Tuscany

This is one of the most beautiful regions of Italy; it lies on the slopes of the Apennine Mountains and borders the Tyrrhenian Sea from the West. The landscape is hilly or mountainous, more flat only in the coastal strip (Maremma). It is the beauty of Tuscany that creates the dream of every tourist of a short stay in the one of the most beautiful regions of Italy, famous for its magnificent wines and splendid food.

Tuscany today is a grand cultural heritage, known for modern industry but also amazing enological achievements. Tuscany is said to be the 'icon of Italian wine making'.  First records of wine making date back to the 8th century BC and they refer to the predecessors of Romans - the Etruscans.

Tuscany has over 70 thousand hectares of vineyards, at least half of which are registered as DOCG or DOC. The majority of the remaining half are IGT wines, including the so-called Super Tuscans, as well as VdT (Vino da Tavola - wines without certification of the year, grape variety or origin). The dominant variety is Sangiovese, which makes the most famous Tuscan wine – Chianti produced from the end of the 14th century, and the more prestigious - Brunello di Montalcino (the finest wine in Tuscany). Sangiovese grapes have a thick skin and ripen late. They produce wines of a ruby colour, rich in tannins, bitter as young wines, and fully harmonious as mature. Apart from Sangiovese, some wine also contain small (10-20%) admixtures of the local Canaiolo variety.

Terroir, the environment in which the wine is produced; mutual influence of the microclimate, topography and soil conditions in the vineyard.                                                               Chianti Classico (centre) – cool and dry climate, mainly calcareous soil. refreshing and fruity wines.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Montepulciano (South) - warm and dry climate, light soils; concentrated wines with a high alcohol content.

There are 6 DOCG wine production zones in Tuscany: Brunello di Montalcino, Carmignano, Chianti, Chianti Classico, Vernacia di San Gimignano, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and 34 zones for DOC wines. Chianti Classico Superiore means a full-bodied wine with a higher alcoholic content. Chianti Classico Riserva – wine only from the best years, after longer cellar treatment.

FATTORIA LA PRESURA

Located at 300 m, “La Presura” stretches over the area of 35 hectares between Florence and Greve In Chianti. It was the first estate to open the gates of the sweet hills of Chianti Classico. It is located in perfect harmony between hillsides, making the landscape extremely pleasing. The estate has been constructed in 16th Century, but the Bucciolini family has started the cultivation activity in 1849 and continue until today.

The name of the vineyard is closely connected with the land it is situated on - La Presura - it is derived from a once popular plant, resembling thistle, used for making the pecorino cheese.

Apart from excellent wines, olive oil is also produced here.

The house has been renovated in the recent years, in line with the style of the epoch. The vineyard is open to visitors who can taste the magnificent wines, admire the beautiful landscape of Tuscany and commune with nature.

GATTAVECCHI

The hard work of all generations on managing the entire production process has turned this family vineyard into a large and famous enterprise. The family affirmed values are: quality, tradition and the land they live and work on.

The history of this vineyard reaches back to the 19th century, when in 1870 Valente Gattavecchi started to produce the first wine Vino Nobile for local needs. Today, the vineyard spreads over 48 hectares of the commune’s the historical area, producing wines with an exquisite personality with the sole use of natural methods. Gattavecchi is a historical place for a number of reasons. The first one is that they were the first to bottle the famous Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. The second is that this wine matures in barrels in the famous cellars dug in rocks under the church of Santa Maria dei Servi, that can be traced back to the Etruscan times.

The Vineyard has been granted a number of prizes and awards for its wines. Some of them are:
• 2006 – "Italian Wine Guide- GUIDA DEI VINI ITALIANI LM":
- wine - Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva 2001: 82 points,
- wine Nobile di Montepulciano 2001: 79 points.
• 2006- "Selection of Tuscan Wines - SELEZIONE DEI VINI DI TOSCANA" – An award for the wine Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva dei Padri Serviti 2001.

With the authenticity of Vino Nobile, it is their mission to become a benchmark and warranty of quality for individual clients.

PODERE PAGANICO

A small, family Vineyard located in the picturesque Tuscany renowned for splendid wines.
Its owners admit that they started off by making wine for fun. Only later did they begin to discover the secrets of grape growing and wine production. Today they aptly make use of the conditions offered by Tuscany and produce great quality wine of world-wide recognition!

The vineyard planted with the Sangiovese variety produces the world famous Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Rosso di Montalcino DOCG and Orgia DOCG.

All grapes in the vineyard are collected by hand, which allows for careful selection of only the best fruits. Initially grapes are stored in stainless steel vats and are then they mature in 3000 liter wooden barrels and 500 and 225 liter French barriques.