Tag Archives: tuscany

Isole e Olena Chianti Classico 2022

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Artisanal and pioneering, elegant and anti-conformist: Isole e Olena’s Chianti Classico classically embodies all these qualities, amply confirmed by its 2022 vintage.

“Our Chianti Classico exhibits a continuously dynamic equilibrium”, comments Isole e Olena Technical Director Emanuele Reolon. “Its fulcrum always remains tradition, which we see as a privileged observation point from which to interpret the future. In addition, however, each new vintage constitutes an advance over preceding vintages in reflecting its origins in our roots, memory, and the terroir itself”.  

From its debut in 1969, Isole e Olena Chianti Classico, predominantly Sangiovese with a small amount of Canaiolo, has been the beating heart of this San Donato in Poggio-based wine estate and proud ambassador of its denomination and winegrowing heritage.

With a vision centred on the human, its close bond with nature and its innate flair for unblinkered thinking, Isole e Olena has always been ahead of its time, as well an example of a distinctive yet terroir-faithful Chianti Classico. 

That identity was on rich display in the 2022 growing year, whose stages developed with admirable rhythm. Ushering in the season was a nicely-balanced spring with well-spaced rains, cool nights, and warm, breezy days, which favoured a rapid, textbook-perfect flowering and fruit-set. Temperatures gradually rose from mid-June until mid-August, when welcome rains brought relief to the vines and set up conditions for an early harvest. Harvesters found clean, sound clusters at peak ripeness.

The must fermented in steel, then the wine matured for 12 months in large oak ovals, followed by 6 additional months in the bottle before release.

“Thanks to our history, our values, and our legacy, Isole e Olena’s journey continues today towards a new genesis, without ever compromising its style and quality, eloquent proof that it is perfectly possible to be a pioneer and innovator while at the same time serving as a guarantor of tradition”, concluded Emanuele Reolon.

Marcella Caimi

Tenuta di Ghizzano encounters David Tremlett

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And voila! ViadiMezzo, a tribute to the borgo and to its art

ViadiMezzo is Tenuta di Ghizzano’s new red wine, named for the main street in the historic village of Ghizzano di Peccioli, in the province of Pisa, as well for the project of the same name by British artist David Tremlett, who painted the street’s house façades, thus transforming the street itself into a colourful, vivacious work of art.

Nor is that all. In addition to this plein air art gallery, Tremlett also designed the front label for the ViadiMezzo wine, as a tribute to Tenuta di Ghizzano’s philosophy of sustainable winemaking and to its producer, Ginevra Venerosi Pesciolini. Since the wine is produced biodynamically, its label is dominated by colours “lent” from nature.   

“This wine, fruit of our biodynamic viticulture, displays all the qualities of a vibrant, appealing Sangiovese, firm-structured yet warm and velvety,” commented Venerosi Pesciolini. ViadiMezzo 2017, produced in a limited edition of only 1,200 bottles, fittingly serves to welcome visitors to this striking borgo and to the historic Tenuta di Ghizzano, a wine estate adorned with meticulously-designed, intriguing gardens alluring even in winter. In taking home ViadiMezzo, visitors will become ambassadors of an authentic corner of Tuscany, and its enjoyment will remind them of the borgo’s multi-hued street.

ViadiMezzo is only available at Tenuta di Ghizzano and on its e-shop at http://www.tenutadighizzano.com/shop.html. In autumn 2021, it will be joined by its white-wine sibling, ViadiMezzo bianco, which also bears a David Tremlett-created label.    

Colli della Toscana Centrale Gagliole

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The magic of the Tuscan countryside, in the heart of Chianti, fascinated and captured Monika and Thomas Bär – Bettschart right from the start, a love at first sight that left no doubt about what would in the future be their Land of Dreams. Their love for Tuscany and for its world-class wines became, as the years succeeded each other, a strong passion.

One part of the vineyards, amounting to 10 hectares, is in Gagliole (Castellina in Chianti). These vines are predominantly planted on age-old terraces, studded with olive trees among the vine-rows, a method of crop-cultivation in use since the Middle Ages, creating spectacular landscapes that excite the wonder of visitors from every part of the globe.
A further 10 hectares are located in Panzano, which lies in the famous Conca d’Oro, a natural amphitheatre which offers ideal growing conditions for every grape variety.

We tasted: Colli della Toscana Centrale Gagliole IGT 2014

This red wine contains Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes.

Gagliole is characterized by a beautiful ruby red color. The nose offers elegant aromas of ripe fruit, with hints of undergrowth and sweet spices, made from small wood. On the palate it expresses an excellent structure, with tannins present but well polished. The finish proposes very pleasant fruity and spicy sensations.

This wine is perfect for dishes based on grilled red meats and stewed meats. Also excellent for accompanying aged cheese platters and very elaborate first courses.

Padelletti winery #tuscany #montalcino #wine

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Brunello Padelletti

In Montalcino town, close to Siena, in the beautiful area nearby Monte Amiata and Val d’Orcia, Padelletti family is one of the oldest and famous vintner, since 1571.

All members of the family have been involved in military and political affairs of their hometown. They have traveled abroad for work reasons, however they have always been maintained a close bond with their land and never forgot to take care of their winery and enrich family tradition with modernity and innovation they have experienced during their several trips abroad.

The wines produced by the family have incredible features due to the fertile soil, in which vineyards are extended. Thanks to this particular ground, rich in water and cinders, coming from eruptions of Monte Amiata, the wine is characterized by aroma and notes extremely hard to reproduce.

