Massimo Monticelli
Winemaker, Kris Todd Vineyards
A California native and fourth generation winemaker, Massimo Monticelli’s passion for winemaking and viticulture began in early childhood while pruning, picking and making wine at his Grandfather’s ranch in Central California. Alongside his Grandfather and father, Marcello – a winemaker himself with over 50 years’ experience, he learned to appreciate the nuances of wine and how it changes from vineyard to cellar to bottle, as well as the art of pairing a great wine with a great meal shared with family and friends. This ingrained devotion stayed with him throughout his life. After receiving degrees at UC Irvine in Chemistry and Biology with the intent to pursue medicine, he shifted gears, giving in to his passion, and entered the Masters Program for Enology and Viticulture at UC Davis. He began his career in wine as an Enologist for Silver Oak, producing some of the most in-demand Cabernets from California and solidifying a reverence for the iconic grape.
Exploring the unique appellations and terrior of Napa and Sonoma, encouraged Massimo to strike out on his own as a consultant winemaker where he could specialize in small lot boutique wines. "Small lot winemaking allows me to be closely involved in every step of the process. From fruit selection through the final blend, I know that each vintage is getting the care and attention necessary to make a very special wine from each unique site."
Honoring the family tradition, he and his brother, Mario, founded their own label Monticelli Brothers in 2002, with inaugural vintages of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon.
For more than 15 years, Massimo has crafted critically acclaimed wines for over a dozen different producers and extended his expertise beyond Cabernet Sauvignon to include Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, from valley floors to the mountain tops in California’s most highly acclaimed wine regions.
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