Tuscan wines. Famous wine regions of Tuscany
Tuscany is the most famous wine region in Italy. Most of it is covered with hills and low mountains, on which vineyards are located. Tuscany also includes seven islands, of which Elba is the largest.The capital of Tuscany is the city of arts Florence. In the north, the region borders with Liguria and Emilia Romagna, in the south with Lazio, and in the east with Marche and Umbria. In the west, Tuscany is washed by the waters of the Tyrrhenian and Ligurian seas, the coastal strip stretches for 633 km.
The climate of Tuscany is mild, warm near the coast, with a noticeable maritime influence, in the central part the weather is cooler, but the Apennines mountain range protects from bad weather and cold winds.
Winemaking in Tuscany has its roots in the Etruscan times. The ancient Romans continued the wine-making tradition and improved vinification techniques, but a noticeable rise began in the 12th century, when the number of vineyards increased dramatically.
In 1282, the Arte dei Vinattieri (The Art of Vintners and Wine Merchants) corporation was created, at which time such varieties as Greco, Trebbiano, Malvasia and Aleatico entered the scene.
In the 16th century, they started talking about the Vernaccia of San Gimignano, the incomparable Muscovites and great wines from Montepulciano.
In 1685, Redi published "Bacchus in Tuscany", which brought even greater wine-growing fame to the region.
In the middle of the 18th century, the Geogrofili Academy was created, which served as an impetus for the quality of local wines. At the end of the 19th century, Bettino Ricasoli, at his winery in Broglio, did research and did a lot of work with assemblages, obtaining a red wine with excellent characteristics that fully satisfied the tastes of consumers. Thus was born the "perfect formula" Chianti.
Today, Tuscany winemaking remains the most popular (together with Piedmont) in Italy and one of the most famous in the world.
grape varieties
The area of Tuscan vineyards is 64 thousand hectares.80% of the wines produced are red dry.
60% of the wines produced are classified as DOC.
The most common and popular variety of Tuscany is sangiovese. This red grape variety is called the symbol and pride of the region. The name of the variety is translated as "blood of Jupiter". Sangiovese has many clones that differ from each other. Sangiovese wines are elegant, highly acidic, with noticeable tannins.
Of the red varieties, Canailo Nero, Chilegiolo, Aleatico, Alicante, Ancellotta, Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Canina Nera, Colorino, Malvasia Nera, Montepulciano, Pinot Nero, Schiava Gentile, Vermentino Nero are also cultivated.
Of the whites, the most common variety is trebbiano toscano; varieties such as malvasia, albana, albarola, vernachia, ansonica, canaiolo bianco, greco, vermentino, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and others are also grown.
Famous wine regions of Tuscany
The most famous wine-growing areas of Tuscany are Chianti, Montalcino, Montepulciano and the coastal zone, where the local phenomenon of “Supertuscan wines” originated.Montalcino is a small wine-producing area with an area of 244 sq. km. It got its name from the town of Montalcino, located in the province of Siena, on a hill 500 meters above sea level. The zone is limited by the valleys formed by the rivers Orcia, Asso and Ombrone. Montalcino is primarily known for its iconic wine. Brunello di Montalcino.
At the end of the 19th century, Ferruccio Biondi Santi planted a Sangiovese clone called Brunello on his slopes and started producing wines, paying great attention to technology. His wines were awarded prizes and prizes, Brunello from Montalcino was talked about. Now Brunello di Montalcino is one of the most prestigious and sought after wines in Italy.
His little brother can be called Rosso di Montalcino, it is a younger and lighter wine. Although some manufacturers produce quite serious specimens.
Not far from the village of Montalcino is the Abbey of Sant'Antimo, which gave its name to the wine-producing area. Sant'Antimo which also produces excellent wines.
The historic wine of Montalcino has always been the sweet wine Moscadello.
To date, only 12 estates from the consortium, which includes more than 200 wineries, produce a sweet version, among them Mastrojanni, Mocali and others.
The Chianti vineyards lie between Florence and Siena. Hilly relief prevails, many areas are covered with forests. The main variety is Sangiovege.
A few years ago, winemakers from Carmignano and Poggio a Caiano asked for the opportunity to use their own names instead of Chianti, since wines from Carmignano were known as early as the 14th century, and in the 18th century. Duke of Tuscany Cosimo I de Medici issued a decree on the norms and limits of production.
Now Carmignano has DOCG status. Wines are produced on the same lands and with the same grape varieties Barco Reale di Carmignano DOC, but production methods are not as strict and winemakers have more freedom.
The area of white wine production includes the hill of the same name in the province of Siena, where winemaking has been developed since the time of the Etruscans.
Among the fans of this wine was Pope Martin IV, who lived at the end of the XII century. And in 1487, Ludovic Moreau 200 fiascos (braided bottles) of Vernacci di San Gimignano for the wedding of his nephew.
Vernaccia di San Gimignano is made from the grape variety of the same name. The zone received DOC status in 1966, and in 1993 it was upgraded to DOCG.
Montepulciano is another hill in the province of Siena.
According to legend, the settlement of Montepulciano was founded by the Etruscan king Porsen, at the same time winemaking began to develop.
This zone produces Vino Nobile di Montepulciano from a Sangiovese clone called prunolo gentile.
Rosso di Montepulciano has a lower alcohol content, more short term aging and higher yields per hectare, resulting in a lighter and younger wine.
They also produce sweet wine. Vin Santo di Montepulciano.
For a long time, international varieties were forbidden to be used in the DOC / DOCG categories, which gave impetus to the development of production Super Tuscan wines, in the assemblage of which Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Syrah were used, thanks to the skill and creativity of winemakers, wines of the highest class were obtained, which brought modern glory to Tuscany.
The most famous Super Tuscan wines are Sassicaia (Tenuta di S.Guido) and Masseto (Ornellaia), as well as Desiderio (Avignonesi), Mongrana (Querciabella), Altesino (Rosso di Altesino), Il Nero di Casanova (La Spinetta), Modus (Ruffino ), Rapace (Uccelliera), Guidalberto (Tenuta San Guido, Fontalloro (Fattoria di Felsina), Oreno (Tenuta Sette Ponti), Guado al Tasso (Antinori), Ornellaia (Tenuta dell "Ornellaia).
Some historical farms of Tuscany
In Tuscany there are the oldest farms not only in Italy, but also in the world. Their history spans several centuries, and they are still engaged in the production of wine today.Among the "elders" is the aristocratic dynasty of Antinori ( Marchesi Antinori). A document dating from 1385 reports that Giovanni di Pietro Antinori is engaged in the art of winemaking. Other "marquises of Tuscan wine" are Frescobaldi ( frescobaldi), who have been working with grapes since the beginning of the 14th century.
Mazzei family ( Mazzei) has been making wine in the Carmignano area since the 14th century. And Lappo Mazzei is called the "father" of the Chianti wine zone. Economy Tenuta di Fonterutoli they own since 1435, since then the production of wine has not been interrupted.
One of the most famous farms in Tuscany is Biondi Santi, in their historic Greppo winery, the legendary wine Brunello di Montalcino was born.
Vineyards occupy 25 hectares. In 2017, the French company Epi acquired the majority of Tenuta Greppo, leaving Jacopo Biondi Santi as president of the holding.
Tenuta di Verrazzano located near Greve in Chianti, and takes its name from the castle of the same name. Its wine-making history began in 1150, this is the year of the document that mentions the Verrazzano vineyard. Until 1819, the farm belonged to the Verrazzano family, then passed to Ridolfi, and in 1958 to the Cappellini family.
The Barons Ricasoli have been producing wine since 1141 in their winery in Broglio Castle.
winery Cantina de'Ricci better known as Cantina Redi. It is located on one of the central streets of Montepulciano, in the Palazzo Ricci. Impressive old cellars have survived to this day, they have been producing wine since the Middle Ages.
Another historic estate from Montepulciano is the winery Cantucci, owned by the Catucci family and located in the eponymous palazzo. They were among the first producers of Nobile di Montepulciano wines.
Abbadia Ardenga from Montalcino has a long history associated with wine. Once these possessions belonged to the powerful Piccolomini dynasty, from which came Pope Pius II, who founded the ideal city of Pienza. Vineyards and olive groves have always surrounded the small castle. In 1934, the farm was renovated, today the vines occupy only 10 hectares, mainly Sangiovese is cultivated here.
agricultural enterprise Conti Costanti, owned by the Costani family, have been producing wine since the 8th century in the Montalcino area.
Tenuta Fanti was founded at the beginning of the 19th century by the Fanti family, it has always produced wine, olive oil and grown cereals. In the 1970s the reins of the economy passed to Filippo Fanti, during which there was a qualitative leap, a new winery was built, vineyards were updated.
Tenuta Col d'Orcia was founded in 1933 in Montalcino, on the basis of an older enterprise. To date, they own 540 hectares of vineyards, production reaches 800,000 bottles per year.
The Colombini family has owned lands near Montalcino since 1352, Fattoria dei Barbi was purchased in 1790. Vineyards occupy 100 hectares.
Tenuta Villa le Corti is considered the oldest cooperative farm, which was founded at the beginning of the 17th century by the princes of Corsini. It is located in San Casciano, in the heart of the Chianti Classico zone. It was equipped with a winery, where grapes arrived from different estates. Currently, the total area of the economy is 250 hectares, vineyards occupy 50 hectares.
Vineyards in Tuscany
1. Brunello di Montalcino DOCG.
Brunello di Montalcino DOCG is one of the most prestigious and famous wine regions in Italy. It is located in the municipality of Montalcino in the province of Siena, in the southeastern part of Tuscany.
Clemente Santi is considered the father of Brunello di Montalcino wines. He was a pharmacist from Pisa and famous writer, Santi owned lands in Montalcino and Pienza, and devoted most of his life to working on the ground. Knowledge in the field of chemistry helped him improve in winemaking and reach notable heights. In 1869, his wine of 1865 vintage received a silver medal, and his Moscatello would also be awarded at the international exhibition in Paris in 1867.
Clemente's daughter Caterina married Jacopo Biondi, and their son Ferrucho Biondi-Santi inherited his grandfather's interest in winemaking. It was he who set the high standard for Brunello wines, which was supported by other producers.
The zone was officially formed in 1966. In 1980 she received the DOCG category.
The total area of the territory is 244 km2.
Montalcino is a hillock whose maximum height is 600 meters above sea level.
The yield should not exceed 8 tons per hectare.
It produces red wines from Sangiovese grosso or Brunello (a clone of Sangiovese).
The exposure is at least 5 years, for the riserva version - 6 years, of which 2 years in oak barrels.
Some wineries: Biondi Santi, Casanova di Neri, Il Marroneto, Le Chiuse, Poggio di Sotto, Podere Brizio, Tenuta Brunelli, Tenuta di Sesta, La Gerla and others.
