Wines from Tuscany

In 1984, on an unnamed podere in the hills between Gaiole and Radda, a quiet act of rebellion against convention took place. Marco Pallanti, the visionary Oenologist at Castello di Ama, dared to do the impossible: he planted Pinot Noir clones from Morey-Saint-Denis, the heart of Burgundy, in the chalky soils of Tuscany. What began as a bold experiment became a legend – Il Chiuso, named after that secluded, mysterious place where Burgundy's finest grape variety found its Tuscan soul. Five hundred metres above sea level, on soils with a high limestone content reminiscent of the Grands Crus of the Cote d'Or, the descendants of those Burgundian pioneers now thrive. Clones 111, 114 and 115 from Morey-Saint-Denis have found a new identity in this exceptional terroir – Tuscan in its sunny warmth, Burgundian in its finesse. The cool microclimate of this high-altitude site, tempered by the winds of Chianti, preserves the elegance and acidity that allow Pinot Nero to express itself in its purest form.

They could hardly have come from more different places: Caroline Pobitzer grew up in South Tyrol, in a Renaissance castle, and was the guardian of a 600-year-old wine cellar there for decades – the oldest and largest in Europe. Jan Hendrik Erbach came from Karlsruhe, studied viticulture and oenology and gained experience in France. In 1997, the two of them jointly founded Pian dell'Orino – a small estate of just under six hectares of Sangiovese, right on the border of Montalcino's most famous address: the Tenuta il Greppo of the Biondi-Santi family. Not a bad neighbour. Biodynamic since 2003, Demeter-certified since 2018. 22 different Sangiovese clones on seven plots, lunar calendar for pruning, nettle and camomile tea for the soil. Jan and Caroline work on an area that only allows for around 17,000 bottles a year – for all the estate's wines combined.

Chardonnay Al Poggio benefits from high altitude vineyards (from around 500 metres above sea level) and the cool limestone soils of the Chianti Classico region to produce this fresh, crisp and delightfully approachable white wine. The unmistakable regional elements are reminiscent of apricot and peach, with light sprinklings of Italian herbs such as fresh oregano and sprigs of rosemary. Fine mineral notes and fresh hints of citrus fruit make this incredibly flavoursome and thoroughly complex Chardonnay an ideal accompaniment to Mediterranean summer dishes. SUPERIORE.DE

A wine born from a love story between two worlds: When Thomas Bär acquired the La Valletta estate in Panzano in 2011, he not only completed his family's legacy, but also created the basis for a unique cuvée that combines two exceptional terroirs in perfect harmony. Valletta is the liquid manifesto of this visionary decision: half Sangiovese from the galestro-rich terraces of Castellina and half Merlot from the stone-rich soils of Conca d'Oro. On the one hand, the centuries-old, UNESCO-protected dry stone walls of Gagliole, where the vines find an ecological balance between olive trees and roses. On the other, the sun-drenched heights of La Valletta at the upper edge of the Golden Valley, where the shell-shaped amphitheatre develops its famous microclimate.

Gauggiole comes from a single vineyard in the north-east of the Castiglion del Bosco estate and is matured exclusively in concrete vats. Bright, lively red colour. Fresh red berries with delicate herbal notes on the nose. Well-structured on the palate with cool red fruit flavours such as cherry, floral nuances of violet and peppery notes on the finish. Well-balanced on the palate, with fine tannins and good ageing potential. SUPERIORE.DE

The south-eastern tip of Montalcino – near Castelnuovo dell'Abate, at an altitude of 350 to 380 metres, surrounded by oak forests and olive groves – is known for Brunello of extraordinary elegance. On this marl-limestone soil with layers of clay, where sea breezes and the cool nights of Monte Amiata speak the same language, the Spina family has spent four decades quietly building up a vineyard that produces more from a few hectares than some do from twenty. The Rosso di Montalcino is Sesta di Sopra's finger pointing: what is possible when Brunello is still waiting. Fermentation in temperature-controlled steel tanks, maturation in French barriques – more accessible and fresher than its big brother, but with the same roots, the same limestone, the same signature. The difference lies in the timing, not the ambition.

The olives used to make this Dievole extra virgin olive oil come from three different areas within the Chianti Classico region: Castelnuovo Berardenga, Castellina and Gaiole. The Frantoio, Leccino and Moraiolo varieties form the basis of this distinctive, medium-bodied extra virgin olive oil. The olives are gently mechanically pressed just a few hours after harvesting. The result is an intensely fragrant oil with a complex range of aromas and a grassy, piquant finish. SUPERIORE.DE

The eleven hectares of olive groves at San Giusto a Rentennano are located in the middle of the same hills that give the estate's wines their identity. Organically cultivated, harvested by hand – the same care that the estate has applied to its wines for decades is applied here to the olives. The result: an extra virgin with a clear character. Freshly pressed, unfiltered in the style of the house – intense, with the bite of an early harvested Tuscan olive and a grassy freshness that reveals its origins.

Grenache travels far and takes on a different name everywhere: Garnacha in Spain, Cannonau in Sardinia, Alicante on the Tuscan coast. The same Mediterranean soul everywhere – light in colour, bright red fruit, effortless drinkability. On the coast, it is one of the oldest grape varieties; in Montebamboli it has been growing for over 22 years, exposed to the south-east, on iron-rich, acidic soils at an altitude of 371 metres. This combination changes the character. What sometimes tends to be broad in warm, flat areas finds its tension on the cool, windy slopes of the Parco dei Montioni. Open fermentation vats, 20 to 30% whole bunches depending on the vintage, 20 days of maceration at 20 to 25 °C with gentle extraction – then exclusively concrete, 6 to 9 months. No wood to mask the fruit.

