Wine drop stop

Wine drop stop

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Have you ever experienced the time when you enjoy a good bottle of wine, better if Tuscan wine, but when you start pouring it into your glass, the drops stain the bottle and the table. Well, there is an easy way to avoid that: use a wine drop stop!

A drop stop is a disc that you have to roll so as to form a kind of funnel. Once you will put the little funnel into the wine bottle neck the work is done.

Thanks to the drop stop you will achieve two goals: first, you avoid the drops from the wine to fall and stain; second, you will be able to better direct the flow of wine to the point where it should be poured.

It is an unmissable item for all the wine lovers.

Book your wine drop stop from Tuscany Tour Time! Write an email to angie.chianti@gmail.com and it will arrive directly to your house.

Fattoria di Bagnolo winery

Fattoria di Bagnolo

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Like all the wineries included in our wine tours, the one we are going to explore today is very special. We are talking about Fattoria di Bagnolo.

Bagnolo is a very small village very close to Impruneta, just a few kilometers South of Florence. As you arrive there, in spite of its proximity to the city, you are immediately immerged in the countryside. Over 6000 old olive trees seem to welcome you, as you drive down the small white road that runs right in the middle of them. At the end of this short drive surprises begin.

The property and the owner

The farm belongs to the Bartolini Baldelli family since 1819. Giovanna will be there to welcome her guests. She will take them on a short tour of the property and the cellars. Starting from the main building: the old renaissance villa dates back to 1419 and was once the property of Machiavelli. It has a charming courtyard with the old well in the centre and also a private chapel. Through a beautiful, old and large door, you reach one of the gardens that surround the villa. From here you have one of the most spectacular view: hills, villas, olive grove and vineyards all around. In the distance you can see the dome of Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence cathedral!

The visit of the winey

Heading directly underneath this garden, Giovanna will lead you into the old aging cellar. Here the oak barrels keep company to the old cement vats. There are lots of stories about this place, and Giovanna is always happy to entertain you with them while also explaining about the importance of the wine aging process. She will also encourage everybody to take wonderful photos.

By now everyone is in a good mood, as Giovanna likes to joke and engage with her guests and so it’s time to move back upstairs, into the tasting room.

This is also a special room that is full of history. It used to be the oil mill, and the old stone mill and press are still there. This makes it easy to fully understand how they used to extract extra virgin olive oil in the past. So, the tasting at Fattoria di Bagnolo always starts with the beautiful olive oil they produce now with the more modern method.

Their wines

But let’s come to the wines! The property includes 10 hectares (22 acres) of vineyards, all planted with mostly Sangiovese, and small percentages of the local Colorino variety, as well as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and also some Trebbiano and Malvasia. The farm is within the Chianti Colli Fiorentini area, so it’s no surprise that this is their main production.

The young entry level Chianti Colli Fiorentini is made with a small addition of Merlot grapes to Sangiovese and has a very short aging in used barrels. The result is a very fruity and simple wine. It will surprise you for being extremely drinkable, yet very elegant with floral aromas. Next you will taste the Riserva version, where Merlot will make way to Colorino. The aging in this case is longer, about 12 months, and the barrels are not as old, hence the deeper color, more intense and complex aromas and definitely bolder body, but still, the elegance and balance of this wine are remarkable.

The Supertuscan

To complete the selection of red wines, Giovanna also produces a Supertuscan: Capro Rosso. This is a Bordeaux style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, aged in newer barrel for 18 months. A wine of great body and character, that is also suitable for long aging in the bottle, to become even more complex. While the two Chianti wines are best with meals, from appetizers and pasta and simple meat and vegetable dishes for the base, to the richer roasts and aged cheese for the Riserva, Capro Rosso on the other hand, is a great meditation wine that is also excellent with dark chocolate.

Their sweet wine

Last, but not at all least, at Fattoria di Bagnolo they also make a wonderful Vin Santo with the white varieties grown. Made according to the traditional method, it undergoes an aging that is often extended to over ten years in the small chestnut wood barrels. The complexity of this wine is immense, and you can enjoy it both with desserts or alone, but it is absolutely great with a strong Gorgonzola cheese!