2. Carmignano DOCG.
Carmignano is a small wine region located in the province of Prato, in the north of Tuscany.
Carmignano is considered one of the oldest wines in Tuscany, which was produced by the Etruscans, as evidenced by the wine vessels found in the tombs.
A document from 804 mentions the commune of Carmignana, on whose territory olives and grapes are grown for the production of oil and wine. But the first mention of wine with the name Carmignano dates back to 1396.
In the 18th century, the Duke of Tuscany, Cosimo III Medici, designated in a decree the zone of production of Chianti, the same document spoke of the zone of production of Carmignano.
The Carmignano DOC zone was established in 1975 and received the DOCG category in 1990.
The vineyards are located on the hills, at an altitude of up to 400 meters above sea level. Watering is allowed. The yield should not exceed 8 tons per hectare.
Red wine is produced from Sangiovese (not less than 50%), Canaiolo Nero (not more than 20%), Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon (10-20%), as well as Trebbiano, Malvasia del Chianti and others.
3. Chianti DOCG. A large wine-producing area located between Florence and Siena, consists of sub-zones, the name of which can be placed on the label: Colli Aretini, Colli Fiorentini, Colline Pisane, Colli Senesi, Montalbano, Montespertoli, Rufina.
4. Chianti Classico DOCG. Provinces of Florence and Siena.
5. Elba Aleatico Passito (Aleatico Passito dell'Elba) DOCG.
The wine growing area covers the island of Elba. It was founded in 1967 and received the DOCG category in 2011.
Vineyards are located on hills at an altitude of up to 450 meters above sea level. The yield should not exceed 7 tons per hectare.
Produce red sweet wine (passito) from the Aleatico variety.
6. Montecucco Sangiovese DOCG.
The zone is located in the province of Grosseto, in the southern part of Tuscany, west of Montalcino.
The relief is formed by low and medium hills.
It was formed in 1998 and upgraded to the DOCG category in 2011.
The yield should not exceed 7 tons per hectare.
Produce red wine from Sangiovese (minimum 90%), with the addition of other red varieties.
According to discipline, aging must be at least 12 months in barrel and 4 months in bottle.
The riserva version is aged for at least 30 months, of which 24 in barrels and 6 in bottles.
7. Morellino di Scansano DOCG.
The vineyards of Morellino di Scansano lie in the hills of the southeastern part of the province of Grosseto. Winemaking in these lands has ancient roots, the vines were planted by the Etruscans, wine was produced in the Middle Ages.
The zone was formed in 1978, since 2006 - DOCG.
The soils are predominantly silty or sandy, the subsoil layer is composed of stones. The yield should not exceed 9 tons per hectare.
Produce red wines from Sangiovese (minimum 85%), which is called morellino. There is also a version of riserva that requires at least 2 years of aging, of which at least 1 year in barrels.
8. Suvereto DOCG.
The Suvereto zone is located in the municipality of Suvereto in the province of Livorno.
Until 2000, it was part of the Val di Cornia DOC, and then it was separated into an independent zone, which in 2011 received the DOCG category.
Only red wines are produced. Suvereto rosso is a combination of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, the content of each variety can be from 0 to 100%, as well as varietal wines from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sangiovese, in which the specified variety must be at least 85%. The required minimum aging is 18 months in oak barrels and 6 months in bottle. For the riserva version, aging is at least 24 months, 18 of them in oak.
9. Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG.
The zone is located in the commune of San Gimignano in the province of Siena.
The production of white wine in San Gimignano dates back to the 13th century. The Vernaccia of San Gimignano is mentioned by Dante in The Divine Comedy.
The zone was formed in 1966, in 1993 its category became DOCG.
Vineyards lie on hills up to 500 meters above sea level.
Only white wine is produced, there is a riserva version.
The main variety is vernaccia, it is possible to add other varieties, but not more than 15%.
Minimum content alcohol for the base wine - 10.5%, for the riserva version - 12% and aging for at least 11 months, as well as 3 months in the bottle.
10. Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG.
The Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG zone is located in the province of Siena and produces only red wines.
"Noble wine from Montepulciano" began to produce Jesuit monks in the XIII century. for worship.
The first producers of the zone were the Fanetti family, who released a batch of wine in 1925. In 1933, Cantina Fanetti presented its first wine, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, at the National Exhibition in Siena.
Officially, the Nobile di Montepulciano DOC zone was formed in 1966. In 1980, its category was raised to DOCG.
The main grape variety is Sangiovese, whose share in the assemblage must be at least 70%; the rest is accounted for by local varieties, including white ones (no more than 5%).
The best vineyards are planted on the southeastern slopes of the hills, at an altitude of about 300 meters above sea level, on mixed clay-limestone and gravel soils.
Watering is allowed.
They produce two types of wines - Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva.
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano - the aging period must be at least 2 years, of which:
- 24 months in barrels
- 18 months in barrels + in other containers
- 12 months in barrels + 6 months in bottle + other containers
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva - the aging period must be at least 3 years, of which 6 months in bottle.
The vineyard area is 2,200 hectares. 250 growers work in the zone, about 90 producers bottle wines, 76 are members of the consortium.
In 2015, 7 million bottles of Nobile di Montepulciano and 2.8 million of Rosso di Montepulciano were released to the market. Exports in 2015 amounted to 80%. The most popular markets are Germany, Switzerland and the USA.
Historical farms of Montepulciano: Cantina Fanetti, Avignonesi, Antinori (La Braccesca), Boscarelli, Dei, Poliziano, Salcheto, Bindella.
11.
The Val di Cornia zone is located in the provinces of Livorno and Pisa. It was formed in 1989 and became DOCG in 2011. Red wines are produced from Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon (together or separately), as well as Sangiovese (at least 40%), with the addition of other local red varieties.
1. Ansonica Costa dell "Argentario DOC.
The zone was formed in 1995. It is located in the province of Grosseto. The vineyards lie on the hills.
Produce white dry wine from the Ansonika variety (not less than 85%).
Wineries: .
2. Barco Reale di Carmignano DOC.
The zone is located in the communes of Carmignano and Poggio a Caiano in the province of Prato. It was formed in 1975, but the winemaking tradition goes back to ancient times.
The name of the area "Royal Park" means the hunting place of the Medici. Barco Reale di Carmignano DOC is the younger brother of the more prestigious Carmignano DOCG, it repeats its boundaries, but the yield is higher here - 10 tons per hectare, for Carmignano DOCG - 8 tons/ha) and barrel aging is not required.
This wine region produces red wine labeled Barco Reale di Carmignano; rosé wine - Rosato di Carmignano, known as Vin Ruspo.
Sangiovese (minimum 50%), Canaiolo (up to 20%), Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon (10-20%), as well as Trebbiano Toscano, Canaiolo Bianco and Malvasia (up to 10%).
3. Bianco dell Empolese DOC.
The zone is located in the province of Florence. She was isolated in 1989.
Vineyards are located on the plains and hills.
Two types of wines are produced: white dry and sweet Vin Santo. The allowed variety is trebbiano toscano, which must be at least 60% in the assemblage, the rest is local white varieties.
4. Bianco di Pitigliano D.O.C.
The zone is located in the communes of Pitigliano and Sorano, partly Scansano and Manciano, in the province of Grosseto, occupying the southern part of Tuscany. It formed in 1966.
They produce white wines - dry, still, sparkling, sweet Vin Santo and a superiore version. The main variety is Trebbiano Toscano, which accounts for 40 to 100% in the assemblage, other varieties are Greco, Malvasia Bianca, Verdello, Grechetto, Ansonica, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Pinot Bianco and Riesling Italico.
Vin Santo requires aging in barrels of no more than 500 liters capacity for 18 months or more.
5. Bolgheri D.O.C.
The zone was formed in 1983. It is located in the commune of Castagneto Carducci in the province of Livorno.
They produce white, red and rosé wines.
Bolgheri bianco - vermentino (0-70%); sauvignon blanc (0-40%); trebbiano toscano (0-40%).
Bolgheri Vermentino - vermentino (at least 85%).
Bolgheri Sauvignon Blanc - sauvignon blanc (at least 85%).
Bolgheri Rosso - Cabernet Sauvignon (0-100%); Merlot (0-100%); Cabernet Franc (0-100%); syrah (0-50%); sangiovese (0-50%).
Watering is allowed. The yield for white varieties is not higher than 12 tons/ha, for red varieties - not more than 9 tons/ha.
Red wines must be aged for at least 1 year. For the superiore version - at least 2 years, of which 1 year in oak barrels.
Some wineries: Tenuta dell "Ornellaia and others.
6. Bolgheri Sassicaia D.O.C.
The zone is intended for the production of the only wine Bolgheri Sassicaia, in the assemblage of which must be at least 80% Cabernet Sauvignon.
The zone is located in the commune of Castagneto Carducci in the province of Livorno.
Watering is allowed. The yield should not exceed 7 tons per hectare. The minimum exposure is 2 years, of which at least 18 months in oak barrels with a capacity of 225 liters.
Count Guido Alberto Gherardesca at the beginning of the 19th century drew attention to new oenological approaches. He attracted Giuseppe Mazzanti from Bolgheri to his team. In 1816 they planted the first experimental vineyard in Capanna di Castiglioncello, where the legendary Sassicaia wine was later born. They took as a basis not only the terroir, but also the French wine culture, including vines brought from France. First they landed game, cabernet sauvignon and syrah.
But the phylloxera epidemic and subsequent wars ruined their plans.
In 1944, the Marquis Mario Incisa della Rochetta began to plant vineyards, giving preference to French varieties. After much trial and error, the Sassicaia wine was born. But the official date of its birth is considered to be 1978, when Decanter magazine placed Sassiacaia in first place among the Cabernet Sauvignons of the world.
Until 1983, Sassicaia existed as a sub-zone, and in 1994 a separate zone appeared, excellent for Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc varieties.
7. Candia dei Colli Apuani D.O.C.
The Candia dei Colli Apuani zone is located at the foot of Mount Oliviero in the province of Massa Carrara, where the famous white marble lies. The vineyards lie on steep slopes, which makes their cultivation difficult.
The zone was allocated in 1981.
Produce:
Candia dei Colli Apuani bianco - white dry and sweet wine, also a fizzy version, from vermentino (at least 70%).
Candia dei Colli Apuani Vin Santo. Exposure should take place in barrels no more than 5 hectoliters, the wine goes on sale after three years from the harvest.
Candia dei Colli Apuani bianco Vendemmia tardiva - white, late harvest, from vermentino (at least 70%).
Candia dei Colli Apuani Vermentino - vermentino (at least 85%).
Candia dei Colli Apuani Rosso - red wine from Sangiovese (60-80%) and Merlot (no more than 20%).
