An Afternoon in Tuscany

The grape variety is 100% Vernaccia. It grows on calcareous soil, with marine sediments at an average vineyard altitude of 250 to 350 meters (820 to 1.150 feet) a.s.l. The average age of the vines is 20 years. Montenidoli has always been organic and has always been linked to the territory and tradition. As fertilizers, they use organic manure and cover crops and biological control, sulphur and copper as plant protection products. The  fermentation is spontaneous. The average annual production of “Tradizionale” is 25,000 bottles.
The vinification process includes maceration with the skins, refining in glass-lined concrete vats followed by a few months in the bottle. 

Colour: golden straw yellow
Nose: notes of herbs, almonds and caramel
Palate: dry, spicy, with a long aftertaste
Alcohol content: 13% Vol
Ideal serving temperature: 8 - 10 °C / 45 - 50 °F
Matching: aperitif, starters, vegetarian and vegan dishes, fish courses, white meats

The grape varieties are Sangiovese and Vermentino.  The soil is loose, silt – sandy with shingles. On the hill the soil is clayey with good skeleton. The average age of the vines is 30 years, at an altitude of 50 to 150 meters (160- 490 feet) a.s.l.

Both organic and biodynamic, Fattoria Sardi uses a GPS precision agriculture, with organic manure and biodynamic preparations as fertilizers. The plant protection products are sulphur, copper and biodynamic preparations. Yeasts are  indigenous, selected. The average annual production of “Le Cicale” is 4,000 bottles. The maceration time depends on the vintage, in pneumatic press. The fermentation is spontaneous, by adding pied de cuve from the vineyards. Both fermentation and aging are in wood on fine lees.

Color: pale pink, with nuances of onion skin
Nose: refreshing, complex and intense. Floral notes of wild rose and white flowers, fruity notes of raspberries and citrus. Particularly creamy to the nose
Palate: fresh, full, sapid and well balanced. The final is persistent, sapid and silky
Alcohol content: 12.5%
Ideal serving temperature: 10 - 12 °C / 50 - 54 °F
Matching: ideal with fish, shellfish, white meat and cheese dishes

The grape varieties are Sangiovese 90% and Cabernet Sauvignon 10%. They grow on clay and marl at an altitude of 350 to 500 metres (1.150 to 1.640 feet) a.s.l. The estate is located on one of the highest parts of the Panzano in Chianti area, from which it dominates the beautiful valley called Conca d’Oro (The Golden Shell). The average age of the vines is 20 years. Renzo Marinai uses organic manure and cover crops, sulphur and copper, yeasts are indigenous and the average annual production of the Chanti Classico is  6,000 bottles.

The vinification process starts with 20 days of maceration, then 10-12 months in barrels and finally 3 months in bottles

Color: shining ruby red
Nose: floral with fruity notes of red berried fruit and hints of black pepper
Palate: fresh, fruity, sapid and persistent
Alcohol content: 13.5%
Ideal serving temperature: 16 -18 °C / 60 - 64 °F
Matching: red meat courses, cheese

It was 1998 when Francesco Illy, internationally known for the quality of the coffee produced by his family, bought a farm called Le Ripi, until then inhabited by a shepherd and his flock. An uncontaminated place, characterized by fertile soil and wonderful biodiversity. Difficult to describe in words the beauty of the landscape. The design of the wine cellar built according to organic principles, the biodynamic management of the vineyards, the attention to eco-sustainability, the constant research that actively involves all members, experiments such as the famous 'bonsai' vineyard, and the whimsical character of which Francesco Illy has been able to permeate the environment, make Podere Le Ripi one of the most avant-garde Italian companies at an international level. 

The grape variety is 100% Sangiovese. 

Certification: organic
Refinement: 30 months of ageing in the big oak barrels
Color: deep ruby red with elegant orange shadows
Nose: very intense hints of cherry, strawberry, violet and fresh balsamic herbaceous notes
Palate: the broad structure enhances a great minerality and a long lasting aftertaste
Alcohol content: 13.5%
Ideal serving temperature: 16 - 18 °C / 60 - 64 °F
Matching: a whole meat menu

Boscarelli is a small winery placed in Cervognano, a hamlet located on the eastern side of the Montepulciano hill. The farms were bought in 1962 by Egidio Corradi. Production was started and modernized later by her daughter Paola Corradi and her husband Ippolito de Ferrari, who decided to replant most of the vineyards in the late 1980s. Today the brothers Luca and Nicolò De Ferrari, the third generation, manage the company with great passion and wine making knowledge. The great attention to agricultural practices and territoriality make Boscarelli a modern company but not unmindful of the centuries-old tradition of this area.

Grape varieties: Sangiovese (Prugnolo Gentile) 90%, Colorino 10%
Refinement: aged in Allier or Slavonian oak casks of capacity ranging from 5 to 25 hectoliters, where malolactic fermentation occurs. Maturation takes from 28 to 32 months
Color: ruby red tending to garnet with aging
Nose: hints of cherry and marasca cherry, floral and tobacco scents with balsamic notes
Palate: savory and elegant, with robust tannins
Alcohol content: 14% Vol
Ideal serving temperature: 16 – 18 °C / 60 – 64 °F
Matching: meat main courses, game meats

This extra virgin olive oil comes from Barberino Tavarnelle, a small town between Florence and Siena. In 2006,  Azienda Agricola San Giovanni was able to purchase and install an oil mill to make its production autonomous. Technological prodigy, the machine is an innovative continuous cycle crusher of the prestigious Mori brand, ideal for cold pressing, with controlled oxygen entry to avoid oxidation phenomena.

This fantastic product is a blend of the following cultivars: Morellino, Pendolino, Maremmano, Leccino del Corno, Frantoio. 

Thanks to the soil composition, the perfect altitude and exposure, and of course to the ability of the owners, the farm is able to produce an oil with 0,1% acidity, organic, refined and stored in stainless steel tanks of 300 liters, under argon.

Nose: herbaceous hints, almond and artichoke
Palate: strong and robust, with artichoke and almond aftertaste
Pairing: strictly uncooked, on all the dishes of the Mediterranean cuisine. Every type of vegetable benefits from it; high content in polyphenols, which means great healing effect