VignaAlta, the flagship of Badia di Morrona Badia di Morrona was featured in these pages last year with their I Sodi del Paretaio, a Chianti DOCG that comes in Annata and Riserva forms. You can read about those wines here. This article reviews their flagship wine, VignaAlta, a 100% Sangiovese designated as the up-and-coming Terre di Pisa DOC. Terre di Pisa DOC Wine …
WOTY 2022 – Wine Alchemy’s Wine of the Year
WOTY 202 – Wine Alchemy’s Wine of the Year The Wine of the Year (WOTY) 2022 award from Wine Alchemy goes to Tenuta di Ghizzano in Tuscany and its owner Ginevra Venerosi Pesciolini. Joint winners – for the first time As is usual, any Wine Alchemy WOTY must be inspirational. Tasting great is a given. But in addition, the winning wine …
Le Serre Nuove dell’ Ornellaia 2020
Le Serre Nuove dell’ Ornellaia 2020 Le Serre Nuove dell’ Ornellaia is sometimes known as LSN. It’s the official “second wine” of the now iconic Ornellaia estate. They say it’s “made with the same passion and attention to detail as Ornellaia; it reflects the estate’s pedigree”.* Does it live up to this billing? Let’s travel together to the Bolgheri region of Tuscany …
Le Cupole 2020 – IGT Toscana Rosso by Tenuta di Trinoro
Le Cupole 2020 – IGT Toscana Rosso by Tenuta di Trinoro The late Andrea Franchetti created the Tenuta di Trinoro estate during the 1990s. Returning to Italy (he had been a wine broker in New York), he wanted to make the best Italian wine. For this, he chose a remote site in Tuscany, without any wine history, in the Val d’Orcia. …
Badia di Morrona – excellence in Chianti DOCG
Badia di Morrona – excellence in Chianti DOCG This article concerns Badia di Morrona, a wine estate south of Pisa in Tuscany. They make a wide range of wines, including Chianti DOCG, called I Sodi del Paretaio. But before we get to that, it’s worth considering the broader context of Chianti DOCG. Chianti DOCG Chianti is one of the best-known …
The Mimesi Project by Tenuta di Ghizzano
The Mimesi Project by Tenuta di Ghizzano Tenuta di Ghizzano has been featured on these pages before, with two superb classically-styled red wine blends called Nambrot and Veneroso. Their new wine project is called Mimesi, where current owner Ginevra Venerosi Pesciolini employs ancient natural wine practices in a modern context. As Confucius once said, “study the past if you want to …
Casisano 2016 – a mighty fine Brunello di Montalcino
Casisano 2016 – a mighty fine Brunello di Montalcino Brunello is one of Italy’s most prestigious wines and aspires to be the ultimate expression of Sangiovese. This DOCG, centred on the hill town of Montalcino, hosts considerable natural variation; in elevation, soil and aspects. Brunello’s stylistic hallmark is based upon long-maturation and subsequent longevity. In recent times, some producers have made …
Castello di Querceto and their Gran Selezione wines
Castello di Querceto and their Gran Selezione wines Castello di Querceto was a founder member of the Chianti Classico consorzio, back in 1924. When heading south from Florence, Greve in Chianti is the first town on the Chiantigiana wine road and the gateway to the Classico region. Nearby is Castello di Querceto. This beautiful wine estate makes wines of high reputation, together …
Christmas 2020 – A Dozen Festive Wines!
Christmas 2020 – A Dozen Festive Wines! Happy Christmas to you all! Here’s the pick of the wines for Christmas 2020, together with a Christmas Card. This year, a delightful Baker’s dozen wines are recommended for the festive season, all with UK availability. Also, they are sustainable, taste great, and match festive fare. And, of course, there’s something here for …
Litorale Vermentino – Val Delle Rose, Famiglia Cecchi
Litorale Vermentino – Val Delle Rose, Famiglia Cecchi I recently joined a great online wine tasting presented by Andrea Cecchi. His family wine roots date back to 1893, and they bought their first property in the sixties, Villa Cerna in Castellina, Tuscany. However, Cecchi’s enterprise has grown significantly. They now have three other Tuscan estates (another in Chianti Classico, San …