Candia dei Colli Apuani Rosato - rosé wine from Sangiovese (60-80%) and Merlot (no more than 20%).
Candia dei Colli Apuani Vermentino Nero - red wine from vermentino nero (not less than 85%).
Candia dei Colli Apuani Barsaglina (Massaretta) - red wine from barsalna (massaretta) (at least 85%).
Wine estates: Cima, Montepepe.
8. Capalbio DOC.
The Capalbio DOC zone is located in the municipalities of Capalbio, Manciano, Magliano and Orbetello, in the southern part of the province of Grosseto. It formed in 1999. Vineyards lie on the hills and their foothills.
They produce white, red (also Riserva version) and rosé wines, as well as Vin Santo.
For wines labeled with Vermentino, Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon, the proportion must be at least 85%.
The red wines of Capalbio are Sangiovese (not less than 50%), as well as other local varieties, except Aleatico.
White wines Capalbio and Vin Santo - trebbiano toscano (at least 50%), as well as other local varieties, except for white muscat.
9. Colli dell "Etruria Centrale DOC.
Colli dell "Etruria Centrale is located on the territory of the extended Chianti zone, and covers the provinces of Arezzo, Florence, Pisa, Pistoia, Prato and Siena. This wine-growing area appeared in 1990 as the "younger brother of Chianti".
They produce white, red and rosé wines, as well as Vin Santo, Vin Santo riserva, Vin Santo Occhio di Pernice, Vin Santo Occhio di Pernice riserva, Novello.
For red and rosé wines, Sangiovese is used (at least 50%), as well as other Tuscan varieties, including whites (up to 25%).
For white wines - trebbiano toscano (not less than 50%).
For Vin Santo - trebbiano toscano and malvasia bianca lunga (together or separately not less than 70%).
For Vin Santo Occhio di Pernice - Sangiovese (not less than 50%).
The yield should not exceed 12 tons/ha.
For the production of Vin Santo, concentrated must can be used. The aging period in barrels up to 5 hectoliters is at least 3 years, and 4 years for the riserva version. The minimum alcohol content is 15.5%.
10. Colline Lucchesi D.O.C.
The vineyards lie on the hills around the town of Luca, in the communes of Luca, Capannori and Porcari. The zone was formed in 1968.
They produce red and white wines, as well as Vin Santo and Vin Santo Occhio di Pernice.
For red wines, Colline Lucchesi is used with Sangiovese (45-80%), as well as Canaiolo, Ciliegiolo, Merlot, Syrah (together or separately 10-50%), and other varieties, including white up to 5%.
Red and white wines with the indication of the variety must contain at least 85% - Merlot, Sangiovese, Sauvignon Blanc, Vermentino.
Colline Lucchesi white wines must contain Trebbiano Toscano (40-80%), as well as Chardonnay, Greco, Grechetto, Malvasia, Sauvignon Blanc and Vermentino (together or separately 10-60%), and other Tuscan varieties up to 25%.
Wineries. In 2000, Vittorio Moretti (Bellavista, Contadi Castaldi) acquired Tenuta La Badiola.
11. Colli di Luni D.O.C.
The Colli di Luni zone is located in the provinces of La Spezia (Liguria) and Massa Carrara (Tuscany).
The vineyards are located on the plains and hills, up to 700 meters above sea level.
Local wines have been known since the days of the Roman Empire. Pliny the Elder wrote that wine from Luni carries the palm throughout Etruria.
The Colli di Luni zone was formed in 1989. The vineyards are greatly influenced by the Ligurian and Tyrrhenian Seas. Vermentino, which is the most widespread variety of the zone, feels especially good here.
White and red wines are produced, the latter also a riserva version, for vermentino a superiore version is provided.
Colli di Luni Rosso - Sangiovese (at least 50%).
Colli di Luni Bianco - vermentino (at least 35%), trebbiano toscano (25-40%).
Colli di Luni Vermentino - vermentino (at least 90%).
Colli di Luni Albarola - albarola (at least 85%).
12.
The Cortona wine zone is located in the commune of Cortona, in the province of Arezzo, in the east of Tuscany.
Vineyards occupy 500 hectares, they lie on the hills.
The wine-producing zone appeared in 1999.
Loose sandy soils prevail here, which are excellent for the Syrah variety, which is the main variety in Cortona. It has been cultivated since the middle of the 18th century. Syrah wines are distinguished by aromas of fruits and spices.
Other varieties are Sangiovese, Chardonnay, Grechetto, Pinot Bianco, Riesling, Sauvignon, Cabernet Sauvignon, Game, Merlot, Pinot Nero.
Cortona Rosso - Syrah (50-60%), Merlot (10-20%) and other local varieties.
Varietal wines are also produced from Grecqueto, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon (also riserva version), Merlot (also riserva version), Sangiovese (also riserva version), Sina (also riserva version), in which the specified variety must be at least 85%.
Aging for riserva is at least 24 months, of which at least 12 months in barrel and 4 months in bottle.
Cortona Vin Santo (Vin Santo Riserva) - Trebbiano Toscano, Grechetto and Malvasia Bianca.
Cortona Vin Santo Occhio di Pernice - Sangiovese, nera malvasia.
13. Elba D.O.C.
The zone covers the island of Elba. It was formed in 1967.
Winemaking originated in the ancient Roman era and has always played an important role in the economy of the island.
Most of the vineyards are located on terraces, they occupied 35% of the total area of the island. But in the 1970s the economic crisis has forced to reduce the planting of vines. To date, the area of vineyards is 150 hectares, about 400 thousand bottles are produced per year.
Winemaking on the island of Elba is heroic.
Vineyards are located at an altitude of up to 450 meters above sea level.
They produce red, white, rosé wines, dry and sweet, still and sparkling. The discipline provides for 8 versions of still wines and 5 versions of passito.
The main red wine variety is Sangiovese (at least 60%). For white wines - trebbiano toscano (10-70%), ansonic and/or vermentino (10-70%).
For varietal wines, the specified variety must be at least 85%.
14. Grance Senesi D.O.C.
The Grance Senesi zone is located in the province of Siena, in the communes of Rapolano Terme, Murlo, Asciano and Monteroni D "Arbia. The vineyards lie on gentle hills from 350 to 650 meters above sea level. The zone appeared in 2010. The word Grance means "outbuildings "". In the XIII century, the hospital at the monastery of Santa Maria della Scala in Siena owned numerous lands in the district, where agricultural estates were founded, which provided food. Including vineyards were planted, from which wine was produced not only for the needs of the hospital The first grancia to produce wine was the Serre di Rapolano, and the Sienese archives contain records of trebbiano white wines used for medicinal purposes.
The Grance Senesi DOC zone produces red wines based on Sangiovese (minimum 60%), white wines from Trebbiano Toscano and Malvasia Bianca Lunga (alone or together at least 60%), also in passito and late harvest versions. Other permitted varieties are canaiolo, merlot, cabernet sauvignon.
For varietal wines, the variety indicated on the label must be at least 85%.
For the riserva version, the vines must be over 5 years old and aged for at least 1 year in barrel.
For red wines, an exposure of at least 5 months in barrel is provided.
15. Maremma Tuscany D.O.C.
The Maremma Toscana zone is located in the south of Tuscany, covering almost the entire province of Grosseto, from the coast to the hills, reaching the border with Lazio.
Maremma Toscana IGT has existed since 1995, and in 2011 the zone received the DOC category.
Vineyards occupy almost 8600 hectares.
They produce white, red, rosé wines, as well as sweet Vin Santo, late harvest, passito and sparkling. Quite a lot of varieties are cultivated, ranging from international to autochthonous.
Allowed varieties: Chilegiolo, Sangiovese, Trebbiano, Ansonica, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Cabernet Sauvignon, Vermentino, Canaiolo, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Punitello.
In 2014, the DOC Maremma consortium was created, which includes 242 farms, of which 174 growers who sell grapes to cooperatives, 1 bottling plant and 67 farms that have their own grapes and produce wine from them.
Some wineries: Podere San Cristoforo, Roccapesta, Tenuta Casteani, Belguardo (Mazzei), Fattoria di Magliano, Fattoria Le Mortelle (Antinori), Rocca di Montemassi (Zonin).
16. Montecarlo D.O.C.
The zone is located in the province of Luqa. It was formed in 1969.
They produce red (also a version of riserva), white, dry and sweet wines.
Montecarlo bianco or Vin Santo - trebbiano toscano (30-60%), as well as semino, pinot grigio, pinot bianco, vermentino, sauvignon and russan (at least three varieties from the list, 40-70%).
Montecarlo rosso - Sangiovese (50-75%), as well as chilegiolo, colorino, nera malvasia, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc (separately or together 10-30%).
For varietal wines - vermentino, sauvignon, syrah, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, the specified variety must be at least 85%.
17. Montecucco D.O.C.
The Montecucco zone is located in the province of Grosseto. It was formed in 1998.
They produce reds (including the riserva version), whites and rosés, as well as Vin Santo, Vin Santo Occhio di Pernice and vermentino varietals.
Montecucco rosso - Sangiovese (at least 60%), as well as other local varieties, except for Malvasia nera and Aleatico.
Montecucco rosato – Sangiovese and/or Chilegiolo (at least 60%).
Montecucco bianco - trebbiano and / or vermentino (at least 40%).
Montecucco Vermentino - vermentino (at least 85%).
Montecucco Vin Santo - Malvasia Bianca, Grechetto and Trebbiano.
Montecucco Vin Santo Occhio di Pernice - Sangiovese (at least 70%).
18. Monteregio di Massa Marittima DOC.
The vineyards are located in the province of Grosseto. The zone was formed in 1994.
The territory of Montereggio consists of hills blown by gentle winds from the sea. Under the vine about a thousand hectares.
They produce red, rosé and white wines.
Monteregio Rosso (Riserva) / Rosato / Novello - Sangiovese (at least 50%). The minimum aging for the Riserva version is 2 years, of which 6 months in barrel and 3 months in bottle.
Monteregio Bianco - Trebbiano Toscano and/or Vermentino (at least 50%).
Monteregio Sangiovege rosato / novella / riserva - Sangiovese (at least 85%).
Monteregio Syrah - Syrah (at least 85%).
Monteregio Vermentino - vermentino (at least 90%).
Monteregio Viognier - viognier (at least 90%).
Vin Santo / riserva / Occhio di Pernice
19. Montescudaio DOC.
Montescudaio zone in the province of Pisa. Its relief is made up of hills descending to the sea. It was formed in 1976. A variety of soils determines a wide range of wines produced.
Produce red wines (also riserva version, sandogevese at least 50%), varietals from cabernet franc (also riserva), cabernet sauvignon (also riserva), merlot (also riserva), sangiovese (also riserva), white wines (trebbiano toscano at least 50%), varietals from Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Vermentino, Vin Santo.
