$37.99 on 6+ bottles (USE CODE 6saves2 at checkout)

Le Bighellone ("The Loiterers") takes its name from the figures depicted on the label, originally drawn by William's grandfather, Peter. The wine reflects William's years working with Pinot Noir in Burgundy (at Roulot, Duband and des Croix!) and is produced in extremely limited quantities, with roughly 1,200 bottles made each vintage.

The fruit comes from a twenty-year-old vineyard planted at 700 meters above sea level and surrounded by nearly 2,000 hectares of forest. A small mountain range to the west shields the site from Mediterranean influences, creating a remarkably cool microclimate. As William puts it, it's "a crazy vineyard in the middle of nowhere"—a site so cool that Sangiovese would struggle to ripen there consistently.

The grapes are harvested by hand, with approximately 30% whole clusters retained during fermentation. After a two-week maceration, the wine is aged for twelve months in a combination of 600-liter tonneaux and small oak barrels before bottling.

Grapes: 100% Pinot Nero (Pinot Noir)
Vineyards: 700m above sea level, in one of the wildest parts of Tuscany
Soil type: Schist-limestone
Winemaking: Hand harvested. Fermented in neutral oak barrel. 1,050 bottles produced.
Aging: 16 months in used barrels that are a mix of 1-3 year-old barriques. Sulphites are added one month after the malo finishes.
Filtration: None
Production: 1,050 bottles

About Clivo Altura & William Goldschmidt
It’s rare to find a debut this self-assured, balancing the classicism of Chianti Classico with a updated, not really modern, just more in tune expression of Sangiovese.  Clearly Burgundy made an impact on William!

William Goldschmidt’s Clivo Altura marks a new chapter for a family that has farmed at Corzano e Paterno for three generations. Before returning to the estate in 2020, William spent five years in Burgundy, working at Domaine Roulot, Domaine David Duband, and Domaine des Croix. Those experiences shaped the vision behind Clivo Altura, a project focused on carefully farmed, higher-elevation vineyards planted to Pinot Noir and Sangiovese.  His vineyards are just south of Radda in Vagliagli and for this wine La Debuttante comes from a single 1.5 acre vineyard in the Chianti Classico village of Panzano.

William is part of a growing movement in Tuscany that is turning attention back to cooler, higher-altitude sites as producers adapt to a changing climate. The goal is straightforward: preserve freshness, structure, and site expression. The resulting wines feel distinctly Tuscan but are made in such a way that clearly reflects his Burgundian training.

For those who follow the evolution of Radda and the broader Chianti Classico region, Clivo Altura is a producer to watch. The wines are honest, terroir-driven expressions of Sangiovese, defined by freshness, balance, and versatility at the table.