Originating from the historic vineyards between Sassicaia and Ornellaia, Varvara honours the BaroneVarvàra Wrangler, great-grandmother of the current owner Count Federico Zileri Dal Verme. This classic Bordeaux assemblage of predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon, supplemented by Merlot, Cabernet Franc and a hint of Petit Verdot, thrives on the chalky soils 70 metres above sea level. Twelve months of ageing in Liters barrels and large oak casks give the wine structure without over-extraction.

Pure Sangiovese from western Tuscany is not comparable with the interpretations from Montalcino or Chianti Classico due to its cultivation near the coast, but this somewhat different facet is in no way inferior to the aforementioned. Saturated, light ruby red colour. Intense and complex bouquet of cherries, lilac and broom, densely woven on the palate with black cherries, spices and grilled herbs, the whole framed by a terrificfreshness and lightness. A supple and elegant wine whose well-balanced acid wire not only provides the necessary structure, but also the framework for a wonderful further ageing phase. SUPERIORE.DE

Val di Cava – the valley of the quarries. A sober name for one of Montalcino's most precious addresses. The Abbruzzese family estate is located in the Montosoli area to the north of Montalcino – one of the coolest locations in the entire appellation, at around 350 metres, with a soil of galestro, limestone and clay, which gives the Sangiovese elegance, freshness and structure all in one. Bramante Abbruzzese bought the estate here in 1953. His grandson Vincenzo has turned it into one of the quiet legends of Brunello viticulture. The philosophy of the estate is clear and uncompromising: exclusively Sangiovese from its own vineyards, large Slavonian oak wood for ageing, no intervention that obscures the purity of the grape variety. The Rosso di Montalcino comes from the younger vines of the four single vineyards Filai Lunghi, Lago, Cipressi and Nova – the same Galestro-rich soils as the Brunello.

Whilst Virgilio Bisti tends to the reds – Merlot, Cabernet, Syrah – Rita Tua has focused on the whites. Lodano Bianco is her wine, her conviction: that in this climate and on the mineral-rich soils of the Colline Metallifere, a white wine with a character all of its own can be produced – from a blend that nobody in the Maremma would have expected. Traminer, Riesling and Chardonnay. Three grape varieties, three stories of origin, one terroir. The vineyards near Suvereto lie on loamy, mineral-rich soils, twelve kilometres from the Tyrrhenian Sea. The Mistral wind from the Piombino Channel keeps temperatures in balance, preserves the aromas and gives the white wine that freshness which is not to be taken for granted at this latitude. Gentle pressing, fermentation in wooden tanks, followed by ageing in barriques.

As always, the Cerviolo is excellent: concentrated, with the aroma of red cherry, sweet tobacco, walnut and wild mushroom. Silky and multi-layered on the palate, with balsamic and spicy notes, dense and soft, with absolutely harmonious tannins. A marvellous wine! SUPERIORE.DE

Federico Giuntini-Antinori runs the area's most traditional estate, whose family tree can be traced back to the 15th century. Rufina is the northernmost district in Chianti, where the vineyards grow around the Villa di Selvapiana and in the vineyards of San Martino a Quona, Pian de' Marroni and Cerbognole. Mainly Sangiovese with small additions of Canaiolo, Colorino and Malvasia Nera are harvested between the end of September and the beginning of October, partly by hand. Spontaneous fermentation takes place in steel tanks at 28-30°C with a 25-day maceration period. Maturation lasts 12 months in 25-litre French oak barrels and concrete vats.

Cultus is Latin for "cultivation, care and veneration". The name says it all: this wine honours tradition by reinterpreting it. Where the house's classic Riserva relies on tried and tested structures, Cultus dares to take a longer breath. Forty days of maceration instead of the usual three weeks, Sangiovese supplemented by the historical companions Colorino, Canaiolo and Ciliegiolo – all from massalselection of the estate's oldest vines. The vineyards are located at an altitude of 250 to 330 metres, on clayey loam over limestone, organically farmed since 1995 and certified since 2003. The 2019 vintage brought ideal conditions: early budding in the warm spring, balancing rainfall into the summer, then perfect ripeness.

Chiaro di Bolle epitomises Il Borro's bold answer to the question of what Sangiovese is capable of as a sparkling wine – a Tuscan Metodo Classico that redefines the traditional boundaries of the grape variety. As a Blanc de Noir made from 100% Sangiovese, this exceptional sparkling wine fits perfectly into the winery's many years of experimentation with the queen of Tuscan grape varieties and impressively demonstrates the versatility of this terroir-influenced Sangiovese. Vinified according to the classic metodo tradizionale, Chiaro di Bolle undergoes traditional bottle fermentation, which gives Sangiovese a completely new dimension. The organically farmed grapes from Valdarno di Sopra bring their characteristic minerality and freshness, while the careful cellar work transforms the natural elegance of the grape variety into a sparkling lightness.

1976 was Paolo De Marchis's first year at Isole e Olena. He was 25; at that time, Chianti Classico was a wine that hardly anyone thought had a future, and the two medieval hamlets – Isole and Olena – were what his father Francesco had bought in 1956: two dilapidated farmsteads in the hills west of Castellina. Paolo stayed. For almost fifty years. What he made of this estate changed the history of Chianti Classico. He was one of the first to vinify Sangiovese separately, one of the first to bring the hillside terraces back into cultivation, and one of the first to take Sangiovese seriously as a single variety. His Cepparello – first bottled in 1980 – became one of Italy's benchmark wines. Emanuele Reolon, the new technical director at Isole e Olena, sums it up as follows: "Paolo brought the Piedmontese style to Tuscany. He treated Sangiovese like Nebbiolo." Back then, it was revolutionary. Today, it is dogma.