20. Moscadello di Montalcino D.O.C.
Vineyards are located on hills up to 600 meters above sea level. in the area of Montalcino, which has been known for centuries as the birthplace of Moscadello.
A letter from the 15th century survives, in which the writer Pietro Aretino thanks his friend for the Moscadello wine, "delicate, round, light and pearly." Also, one document from the archives of the Vatican, which dates back to 1591, mentions the Moscadello vineyards that belonged to the Abbey of Sant'Antimo.
The zone was formed in 1984.
They produce only white wines from white Muscat - still, effervescent (frizzante) and late harvest.
21. Orcia D.O.C.
The Orcia DOC zone is located in the province of Siena and covers 13 communes.
It was formed in 2000.
From a tourist point of view, the Orcia Valley attracts with the beauty of its unforgettable landscapes.
The vineyard area is 400 hectares.
They produce red (riserva version), white and rosé wines, as well as varietals from Sangiovese (riserva) and Vin Santo.
In an assemblage of red and rosé wines, Sangiovese must be at least 60%. The Riserva version is aged for at least 24 months, 12 of which are in oak barrels.
If the label says "Sangiovese", then its share in the assembly is not less than 90%. For Sangiovese "Riserva" exposure must be at least 30 months, of which 24 months in oak barrels.
In whites - at least 50% trebbiano toscano.
Vin Santo - Trebbiano Toscano and Malvasia Bianca (together or separately, at least 50%).
The yield does not exceed 80 centners per hectare.
Some wineries: Poggio al Vento, Sasso di Sole, Casali di Bibbiano and others.
22. Parrina D.O.C.
The small area Parrina DOC is located in the south of Tuscany, in the province of Grosseto and occupies part of the commune of Orbetello. It was formed in 1971. Vineyards lie mainly on the hills.
They produce red (riserva), white and rosé wines, as well as varietals from Sangiovese (riserva), Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Vermentino, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, Vin Santo. For Parrina rosso and rosato, the assemblage must contain at least 70% Sangiovese.
The riserva version is aged for at least 2 years, of which 1 year in oak barrels and 3 months in bottle.
For Parrina bianco - trebbiano toscano (10-30%), ansonica (30-50%), vermentino (20-40%), chardonnay and / or sauvignon blanc (up to 20%).
For varietal wines, the variety indicated on the label must be at least 85%.
There is only one manufacturer in the Parrina DOC zone - .
23. Pomino DOC.
The small zone lies in the province of Florence, occupying the commune of Rufina. Vineyards lie on hills from 300 to 750 meters above sea level. A special microclimate is formed here, creating harmony between vineyards, forests and olive groves. Officially, the zone was allocated in 1983.
White wines made from international grape varieties are especially interesting here, and good red wines are also found.
Pomino bianco / Pomino bianco riserva / Pomino bianco Vendemmia tardiva - Pinot bianco, Pinot grigio and Chardonnay (together or separately not less than 70%).
Pomino Vin Santo - Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay and Trebbiano (at least 70% together or separately). Aging for the riserva version must be at least 1 year, of which 8 months in oak barrels.
Pomino rosso / Pomino rosso riserva / Pomino rosso vendemmia tardiva / Pomino Vin Santo Occhio di Pernice – Sangiovese (not less than 50%), Pinot nero and Merlot (together or separately not less than 50%). Exposure is at least 6 months in oak barrels, for the riserva version - at least 12 months.
Varietal wines from chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, pinot nero, merlot - the specified variety is not less than 85%.
Sparkling Spumante bianco and rosato (as well as the riserva version) - chardonnay, pinot bianco and pinot nero (together or separately not less than 70%). Produce classical method, with lees aging for at least 15 months, for riserve - at least 36 months.
24. Rosso di Montalcino D.O.C.
The zone is located in the commune of Montalcino in the province of Siena and was founded in 1983.
Vineyards lie on hills up to 600 meters above sea level.
Only red wines are made from the Sangiovese (Brunello) variety. The yield should not exceed 9 tons / ha. The wine goes on sale no earlier than September 1 of the year following the harvest.
25. Rosso di Montepulciano DOC.
The zone is located in the commune of Montepulciano in the province of Siena. It was formed in 1988.
Vineyards lie on hills from 250 to 600 meters above sea level. Watering is allowed. Productivity is 10 tons/ha.
Only red wines are produced from the Sangiovese variety (prunolo gentili), which must be at least 70%, the rest is local red varieties, as well as white, but not more than 5%.
26. San Gimignano DOC.
The production area of San Gimignano DOC is located in the commune of San Gimignana in the province of Siena. She was singled out in 1996. Vineyards lie on hills up to 500 meters above sea level.
San Gimignano rosso / rosato - Sangiovese (not less than 50%), as well as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Pinot Nero (separately or together, not more than 40%).
San Gimignano Sangiovese / Cabernet Sauvignon / Merlot / Syrah / Pinot Nero - the specified variety must be at least 85%.
For red wines, aging must be at least 24 months, 7 of which are in barrels.
San Gimignano Vin Santo - trebbiano (not less than 30%), malvasia (not more than 50%), vernach (not more than 20%).
San Gimignano Vin Santo Occhio di Pernice - Sangiovese (at least 50%).
27. San Torpe DOC.
Most of the zone lies in the province of Pisa, as well as in the commune of Collesalvetti in the province of Livorno. The vineyards are located on gentle hills. The zone was formed in 1980.
They produce white and rosé wines, as well as a version of Vin Santo. Varieties - Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Trebbiano, Vermentino, Sangiovese.
28. Sant'Antimo DOC.
The name of the Sant "Antimo zone comes from the monastery of the same name, around which the vineyards are located. The zone partially occupies the commune of Montalcino in the province of Siena and intersects with Brunello di Montalcino and Rosso di Montalcino. It was identified in 1996. The vineyards lie on hills up to 600 meters above sea level. .m Watering is allowed, but not more than 2 times a year in the summer.
They produce white and red wines, as well as versions of Vin Santo and Vin Santo Occhio di Pernice, Novello. Varieties - Sangiovese, Trebbiano, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Nero, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot.
29. Sovana D.O.C.
The Sovana DOC zone is located in the southeast of the province of Grosseto and covers the communes of Pitigliano, Sorano and partially Manciano. It was founded in 1999, and takes its name from the Etruscan city of Sovana, where winemaking has ancient roots.
They produce red and rosé wines.
Sovana Rosso - Sangiovese (at least 50%).
Sovana Aleatico Superiore / Riserva / passito / riserva passito - Aleatico (at least 85%).
Sovana Cabernet Sauvignon Superiore / riserva - Cabernet Sauvignon (at least 85%).
Sovana Ciliegiolo Superiore / Riserva - chilegiolo (at least 85%).
Sovana Merlot Superiore / riserva - merlot (at least 85%).
Sovana Sangiovese Superiore / riserva - Sangiovese (at least 85%).
For the Riserva version, aging in barrels must not be less than 18 months and 6 months in bottle.
30. Terratico di Bibbona D.O.C.
The Terratico di Bibbona zone is located in the province of Livorno and covers the communes of Rosignano Marittimo, Cecina, Bibbona and Collesalvetti. The zone was formed in 2006.
They produce red, white and rosé wines.
Terratico di Bibbona bianco - vermentino (at least 50%).
Terratico di Bibbona rosso – Sangiovese (minimum 35%), Merlot (minimum 35%).
For varietal wines - Trebbiano, Vermentino, Sangiovese, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, the specified variety must be at least 85%.
31. Terre di Casole D.O.C.
The Terre di Casole zone covers the commune of Casole d'Elsa in the province of Siena. It was allocated in 2007.
They produce whites (also a riserva version), reds (also a superiore version), varietals from Sangiovese (riserva) and passito.
For white wines, the main variety is Chardonnay, which must be at least 50%. For reds - Sangiovese (from 60 to 80%).
Terre di Casole bianco riserva requires aging in barrel for at least 5 months and 3 months in bottle. For reds go on sale no earlier than September 30 of the year following the harvest, exposure is at least 3 months in the bottle. For the superiore version - aging for at least 12 months in barrel and 6 months in bottle, they go on sale in the third year after harvest.
32. Terre di Pisa D.O.C.
The vineyards of the Terre di Pisa zone are located in the province of Pisa. The zone was allocated in 2011.
Red wines are produced.
Terre di Pisa Sangiovese is the main variety of Sangiovese, which must be at least 95%. Terre di Pisa - Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah (together or separately, minimum 70%).
All wines must be aged in barrels for at least 12 months.
33. Val d "Arbia DOC.
The Val d "Arbia zone is located inside the province of Siena. It was formed in 1985.
They produce white dry, semi-dry and sweet, as well as rosé wines.
Val d "Arbia bianco - Trebbiano Toscano and Malvasia (30-50%)
Val d "Arbia rosato - Sangiovese (minimum 50%)
Varietal wines from Chardonnay, Grechetto, Pinot Bianco, Sauvignon Blanc, Trebbiano, Vermentino must contain at least 85% of the specified variety.
Val d "Arbia Vin Santo (Val d" Arbia Vin Santo Riserva) - trebbiano and / or malvasia.
34. Val d'Arno di Sopra (Valdarno di Sopra) DOC.
The zone is located in the province of Arezzo and was established in 2011.
They produce white (still and sparkling), red, rosé (still and sparkling), as well as passito.
There are sub-regions: Pietravia, Pratomagno.
Val d'Arno di Sopra bianco / Spumante - chardonnay (40-80%), malvasia bianca (0-30%), trebbiano toscano (0-20%).
Val d'Arno di Sopra Rosso / rosato spumante - Merlot (40-80%), Cabernet Sauvignon (0-35%), Syrah (0-35%).
Val d'Arno di Sopra Passito - malvasia bianca (40-80%), chardonnay (0-30%).
Varietal wines Val d'Arno di Sopra from Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Sangiovese, Syrah must contain at least 85% of the specified variety.
For red varietal wines, aging is at least 6 months in barrel.
35. .
The Val di Cornia zone occupies the provinces of Livorno and Pisa. It was established in 1989.
They produce white, red and rosé wines, as well as a passito version.
Val di Cornia bianco - vermentino (not less than 50%), trebbiano toscano, ansonica, viognier and malvasia bianca.
Val di Cornia rosato - Sangiovese (at least 40%), Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot.
Val di Cornia varietal wines such as Ansonic, Vermentino, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chilegiolo, Merlot, Sangiovese must contain at least 85% of the specified variety.
Val di Cornia Aleatico passito - 100% aleatico.
Val di Cornia Ansonica passito - ansonica (minimum 85%).
