino.
As the name would suggest, the ClanDestino wine does not only have fancy visual appearance. It expresses the common destiny of the two owner families Gamon and Hernandez, who found each other in Italy to produce premium wines in a joint-venture.
Pinino will be designed as a jewel in the crown of Tuscany. A place where people from all over the world will enjoy to stop for a wine tasting with Max, Silvia, Hannes and Andrea.

The Pinino Wine Estate

To the north of Montalcino, embedded like a natural amphitheatre into the beautiful hillside of Montosoli sits the Pinino wine estate.
This unique geography has made the region a favorite destination for the wealthy of Montalcino in the 18th century. The Pinino Estate was first built in 1874 by the notary Tito Costanti. Nearly 100 years later, in 1950, Pinino was inscribed to the Brunello winemakers cadastral register.
Mr. Max Hernanadez and Ms. Andrea Gamon have owned the estate since 2004, and have expanded Pinino with the purchase of new vineyards in Canchi and the construction of a modern wine cellar of the high standards.
The philosophy of the wine estate is based on three pillars: First, in the for-front of wine production, the vineyard must be of the most selective and highest quality. The old traditions of Montalcino must be combined with a Cellar that embodies state of the art technology. And finally, through modern marketing Pinino was able to uniquely position itself on the international level.

Characteristics

Cultivation: 16 hectares for wine production of Sangiovese Grosso in the classical Cordon cultivations system abiding by Montalcino tradition.
Maximum Harvest: 50 - 60 cwt grapes per hectare, approx. 20 percent below the allowed maximum production according to Brunello syndicate standards.
Tending the Vineyard: Pinino grape vines are exclusively tended to by hand and the grounds are mechanically treated. Plant density ranges from 3,300 to 5,000 grape vines per hectare and the grape vines are between 15 and 20 years old.
Four hectares are located on the Pinino estate, with a southern orientation and Galestro earth. The remaining 12 hectares are located on the Canchi estate with a south-eastern orientation, with soils consisting of a mix of clay and lime-rich ground.
The vineyards are maintained in accordance with organic standards in order to both keep the grapes healthy and to preserve the environment. The application of pesticides is implemented at an absolute minimum. As necessary, primarily copper and sulfate are applied.
Vintage: At the Pinino vineyards the grapes are still gathered by hand, using the traditional small boxes that have become a long-standing tradition in Montalcino. The selection and thinning out of the grapes is carried out in three systematic steps.
Criteria of Production: The requirements for the vinification of Pinino wines is based on the primary product: the grapes.
The Pinino philosophy is to achieve a reduction of the harvest per grape vine by clipping shoots and thus enhancing the quality of the grapes significantly. In the cellar, traditional methods are supported with modern technology and the use of new fermentation tanks. Selector and Selecompact tanks developed by Gimar are in operation. After a long alcoholic fermentation of 15-20 days on the mash, and after completion of the malolactic fermentation, the wine is filled either into large barrels of Slavonian oak (20 or 30 hl Garbelotto) or into French oak barriques (225l) from Taransaud, Remond and others.
The Brunello di Montalcino remains there for at least 24 months, and the Rosso di Montalcino for at least for 4 - 6 months.
Regular check-ups and analysis of the wine support the cellar master in his work. At Pinino, there is a strong emphasis on the perfect cleansing of the steel tanks, barrels and the cellar itself. Also, the wooden barrels are replaced frequently.

Wines

PININO, CUPIO, CLANDESTINO

Pinino and Cupio, Rosso and Brunello di Montalcino are aged in large, classic barrels of Slavionan Oak, and brought to maturity according to a disciplined process.
In contrast, the ClanDestino wines, the Rosso and Brunello di Montalcino, are aged in French Oak barrels. This aging process is inspired by the idea that with Pinino, there is room for innovation. Based on experience, these wines are preferred by a younger audience.
The name „ClanDestino" is a play on words, pointing to the destiny of the two families, from two different countries, who have combined their passion for wines, to produce top wines in Montalcino.