In order to have a very high quality wine, family members carry out a meticulous selection of fine red grapes (Sangiovese grape) every year. Among about 480 quintals of grapes, only 100 quintals are chosen, for a maximum production of 7000/8000 bottles of wine. The result is a full-bodied red wine, the so-called “Brunello”, well known for its special intense colour and strong taste, a combination of history and culture.

Brunello is aged in barrels made of the Slavonic wood for many years, a valuable type of wood, that has made the wine very expensive. A really high level of tannins is contained in these barrels, so it is important to constantly control wine, in order to avoid to have an unpleasant taste.

The two iconic wines produced by Padelletti family are Brunello di Montalcino and Rosso di Montalcino, powerful wines but gentle and velvety wines at the same time. By tasting these strong flavoured wines, your palate will be overwhelmed by vivid emotions.

They are perfect to be paired with red and white meat, salmon and tuna.

Padelletti wine estate website: http://www.padelletti.it/azienda_en.html

Valentina Gagliano

 

Col d’Orcia wine estate #wine #montalcino #tuscany

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Surrounded by a beautiful natural scenery, Col d’Orcia winery is situatedCOL6near the fabulous medieval village of Montalcino, in Siena province of Tuscany. It offers fantastic views with its Montalcino hills, Monte Amiata and Brunello vineyards. In this scenic location you will have the opportunity to taste delicious products like wines, organic extra virgin olive oil and grappa.

The wine estate is considered as the largest organic wine farm in Tuscany, it obtained organic certification in 2010. Col d’Orcia literary means “windy hill”, that is the amazing place where you can find Poggio al Vento vineyard.  The company is owned by Cinzano family since 1973.

DOCG wines produced have a very high quality and the most important are wide range of fine Montalcino red wines, Chianti DOCG and Pinot Grigio. Moreover Col d’Orcia is well-known for its unique patrimony of more than 50,000 bottles of vintages Brunello di Montalcino.

Col d’Orcia regularly opens its cellars to all wine lovers and connoisseurs, you can take part of a tour discovering the estate and tasting wines.

We have been charmed by the taste of Brunello di Montalcino Riserva DOCG, that we really liked it. It is a deep and dense ruby red wine made from a rigorous selection of best bunches of Sangiovese grape, locally called “Brunello”.  It requires a long maturation of more than four years in steel tanks first and then in Slavonian oak barrels.

This pure Sangiovese variety has an elegant body and a firm acidity, slightly attenuated by fruit fragrances. A full-bodied, powerful wine with a long and memorable aftertaste.

Col d’Orcia estate website: http://www.coldorcia.com/

Valentina Gagliano

 

In the heart of Chianti: la Castellina winery #chianti #tuscany #wine

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La castellina Rugiada

If you are looking for an enjoyable and relaxing holiday, immerse yourself in the peaceful and uncontaminated nature of “La Ferrozzola” guest house, in the heart of Chianti, in Tuscany. Not too far from that, in the historic centre of the medieval village of Castellina, there are the wonderful Hotel “Palazzo Squarcialupi”, full of elegant rooms and old paintings, and the family farm, excellent synthesis of history and nature.

The winery has its origins from the past properties of the noble Squarcialupi family. Today, the farm belongs to the Bojola-Targioni, Monica Targioni and her husband Tommaso Bojola have been restored the property and took care of vineyards with great passion and devotion over the years. The farm is exactly settled in the amazing Palazzo Squarcialupi, with its cellars and shop, where family organizes wine tours to discover cellars and taste wine, as well as workshops about family and farm history.

The farm produces red, white and rosé wines, grappa, extra virgin olive oil and the traditional Vinsanto, typical Italian dessert wine. These wines are multifaceted, with particular blend of flavors, wild fruit scents and nuances of spices.

The most sought wine is the Chianti Classico, with its intense ruby color.

We were very pleased to taste the white wine called “Rugiada”. It is made up of 50% of Chardonnay grape and 50% of Malvasia del Chianti. All grapes are hand harvested. With its characteristic intense straw-yellow hue, this wine is lightly aromatic of powerful tropical fruits notes and fresh white flowers nose.

A balanced wine with a lovely almond aftertaste. It needs to be seasoned for six/eight months, poured into appropriate French oak barrels.

Fine accompaniments: pasta, risotto, fish, poultry.

La Castellina website: http://www.lacastellina.it/index_en.asp

Valentina Gagliano

Musico Montalcino winery #tuscany #wine #montalcino #italy

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Musico montalcino

Martini family is one of the most renowned and oldest family in Montalcino city, in Tuscany. Love and passion for winery and wine production have been passed down from one generation to another.

Most of the family members were farmer and they worked in their vineyards and in Maremma region too. One of the most esteemed farmer was Renato Martini, whose abilities and manual skills were really appreciated by land owners.

In 1980, the business man Giovanni Martini, deeply interested in viniculture decided to buy some vineyards, becoming a major producer of wine. His son, Guido Martini, inherited the enterprise from the father and he tried to keep family tradition in his production.

The annual production it’s around 5,000 bottles of Brunello, 3,000 of  Rosso di Montalcino and 2,000 of IGT. In addiction the winery also produces 1,000 bottles of olive oil and the Brunello Grappa.

The wines produced are of excellent quality, labels of bottles are made of a personalized design, very attractive for buyers. Wines are mainly created thanks to fermentation of Sangiovese grape, the most widely planted grape variety in Italy.

We have been charmed by the Brunello di Montalcino which is a very balanced wine, not too strong, with a fantastic expression of the san giovese. A wine, first of all very elegant with silk tannins, a perfect acidity and a lovely aftertaste.

Musico Montalcino winery website: http://musico.pro/en

Valentina Gagliano

Miguel Damien Desnerck