Val di Cornia Sangiovese / Merlot / Cabernet Sauvignon marked superiore - aged for at least 18 months.
36. Valdichiana DOC.
The Valdichiana zone is located in the province of Siena. It was formed in 1972.
They produce white, red, rosé wines, still, sparkling, Vin Santo and Vin Santo riserva.
Valdichiana bianco / spumante / frizzante - trebbiano toscano (minimum 20%), chardonnay, pinot bianco, grechetto, pinot grigio.
Varietal Chardonnay, Grechetto, Sangiovese must contain at least 85% of the specified variety.
Valdichiana Rosso / rosato - Sangiovese (minimum 50%), Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah.
Valdichiana Vin Santo - Trebbiano Toscano and Malvasia Bianca (together or separately at least 50%).
37. Valdinievole DOC.
The Valdinievole zone is located in the province of Pistoia. She was isolated in 1976.
Valdinievole bianco / superiore - Trebbiano Tuscano (at least 70%).
Valdinievole Rosso / superiore – Sangiovese (minimum 35%), canaiolo nero (minimum 20%).
Sangiovese varietal wines must contain at least 85%.
Valdinievole Vin Santo - Trebbiano Tuscany (at least 70%).
– dessert wine from Tuscany and also Umbria. Traditionally made from Trebbiano or Malvasia, it can also be made from Sangiovese, in which case the wine would be called Vin Santo Occhio di pernice ("partridge's eye").
Both separate (Vin Santo) and continuous (Vinsanto) writing is allowed.
Vin Santo is translated from Italian as "holy wine", the origin of this name is explained by two legends. The first tells of a Franciscan friar from Siena who, in 1348, cured those afflicted with the plague with wine, which was usually used for mass. Allegedly, the wine had miraculous properties and helped to heal, so they began to call him a saint.
The second legend dates back to 1439, during the Church Council in Florence, the Greek metropolitan raised a glass of wine and proclaimed: "This is the wine of Santo!" It may have been referring to the sweet wine that was produced on the island of Santorini, but since then the name has stuck with the typology of wines.
There are also two less romantic versions of the origin of the name Vin Santo. The first is banal - sweet wine was simply used during Mass. The second is technical - in past centuries, the grapes were withered until the end of the Holy Week, and then wine was produced.
Vin Santo is made from best berries, which are dried on mats in a well-ventilated area or hung on hooks. Then the grapes are crushed, the resulting must is placed in small wooden barrels - caratelli, where they are kept for at least 3 years.
Vin Santo turns out beautiful amber color, with bright and complex aromas dominated by dried fruits, honey, nuts, mushrooms and undergrowth.
Vin Santo Occhio di Pernice has a pink color and an intense fruity aroma, in the mouth the wine is round and velvety.
A classic combination is Vin Santo and cantucci - dry cookies with almonds.
38. Vin Santo del Chianti D.O.C. Subregions: Colli Aretini, Colli Fiorentini, Colli Senesi, Colline Pisane, Montalbano, Rufina, Montespertoli
39. Vin Santo del Chianti Classico D.O.C.
40. Vin Santo di Montepulciano DOC.
41. Vin Santo di Carmignano DOC.
Alta Valle della Greve
- Colli della Tuscany centrale
- Toscano (Toscana)
Val di Magra
Wine tours in Bolgheri, home of Super Tuscan wines.One-day (8 hours*) tasting tour in a comfortable minivan (for groups of 1-6 people). Tours and tastingswinery (80-100 euros) or Le Macchiole (55 euros), Giovanni Chiappini (25 euros), or other leading local farms - Guado al Melo, Castello di Bolgheri, Bizerno, etc. Lunch and wine tasting of Tenuta San Guido( , Guidalberto, le Difese) in a restaurant owned by the estate. Visit Bolgheri Castle and the famous Tognoni enoteca ( best collection seaside Tuscan wines and the possibility of tasting the entire top of Bolgheri Superiore DOC wines). 8-hour wine-excursion tour in Bolgheri, including excursions and transport for up to 6 passengers, costs 300 euros (for the whole group); for tourists from Florence, Montecatini Terme, etc. -350 euros. For the best organization For your visit and for more information, please contact me by e-mail: [email protected].
"Miracle" Bolgheri.In the last third of the twentieth century, Bolgheri, a tiny town in the south of the province of Livorno, previously known only to fans of a local native - the great poet and Nobel laureate Giosue Carducci, suddenly became a "mecca" for connoisseurs of great wines from all over the world. Indeed, Bolgheri is perhaps the main sensation in the wine history of Italy of the twentieth century, because in just a couple of decades the first wine of the local subregion, the famous (Sassicaia), now the most sought-after great wine of Italy on the international market, has won worldwide fame, having opened with Tignanello and Solaia (Tignanello, Solaya) from the Chianti era of "Super Tuscan" wines. Interestingly, in the fall of 2015, one of the most authoritative wine critics on the planet, Robert Parker, even called 1985 "
».
"Bordeaux" of Tuscany. Tenuta San Guido and Sassicaia.The history of Bolgheri began in the war year of 1944, when the Marquis Mario Incisa della Rocchetta, great-grandson of the Piedmontese Marquis Leopoldo Incisa, the compiler of the famous wine catalog of 1862, was waiting out the war in the hunting castle of Castiglioncello di Bolgheri. Having lost his famous stud farms in the Maremma, requisitioned by the German invaders, the Marquis decided to devote himself to his second passion - winemaking. He planted on a hill near Castiglioncello at an altitude of about 300 meters vineyards of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc varieties that were then unseen in Tuscany, and the wine began to age in miniature French barrels - barriques, and not in multi-ton "botti" traditional for Tuscany.
Marquis Mario Incisa della Rocchetta with his son Nicolo
After some time, the marquis planted new vineyards no longer on a hill, but on a plain much closer to the sea, but the grape varieties, as well as the method of wine production, were still borrowed from French Bordeaux, because it was Bordeaux wines that were most valued by the marquis. Initially, Incisa della Rocchetta made wines only for himself and friends, not releasing them for sale. Everything changed in 1968, when his brother-in-law Marquis Niccolò Antinori came to visit the Marquis of Inchisa della Rocchetta: Incisa della Roccheta's wife Clarisse and Antinori's wife Carlotta were sisters, descended from the ancient and wealthy Pisan family of the Counts della (one of the counts, unhappy, who lived in the 13th century was even mentioned in Dante's Divine Comedy). Niccolò Antinori was so impressed with the "Bordeaux from Bolgheri" that he persuaded the Marquis Inchise della Rocchetta to release his wine in open sale. In support of his words, he sent a young oenologist Giacomo Takis to Bolgheri, the fruit of whose efforts was the imminent appearance of a renewed Sassicaia. Takis managed to create an amazing wine with a rich ruby color, with a dense "body" and velvety tannins, perfectly balanced structure and a powerful bouquet, marked by aromas of blackcurrant, cherry, plum, raspberry, raw leather, vanilla, hints of tobacco and fresh grass.On the scale of Tuscany (and even the whole of Italy), Sassicaia was the first "super wine" that broke the usual ideas about what you can do in Tuscany. Despite its grandiose qualities, Sassicaia until 1994 (then the wine received its own appellation -) officially had the derogatory status of "table wine" (vino da tavola), since its production did not follow the winemaking rules established for Tuscany. In order to distinguish Sassicaia against the backdrop of mass cheap wines that were then usual for Italy, journalists invented the term “Super Tuscan wines”, which denoted the arrival of a new era of “Super Tuscans” in Bolgheri and throughout the region.
Wine fever. In the 1980s, after the sensational success of Sassicaia, a real “fever” of Super Tuscan wines began on the lands of Bolgheri. A new generation of local winemakers decided to start producing a wine that was opposite in its characteristics to the mass Tuscan Chianti. The example of the "pioneers" from the Tenuta San Guido winery was followed by the founders of the farms Grattamaco (), Michele Satta ( ), Le Macchiole (), Cipriana (Cipriana), Guado al Tasso (Guado al Tasso), Ca' Marcanda (Ca' Marcanda) and others who produced wines from Bordeaux varieties, which soon formed the "golden fund" of Bolgheri. However, in Bolgheri, only the wines of the Ornellaia estate received fame comparable to Sassicaia ( ), the wines of the other thirty-eight local producers are at a respectful distance behind.
Wine tasting from the Ornellaia estate
Ornellaia. Bolgheri's second winery was Grattamacco ( , 1977), and the third - Ornellaia (), created by Lodovico Antinori in 1981 on the lands he inherited from his mother Carlotta della Gherardesca and previously used only for hunting. Undertaking a new business, the Marquis Lodovico Antinori, apparently, was eager to surpass his brother Piero, who inherited by right the majorate, still unofficially practiced by the Tuscan aristocracy, most of the lands and the place of the "head" of the Antinori clan. Lodovico achieved his goal, because the wines from the Ornellaia estate certainly have more fame and recognition than the wines from the “main” estate of the Antinori clan in Bolgheri, Guado al Tasso, owned by the Piero Antinori family. Wine became an example for Lodovico Antinori , created in the estate of Tenuta di San Guido (Tenuta di San Guido) in Bolgheri by the husband of his aunt, the Marquis Mario Incisa della Rocchetta and the “father” of Super Tuscan wines, enologist Giacomo Takis.
The direct creator of Ornellaia wine was an American oenologist of Russian origin Andrey Chelishchev. At first, Chelishchev relied on Cabernet Sauvignon, familiar to him in California and already “thundered” in Bolgheri. However, Chelishchev soon opened Masseto, a site that allows you to get Merlot of exceptional quality. Since then Ornellaia winery has been producing Masseto wine from 100% Merlot, producing amazingly juicy and delicate wines with bright berry flavors dominated by plums. Masseto is considered to be the most expensive wine in Bolgheri, with a bottle usually selling for more than 500 euros. The main wine of the Ornellaia estate, which bears his name - Ornellaia, is created on the basis of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot and costs, when it goes on sale, almost three to four times cheaper.
Today, Ornellaia no longer belongs to Lodovico Antinori, who directed all his efforts to the development of the Tenuta di Biserno economy (Tenuta di Bizerno), located 5 kilometers north of Bolgheri. The new owners of Ornellaia were the eternal rivals of the Antinori clan in Tuscany - the Marquises of Frescobaldi, who initially shared ownership with the American Mondavi family, but then remained the main owners of the winery. In 2016, important changes took place in the fate of the economy - it was decided to separate the Masseto vineyard into a separate estate with its own winery.
