Montenetto di Brescia IGP (also known as IGT) is a geographical designation from the hills south of Brescia in Lombardiet in northern Italy. The designation itself was created in 1995, but viticulture in the area has deep roots, and we are talking about a tradition that stretches back several hundred years. Production is firmly anchored in a defined area covering the municipalities of Azzano Mella, Borgosatollo, Capriano del Colle, Castenedolo, Flero and Poncarale in the province of Brescia.
IGP/IGT is the freer level below DOC and DOCG, and it gives producers room to work with a broad palette of grapes. Both red and white wines are made here. Among the reds you will find Marzemino, Barbera, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese, while the whites are built around Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco and Trebbiano. So this is not a matter of a single obligatory grape variety, but of a selection of permitted varieties that the individual producer can compose with.
Marzemino is a characteristic local red wine grape and one of the grapes that gives the area its own identity. It is a variety with clear local roots, and it helps to distinguish the wines from here from the more international styles you encounter elsewhere in northern Italy. The red wines from Montenetto di Brescia have an ageing potential of around 2 to 6 years, depending on grapes and vintage.
For you who would like to explore the northern Italian wines, Montenetto di Brescia is a fine place to begin if you feel like getting to know a lesser-known designation. If you want to delve further into the region and its grapes, you can take a closer look at our selection of Barbera and our wines from Lombardiet.