JG Benda

John Benda has done what many of us have dreamed of doing. A long time wine collector, he quit his City job in London in 2019 to establish a wine estate in Tuscany. His very first wine, the 2021 Rosso di Montalcino, is already making waves. Walter Speller singles it out as a top notch example of its type, describing it as “hugely perfumed” and “energetic…with electrifying acidity”. This is one of the most exciting new projects we’ve come across for some time.

If the initial results are impressive, it is perhaps not surprising given the back story. After moving to Tuscany, Benda spent time at Il Marreneto, working with the highly esteemed Alessandro Mori. He then bought two hectares of land in Brunello di Montalcino, situated in the highest part of the appellation at 600m altitude.

Since this acquisition he has worked seven days a week at the estate alongside his wife Zoe. This is no vanity project: Benda is hands-on and committed to attention to the smallest of details.

The first release from the estate is the 2021 Rosso di Montalcino. 2021 was an excellent vintage in Montalcino, with warm, dry conditions leading to consistent quality across the region.