Monovarietal wines of Le Macchiole (Le Macchiole)
42 Bolgheri wineries . Today, the wine consortium includes 42 wineries, and this figure is unlikely to change, since the consortium is forbidden to set up new vineyards in Bolgheri. The total volume of wine production of the consortium is approximately equal to 4.5 million bottles. Of these, Bolgheri Rosso red wines account for about 3 million bottles, and Top category red wines – about 1 million. The historic wine Bolgheri Sassicaia DOC is produced in a volume of approximately 200,000 bottles. Most of the super Tuscan red wines of Bolgheri, including legends such as Sassicaia and Ornelaia, are made by blending two or more Bordeaux varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot), often blended with the classic Tuscan autochthonous Sangiovese (Grattamacco) or Southern French Syrah (Guado al Tasso). Single-varietal wines won no less celebrity - an example of the “precious” Masseto (100% Merlot) was the first to be used in the Le Macchiole estate, creating the legendary wines Messorio (100% Merlot), Paleo Rosso (100% Cabernet Franc), Scrio ( 100% Syrah), then it was followed by many other estates, including the neighboring winery Giovanni Chiappini () Ornellaia, where, in addition to wine of the highest category Guado dei Gemoli (80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot), produce the Lienà single varietal line (Lienà Merlot, Lienà Cabernet Franc, Lienà Cabernet Sauvignon, Lienà Petit Verdot).
The core of the Bolgheri DOC concern, producing most of its products, remains aristocratic estates associated with the original owners of local lands - the Counts della Gherardesca (most of the territory of Bolgheri Pona does not belong to the direct heirs of the three sisters from the Gherardesca family): Tenuta San Guido (marquises of Incisa della Roqueta ), Guado al Tasso (family of the Marquis Piero Antinori), Ornellaia (Marquis Lodovico Antinori - Marquis Frescobaldi), Castello di Bolgheri (Counts Dziglieri dal Verme), etc. Other, but often no less famous, wineries are owned by outside investors (Grattamacco, Campo alla Sugera, Ca'Marcanda, etc.) and local residents (Le Macchiole, Giovanni Chiappini, etc.).
wine regions Bolgheri DOC And Bolgheri Sassicaia DOC- just a piece of land, an area of 12 square kilometers, lost in the vast Maremma - the southern half of the Tuscan coast, where wine is made everywhere. Nevertheless, it is Bolgheri that remains the main center of winemaking in coastal Tuscany and one of the "wine capitals" of Italy and the world in general. Bolgheri wine area DOC was formed V 1994, at the same time a subzone was allocated in it Sassicaia. The production regulations of the appellation have changed several times, the last time it would have been changed in 2013, at the same time the Sassicaia subzone received the status of an independent wine area Bolgheri Sassicaia DOC . The current production regulations of Bolgheri DOC include the production of the following wines: white wines Bianco contains the following varieties - Vermentino (0-70%), Sauvignon Blanc (0-40%) and Trebbiano Toscano (0-40%); rosé wines Rosato and red wines Rosso consist of Cabernet Sauvignon (0-100%), Merlot (0-100%), Cabernet Franc (0-100%), Syrah (0-50%) and Sangiovese (0-50%). Red wines go on sale no earlier than September of the year following the harvest. Red wines Superiore (highest category) are produced from low-yielding vineyards, have increased content alcohol, and must have a two-year aging period, including one year in oak barrels.
Wine growing area Bolgheri Sassicaia DOC it is the only protected area in Italy located within the same farm Tenuta San Guido, where, moreover, the only wine is produced - Sassicaia. Sassicaia was formed in 2013 and included 68 hectares of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards Tenuta San Guido. According to the production regulations, the red wine Bolgheri Sassicaia has a mandatory composition of at least 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, it can be supplemented with other red varieties officially approved for cultivation in the Tuscany region, with a total share of up to 20%, but the classic blend for Sassicaia is 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc. The wine is aged for at least two years, of which 18 months - in oak barriques, with a volume of 225 liters."The best wine in the world" and its best years. Robert Parker, one of the most authoritative wine critics on the planet, in 2015 in an interview with the Italian press called Sassicaia vintage 1985 " the most impressive wine he has met in all 37 years of his career ”, then at the end of 2018 he awarded the 2015 Sassicaia the coveted 100 points. The famous wine critic Daniele Cernilli, held a vertical tasting of the Sassiacaia wine at the Anteprima Grandi Cru della Costa Toscana on May 5, 2018 in the city of Lucca, noted other " good years for this wine: Better years? Don't tell anyone, but I prefer 88 to 85, which has become a real myth. Still - 1998, 2001, among the old years - 1977-1978. Among the latest - 2009, the "magic triad" 2011, 2012, 2013 and the most powerful 2015 » http://www.doctorwine.it/firmato-doctorwine/firmato-dw/la-stella-del-sassicaia.
First Bolgheri, then Maremma. To date, Bolgheri is already very “crowded”, the area of vineyards here is more than 800 hectares, all the land suitable for winemaking has been used for them. All the great wine-growing families of Tuscany and Italy as a whole realized the potential of this appellation and acquired their own farms here, the total number of which has already exceeded forty. But the point here can be not only unique features, but also purely commercial factors - a bottle of wine from Bolgheri automatically costs several times more than wine produced at least 3 kilometers away from Bolgheri Bibbone, where the winery Tenuta di Biserno (Tenuta di Bizerno) creates new masterpieces of the Marquis Lodovico Antinori after parting with the established economy of Ornellaia. The advantages of the Bolgheri terroir - a unique climate, proximity to the sea, mineral-rich soil, a ridge of high hills that protect the vineyards from the north and east winds, in fact, are characteristic of the lands of almost the entire coast of Tuscany, known as the "Maremma", stretching south of Pisa and Livorno to the border with Lazio almost 200 kilometers. Maremma boasts four appellations with a protected mark of controlled and guaranteed origin DOCG - Morellino di Scansano (Morellino di Scansano), famous for fine and fresh wines from the autochthonous Sangiovese variety, the "little sisters" and rivals of Bolgheri Val di Cornica (Val di Cornica) and Suvereto, where only Cabernet-based red wines are producedSauvignon, Merlot and Sangiovese, as well as Montecucco (Montecucco Sangiovese), where at an impressive height for local winemaking (up to 500 meters) they grow"heroic" Sangiovese. The rest of the classified areas, including Bolgheri Sassicaia, have achieved only "DOC" status, but their list is quite extensive: Bolgheri Sassicaia, Bolgheri, Ansonica Costa dell'Argentario, Capalbio, Parrina, Sovana, Montescudaio, Bianco di Pitigliano, Montereggio, Terratico di Bibbona, and also the Val di Cornia, Suvereto, Montecucco mentioned above. In addition, producers from all over the Maremma are free to experiment with the varietal composition of wines if necessary, taking advantage of the opportunity to designate their wines as Maremma Toscana IGT. In recent years, the world's leading wine houses, such as the Rothschild barons, have been actively investing in the Maremma. It can be assumed that over time the entire Maremma - the entire "Etruscan coast" will earn the same fame that little Bolgheri now has. An important feature of Maremma winemaking is its still not fully developed "experimental" (in a good sense) character - they make excellent (and often great) red, white, rosé and sparkling wines from autochthonous and international varieties, without going into excessive technology. It is in the Maremma that the most eminent oenologists of Tuscany now work - Carlo Ferrini, Paolo Trappolini and Luca d'Attoma.
* For private groups, I do a flash photo shoot with a SLR camera (about 30 shots) as a gift. Your photos against the urban and rural landscapes of Tuscany will help keep the memory of these wonderful places and the time spent in the most beautiful region of Italy.(+39) 331 996 6738
Super Tuscan wines conquered Italy and the whole world in an era when Italian winemakers finally seriously thought about the potential of their vineyards and lands. The revolution that the "Super Tuscan" wines produced turned out to be a colossal success for the country. It was in those seventies that Italian wines rightfully began to occupy a leading position in the world market, thereby forcing the legendary French to make room.
The phenomenon of Tuscan winemaking
Wines of Italy, as you know, are divided into three groups:
- DOC (vines controlled by origin)
- DOCG (wines, higher class, guaranteed and controlled by origin)
- Vini da tavola, and since 1995 already - IGT (Super Tuscan got there)
It should be noted that the "Super Tuscans" owe their birth to table wine, a product that is considered a lower class in Italy. But the introduction of new technologies and the revisited classic table wine recipes have led to the emergence of drinks of divine quality - "Super Tuscan" wines. And to somehow mark unique recipe, wine producers created the third category Vini da tavola, where Super Tuscan got into. If the first and second group Spanish wines does not imply any amateurishness and experimentation with bottle shapes and their contents, the Vini da tavola category allows winemakers to deviate from the framework and revise classic recipes from different angles.
Super Tuscan wines - what is it?
The tendency to increase quality, which originated in Tuscany, gradually captured all the wine-growing regions of Italy. Winemakers began to actively change the varietal composition of familiar wines and use French barrels, which brought chocolate and coffee shades to the new wine style of Italian wine and contributed to an increase in aging time. A large-scale revival of vineyards throughout the country also began. Special attention was given to the local Sangiovese variety, the must from which formed the basis of many Super Tuscan wines. The colossal success of "rebellious" wines is due not only to magnificent grape varieties and favorable climatic conditions. And also to talented people who, bypassing the established rules, were able to fulfill their dreams in Tuscany.
Outstanding representatives of Super Tuscan wines
- Wine "Sassicaia"- rightfully bears the honorary title of "Supertuscan" king. His "coronation" took place at one of the wine tastings in 1974, when the six-year-old Sassicayu wine surpassed the French champion " grand cru". Today, this wine is the founder of the great family of "Super Tuscans", it bears the proud name of its region "Bolgheri Sassicaia". It is worth noting that a magnificent drink of dark ruby color can be stored in bottles for 20 years, every year only improving its varietal aromas with notes of blackcurrant, cherry and plum.
- Wine "Ornellaia"- the birth of the second famous Tuscan took place in 1985 in the land of Bolgheri, in a natural paradise full of vineyards, Mediterranean herbs and cypresses.
- Tignanello — noble wine made from the famous grape varieties Sangiovese (85%), Cabernet Sauvignon (10%) and Cabernet Franc (5%) grown between the Greve and Pesa valleys in Chianti Classico.
- Brunello di Montalcino — the greatest wine Italy, whose grandiosity was made possible by the mutation of the ancient Sangiovese grape variety with Brunello and Sangiovese grosso, which became the new material in the hands of winemaker Robert Parker - the creator of the famous "Super Tuscan" Brunello di Montalcino.
- "Lupica Castello"- the great "Super Tuscan" was born on the wave of resounding success of the Italian experimenters. Careful selection of grapes from foreign varieties "Cabernet Sauvignon", "Petit Verdot" and "Merlot" gave impetus to the emergence of a new flavor bouquet of Italian wine "Lupikaya".
- Guado al Tasso- a stunning wine was born on the estate of the wine-growing family of the same name, not far from Bolgheri. The unparalleled quality of the wine is due to the use of French grape varieties grown on the coast of Tosacania and many years of aging in French oak barrels.
25.08.2012 00:31
The birth of the phenomenon of Super Tuscan wines can be explained by many reasons. This unofficial but extremely popular category appeared in Tuscany shortly after the Italian government introduced laws to control wine-producing areas and formally fixed production standards. The creators of Super Tuscan wines defied conservative rules, but their ideas went far beyond the usual rebelliousness. The desire to move forward, creativity and the desire to achieve the best possible results - these are just a few of the arguments that new wave winemakers cited in their defense.
Laws and their violators
Taking as a model the French classification that regulates wine by geographical origin and methods of its production, Italy in the early sixties adopted its own set of laws. They were based on the creation of a category of quality wines with a name controlled by origin - Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC). Later there was another, more high class DOCG is a name controlled and guaranteed by origin. The detailed production standards enshrined in the DOC rules relied heavily on traditional regional practices and did not encourage innovation. Creativity and experimentation were actually outlawed. Another problem was that the prices for wines from one zone were limited by strictly established limits. To meet them, farms had to carefully control costs. It also did not contribute to the progress of winemaking.
In the meantime, individual quality-oriented Tuscan producers have found something interesting for themselves in France - small, 225-liter barrels made from new oak. They noticed that after aging in such barriques, the wines acquired additional depth and richness of the bouquet. Some Italians, traveling through California, were amazed at the freedom of winemaking techniques and technologies. Upon returning home, they wanted to experiment in their vineyards and wineries, but the authorities did not support their free-thinking. Winemakers also did not compromise, but they had no choice but to classify their higher-quality, but illegal products into the lowest category of table wines. Ironically, the first such quality wines bearing the derogatory labeling vino da tavola are now considered among the best wines in Tuscany and Italy.
The harbinger of the Super Tuscan revolution was the Marquis Mario Incisa della Rocchetta, who by the beginning of the seventies had been making wine for himself that went against the Tuscan tradition for more than two decades by the beginning of the seventies. The San Guido estate was located in the town of Bolgheri on the Tuscan coast, far from the historical areas of wine production. Its rocky lands lay in close proximity to the sea and were considered unsuitable for winemaking. After experimenting with several French varieties, the Marquis planted Cabernet Sauvignon in his vineyard, the seedlings of which came from the great Bordeaux Château Lafite. At first, the wine was unfriendly and even rough, but gradually Incisa della Rocchetta improved his skills. In 1965, he set up two new vineyards - with Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Old wooden vats at the winery were replaced with stainless steel tanks, and the wines were aged in French oak barriques. It was very unusual for Italy at the time.
"Sassicaia" (Sassicaia), as the new wine was called, might have remained a drink for a narrow circle of family and friends, if Piero Antinori, who was related to the Marquis of Incisa della Rocchetta, had not intervened. Encouraged by what he found in San Guido, Antinori marketed the wine through his commercial channels. Although nominally labeled as a table wine, Sassicaia quickly became a success in international markets and sold at high prices.
Antinori, the head of a noble Tuscan family with centuries-old winemaking traditions, also decided to make an experiment in his own vineyard in Chianti Classico. In 1971, he, defying the prescribed production standards, released Tignanello. It was the first Sangiovese wine to be aged in French barriques. Later, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, atypical for Tuscany, were added to Sangiovese. In 1975, it was decided to no longer use white varieties, which were added without fail to Chianti Classico wines. Like Sassicaia, Tignanello could only be sold under the table wine label.
The story of Antinori received wide publicity. Other leading producers in the zone soon followed suit. They began to experiment with international varieties, reduce vineyard yields, apply new technologies and produce wines with new composition - from pure Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon to mixed samples that included non-traditional varieties. Despite the difference in approaches, all producers were united by the fact that their wines went beyond the DOC laws. Formally, these were vini da tavola. Journalists quickly dubbed them Super Tuscan - thanks to high quality.
Alessandro Francois, owner of the Castello di Querceto estate, which has a long tradition of production in the Chianti Classico zone, but is also known for the Super Tuscan Cignale, Il Sole di Alessandro and others, finds three main reasons for the emergence of Super Tuscan wines: “First of all, they allowed quality winemakers to produce long-lived wines, while DOC norms were mainly designed for the production of wines that required immediate consumption. Secondly, they gave the opportunity to experiment with the great international varieties - Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot - in the best wine-growing areas of Tuscany. Finally, the result of the Super Tuscan phenomenon was the creation of samples that can compete on equal terms with the best wines in the world.”
Another pioneer of the Super Tuscan movement was San Felice, which in 1968 released Vigorello wine, made in a new style. Winemakers San Felice changed the traditional formula of Chianti: instead of white varieties Trebbiano and Malvasia, Cabernet Sauvignon was added to Sangiovese. Antinori meanwhile continued to work with Bordeaux varieties. Thus, another Super Tuscan wine appeared, Solaia, this time a blend of two Cabernets, to which Sangiovese was later added.
In the eighties, next to the property of the Marquis Inchisa della Rocchetta, Ornellaia winery was founded, owned by Lodovico Antinori, brother of Piero Antinori. "Ornellaia" became the second great wine of Bolgheri after "Sassicaia" and one of the most celebrated Italian wines in the world. Bordeaux varieties - Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc - also made up his formula, and the first was given the largest share in the vineyards and in wine. A few years ago, the blend was expanded to include Petit Verdot as well.
Although at the beginning of the Super Tuscan Revolution attention was focused on working with international varieties and on creating new styles of wine for Tuscany, winemakers did not forget about Sangiovese. This traditional local variety, whose inseparable connection with the lands of Chianti Classico was proved by Baron Ricasoli in the middle of the 19th century, according to DOC rules, could not be vinified separately. It had to be mixed with other white and red varieties. The first to break with this practice was Sergio Manetti of Montevertine, who in 1977 made the Super Tuscan Le Pergole Torte, which was 100% Sangiovese. Then similar wines were produced by several more estates - Isole e Olena, Fontodi and others.
Until the mid-nineties, the Super Tuscan movement was essentially a quality improvement movement. Progressive winemakers sought to change the weak, impersonal nature of the mass production of Tuscan wines. They made them more saturated in the bouquet, added structure and density, increased the storage potential. The farms began to carry out serious work in the vineyards, to choose the best clones, to increase planting density, to introduce, albeit non-traditional, but promising varieties. Vinification technologies also changed, and one of the main breakthroughs was the abandonment of large barrels of several thousand liters of Slavonian oak in favor of French 225-liter barriques for aging wine. The great advantage of the new winemaking was that it made it possible to find new wine-growing territories, especially on the coast of Tuscany, which until then were considered unsuitable for the production of quality wines.
From revolution to evolution
An embarrassing situation for the government, where "table" wines had more recognition and were sold at much higher prices than DOC wines, was partially resolved in 1995. A new category has appeared in the hierarchy of Italian wines - Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT). While IGT production was regulated, its rules were not as strict as those of the DOC. Marquis Lamberto Frescobaldi, representative of the aristocratic wine-growing dynasty, which now, among other things, owns the Ornellaia estate, remarked: “Regardless of the location of the estate, the IGT rules made it possible for everyone to produce the highest quality wines. From a wealthy retired foreigner who decides to settle in Tuscany, to a small or large local producer, everyone can try to make great wine, also through the use of varieties that are not traditional for our territory.”
So, the Super Tuscans found their niche in the IGT category, but this also included wines of a lower quality than DOC. How in old times, the market had to focus on the name of the manufacturer and the name of the wine, although the most accurate indicator of belonging to the “supertoscan” was the high price.
The nineties were the era of the highest flowering of Super Tuscan wines. The key for manufacturers was the concept of quality, and the consumer was looking for products that correspond to modern tastes. The success of the economy depended only on the ability to produce quality wines in the style demanded by the market, and on their correct positioning. Thanks to the use of well-known international varieties and aging in French barrels, the taste of Super Tuscan wines was more understandable to the general public from different countries. These bright, rich, powerful, black fruity examples were dressed in tones of sweet vanilla and toast, which were at the peak of popularity ten or fifteen years ago.
The Super Tuscan phenomenon also contributed to the success of the new wine area along the Tuscan coast, including Bolgheri and the Maremma. The area has become one of Italy's most sought-after wine production locations and is the epitome of an almost fairy-tale plot from a sleepy agrarian region to a thriving wine-growing paradise. Most of the famous Super Tuscan wines come from here.
Nowadays, however, the requirements for the style of Tuscan wines have begun to change. The return to classic values forces the market to switch to wines tied to a specific place of origin and made from indigenous varieties. The popularity of the Super Tuscan category is gradually waning, and its place is taken by examples that reflect the subtle interaction of grapes and their natural environment. Even the famous Sangiovese wines that are still labeled as IGT - Isole e Olena's Cepparello, Montevertine's Le Pergole Torte and Fontodi's Flaccianello della Pieve - are now considered genuine manifestations of Chianti Classico terroirs, and not just "super Tuscany".
On the Tuscan coast, meanwhile, there has been a slow turn towards wines with denominations of origin. Sassicaia, which started life as vino da tavola, now has its own DOC Bolgheri Sassicaia, and the Bolgheri estates prefer to classify their products as DOC Bolgheri. Lamberto Frescobaldi notes that “Ornellaia is subject to Bolgheri DOC production rules, but Masseto, the second cult wine of the estate, made from pure Merlot, is still classified as IGT, because its varietal composition does not meet the norms of the zone.
Lambeto Frescobaldi
Elisabetta Geppetti, who owns the flagship estate Fattoria Le Pupille on the Tuscan coast in the Maremma and produces the famous Super Tuscan Saffredi, admits that the excitement around Super Tuscan wines is subsiding. In her opinion, they are now experiencing a crisis caused, among other things, by too many stamps. The wide price range leads to further confusion in the market.
There is no doubt that the Super Tuscan revolution of the sixties and seventies was the main catalyst for progress in the region. She made winemakers think and bet on quality. Some Super Tuscan samples have become classics of the great Italian winemaking. The general standards for controlled designation of origin areas have also been revised and now allow estates to produce wines of the right quality.
The Marquis Frescobaldi best described the current situation: “Super Tuscan wines are still important, especially in areas where DOC rules do not allow blends other than those specified in production standards. I have a lot of respect for good Super Tuscan wines, because IGT's free rules have allowed daring estates to make new wines - or at least wines that are different from those produced in the past. Over the past thirty years, IGT products have improved year after year; DOC wines had to follow suit. The quality of DOC wines has undoubtedly changed for the better - they have become richer, more elegant and have increased their lifespan. However, if the IGT category had not appeared, it is not known how long it would have taken for DOC wines to bring their standards up to the current ones. I believe that Super Tuscan wines have not yet had their last word and that they can perfectly coexist with DOC and DOCG wines.”
Today, producers continue to appreciate the contribution of Super Tuscan wines to the development of winemaking, but note that their role has changed. Thanks to the general rise in quality, they are no longer opposed to wines from controlled production areas, and now they need to find a new position. A useful point of view comes from Marco Ricasoli-Firidolfi, owner of the respected Rocca di Montegrossi estate in Chianti Classico: “We can no longer say that only Super Tuscans have absolute quality and innovative spirit. Now there are other, more famous wines in the DOCG category, which are also famous for their quality. However, Super Tuscans always represent a different interpretation of Tuscany terroirs, especially if their varietal composition differs from the wines regulated by DOCG rules. In my opinion, today it makes no sense to produce wines with a Super Tuscan ideology if they are made from the same grapes as DOCG wines. Instead, it is much more interesting to discover the potential of interaction between our lands and new varieties. This shows that great terroirs can produce super wines from more than just traditional grapes. In this regard, our Geremia wine can be called truly Super Tuscan, as it shows the potential of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, rather than Tuscan Sangiovese.”
Super Tuscan wines continue to generate lively debate among winemakers and connoisseurs alike, but it's safe to say that they've already made their mark on Tuscan history. As Alessandro François lyrically remarks, Super Tuscan wines help to express not only the characteristics of the land, but also the feelings and emotions of the winemaker. This, of course, also contributed to their recognition and success around the world.
Today we will talk about Super Tuscan wines - the modern engine of the entire wine market in Italy. Many believe that Super Tuscan wines could produce real revolution in this area.
Super Tuscan wines today
Super Tuscan is the name of the table wine (vino da tavola), which conquered not only all of Italy, but the whole world. It should be noted that the Italian winemakers, who stood at the origins of the production of these experimental wines, are upset:
1. According to them, Super Tuscans are not really correct name for this "breakthrough in the Italian winery" that the wines received from one American;
2. Super Tuscan wines are classified as table wines, which are known to (theoretically) indicate a lower quality of this product. Yes, that's exactly what it looks like according to the generally accepted classification.
It is known that wines are divided into three groups:
1.Quality wines with appellation of origin controlled (DOC);
2.Second, higher class - DOCG (name controlled and guaranteed by origin);
3. Vini da tavola. That's where the Super Tuscan wines came in. This situation was somewhat clarified in 1995, when a new category was formed in the classification of Italian wines - Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT).
As you well understand, these wines are not just excellent, but divine quality. They are preferred by everyone else in the Italian market. The fact is that wine producers wanted to get away from the framework into which they were driven by the bureaucracy with all these lists of wines, indicators. The wines of the first and second groups did not imply any amateurishness, experiment with bottle shapes and its contents. In addition, the wines of the first category were not intended for long storage.
Many winemakers, producers of Super Tuscan wines and critics believe that Super Tuscan wines could revolutionize this sector of the market, thereby encouraging all other participants to think about improving the quality of wine, introducing new technologies and revisiting classic recipes in a different way.
The best wine of Tuscany is kept there. Photo castelloilpalagio.it
Writer Andrea Zanfi noted that today in Italy there is a very strange situation that needs to be urgently changed. According to him, entrepreneurs today spend very little money on the development of the wine business, do not want to introduce new technologies, hoping that sales will grow only due to the famous label - it is he who should work for them, and not they for him. Andrea also emphasized that the modern reader wants to know more about wine, but the amount of published literature on this topic is extremely small even in Italy! Andrea believes that with her well-known and loved all over the world Super Tuscan wines, she could become the very engine that would give this situation a positive dynamic.
It is not for nothing that Super Tuscan wines in Italy are called vini ribelli (rebel wines), because their producers were able to defend their right to create wines according to own recipes bypassing the rules.
Andrea Zanfi worries about the fate of the development of the wine business. Photo mediart.it
The history of the creation of Super Tuscan wines
Mario Incisa della Rocchetta played a big role in the development of Super Tuscan wines. The fact is that he is still in the early 50s. made Tuscan wine, which, however, had little in common with the traditions of this region. Despite the fact that his territories were considered not the best for winemaking, the Marquis managed to get the divine wine. To begin with, he conducted several experiments with French grape varieties. So, in 1965 he had two vineyards with Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. It was from it that he created a new wine, which was called "" (Sassicaia). Initially, this drink was intended only for friends and family, but Piero Antinori, a family friend and also a serious winemaker, brought the wine to the market.
Despite the fact that this wine was nominally a table wine, it was very popular due to its high quality and excellent taste.
Sassicaia is a favorite among Super Tuscan wines. Photo vino24.net
Antinori himself in 1971 showed Italy another Super Tuscan wine, Tignanello, but more on that later.
The next step in this experiment was the decision to try not to add white varieties to the classic Chianti anymore.
Despite the not very euphonious name "table wine", these wines quickly gained love and popularity in the Italian market. There are several reasons for this:
1. Table wines can be stored for a long time;
2. Experimenting with wines pleases both the producers themselves and those who try new creations.
In the 80s. there was another popular after Sassicaia Super Tuscan wine - Ornellaia. Its creator was the Marquise Incisa della Rocchetta. The composition of the wine contains varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
Winemakers were concerned not only with the question of the composition of the wine, but also the form in which it should be stored. Here, too, a small revolution took place: winemakers decided to use French 225-liter barriques for storing wine. In addition, winemakers began to grow grapes in areas that were previously considered unsuitable for this. For example, Bolgheri and. Now this area remains one of the most popular for growing grapes. Most Super Tuscan wines are "born" there.
Maremma is a fertile place for growing grapes. Photo ilreporter.com
What happens to Super Tuscan wines today?
As winemakers admit, their popularity is falling. According to many, now the wines are going through a crisis, which is primarily due to the fact that the Super Tuscan wines need to find a new ideological position, because now, after the introduction of the category (), they are little opposed to the wines of other groups.
Marquis Frescobal said that Super Tuscan wines are still important today, have been and remain the main catalyst in the market and can perfectly coexist in the same space with wines and DOCG. And this is the best proof of the fact that now there is DOC Bolgheri Sassicaia, and Bolgheri have the right to qualify their wines as DOC Bolgheri.
Some members of the Supertuscan family
Sassicaia
Now more about this super Tuscan king. At the moment, all affairs are conducted by the son of the Marquis - Nikolo. This is one of the first wines that today bears the name Bolgheri Sassicaia D.O.C. presented to the name of the region. Now more and more often Sassicaia is called the “wine of the future”. In 1974, at a wine tasting, a miracle happened that no one expected: a 6-year-old Sassicaia wine surpassed the French Grand Cru!
We also note that Sassicaia is perfectly preserved in bottles for 20 years, and all this is thanks to the efforts of technologists on a new form of wine storage. What is Sassicaia wine? This is the aroma of blackcurrant, plum, cherry, dark ruby color ...
How is such a divine wine obtained? For this, two varieties of Cabernet Sauvignon (Cabertnet Sauvignon) and Cabernet Franc (Cabertnet Franc) are used. If we talk about the proportions in which they are mixed, then this is 8.5: 1.5. First, the wine is aged for about 18 months in those same 225-liter French barrels that we talked about today, and then for about another year in bottles. Only after that the wines appear on the shelves.
Vineyards: the total area of land on which grapes for the Sassicaia are grown is 70 hectares. At the same time, these territories are geographically distant from each other. For example, the vineyards of Castiglioncello, Doccino e Quercione are located on the hills (about 200-300 meters above sea level). The vineyards of San Martino e Mandrioli are located on the slopes of the hill, while the vineyards of Sassicaia and Aianova are located below the sea at an altitude of about 80 meters.
The climate, influenced by the proximity of the sea and the hills, which in turn form a protective barrier against the northern winds, plays a large role in the proper ripening of the grapes. The grape varieties grown on the estate are divided as follows: 85% is Cabernet Sauvignon and the remaining 15% is Cabernet Franc.
The crop is usually harvested in the first week of September.
I would also like to say a few words about these two glorious varieties of wines.
Cabertnet Sauvignon. In fact, little is known about the history of the origin of this grape variety. According to one version, the creator of this variety is a Greek. What does the name of this grape mean? The name comes from the French word sauvage, which means "wild, forest." In 1996, scientists from the University of California determined that Cabertnet Sauvignon is the result of crossing il Cabernet Franc and il Sauvignon blanc,
Cabertnet Franc. This type of wine was originally grown in France, in Gironed. As a rule, this type of wine is always used in combination with another. As an independent variety from which wine would be made, you will not meet, and the thing is that, according to winemakers, it lacks “structure”, “core”, “body”.
Wine tasting of Sassicaia. It's hard to resist. Photo mileroad.blogspot.com
Ornellaia (Ornelaya)- This type of wine is grown near the Sassicaia. For the first time, wine was discussed as the second miracle in the Super Tuscan family in 1985. However, this was not last wine, which was produced within the walls of the estate. Another famous wine is Masseto with a bright and unusual aroma of plums and currants. This wine was made from Merlot.
Where are the grapes grown for this wine? On the central coast of Tuscany, in a land that has seen the splendor of the Etruscans and the art of Carducci. The name of this land is Bolgheri. Between low hills dotted with cypresses and Mediterranean herbs lies a natural paradise full of vineyards…
In 2005, Ornelaya had an anniversary - this wine turned exactly 20 years old. The term is not so long, but indicative for the company, because during all this time Ornelaya has proven itself only from the best side.
Ornellaia is another super Tuscan king. Photo aquabuona.it
Articles devoted to these two wines, Sassicaia and Ornalaya, appear constantly in the Italian media, for example, Sassicaia e Ornellaia re di Bolgheri 2007. For Italians at the moment, these super Tuscan wines are the most popular. The reason for this is, as many critics say, eleganza e potenza sotto controllo.
It is quite obvious that the list of Super Tuscan wines includes not only kings, but also kings, i.e. and other types of wines.
Tignanello: the production of this wine belongs to the Antinori family. It is believed that the name of the wine Tignanello comes from the word Tinia in the Etruscan language. After a series of experiments, we also decided on the formula for making this: 85% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc.
Tignanello is a worthy representative of Super Tuscan wines. Photo glammik.it
Brunello di Montalcino: The wine is made from the Sangiovese grape variety, the vineyards of which are located in the city near Siena.
As for the climate, there is a lot of rain in May and October. Otherwise, the Mediterranean climate favors the maturation of healthy grapes.
Good grapes are the key to great wine. Brunello di Montalcino. Photo tuscanywines.net
Barolo, Barbaresco, Solaia, l "Amarone della Valpolicella can also be attributed to the level of Super Tuscan wines. Together they are one of the most valuable and expensive Italian wines.
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