 

Breath-taking views, beautiful buildings, history everywhere, wonderful oil and wines and a fun host like Giovanna, all make a visit to Fattoria di Bagnolo a completely satisfying experience. Don’t miss our Florence vineyard tour  to discover this winery!

Le Fonti winery

Le Fonti winery

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When visiting Le Fonti winery you will meet Angela, one of the sweetest hosts anyone could wish for! She will greet you with her solar smile. Angela will let you feel all her welcoming warmth in the charming tasting room. She and her husband Simone have organized the tasting in the room that used to be the local countryside school.

The owners

Here Angela will start explaining about their small winery. Her husband Simone started getting involved in the family farm in the early 90’s. He soon realized that he loved that world and decided to make it his only occupation. Since then, he started renewing some of vineyards, but essentially carried on what his father had started. Which is to say that he would produce Chianti wine and sell it bulk to the bigger local producers. In 2010, he decided to start bottling his wine with his own label.

The winery

Le Fonti is a typical family run winery, with only 8 hectares (about 18 acres) of vineyards, all registered for the production of Chianti wine, and a thousand olive trees. The varieties grown are mostly red: Sangiovese, of course, and also a small part of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. As well as two of the typical local white varieties Trebbiano and Malvasia Bianca. Since they began to bottle their wine though, they decided to valorize these varieties for what each one can express in the purest possible way.

This explains why their wines are all 100% one variety and refined only in big cement vats. When you taste them, you will be able to fully enjoy and appreciate the true expression of each vintage. There is no influence from wooden barrels, which can sometime be the “easy-way-out” to somewhat mask any imperfections. This also means that the work in the fields first, and in the cellar later, is extremely critical and important, but Simone’s dedication to his work is also 100%!

Let’s start tasting!

To emphasize all this work behind each bottle of wine, Angela will offer a taste of two different vintages of their Chianti, in addition to the Cabernet and the Merlot. All the people who have had the luck to visit Le Fonti winery, including the “not-so-experts”, beside enjoying the wines themselves for being incredibly drinkable and pleasant, have also always appreciated how each taste is a different story. Certainly, a lovely way to learn about one’s preferences and to start understanding the real impact of the different weather conditions that cause each vintage to evolve in its own and unique way.

Then there’s the exception: their white wines are a blend of the white varieties grown on the farm. They use those grapes to make 2 wines. First, a pleasant dry wine, that is wonderful to accompany the lighter summertime meals. Second, the wonderful dessert wine, Passito, made according to traditional local method. It involves years-long aging in the “caratelli”, the small chestnut wood barrels that you can also see in the room next door. Angela likes to serve it along with ice cream. A real treat!

Often Angela will serve food to better appreciate their wines. The extra virgin olive oil they produce will be a presence both in the dishes and on the table. I love going there. I love that room, the wines, the food and I love Angela’s sweet personality that makes each visit such a wonderful experience. Reserve your spot on our Florence wine tasting tour  and step into the world of this lovely winery.

Il Paganello winery

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Today is a cold, crisp winter day in Tuscany. The sky is completely clear and would be perfect for a visit to Il Paganello winery. Let’s head to Chianti and discover what this place can offer!

The winery

The first impact is already a joy to the eye. We enter the main gate of this renaissance villa, once the property of a Tuscan wealthy family. They used it as a hunting holiday place, now Riccardo Bordoni, the current owner, restored it to its original beauty.  It still looks like a villa, with its charming courtyard and terrace that overlook the small valley in front, adorned by olive groves, vineyards and old farmhouses. In the distance, one can even see the Chianti mountain range and the beautiful medieval Abbey of Passignano. Definitely a good start to our visit.

The owner: Riccardo

Riccardo is a wonderful host. Once everyone has had time to enjoy the views, he will start explaining about the history of this place. His family gradually acquired it and transformed into a winery. He will tell you a little history of the Tuscan wine making tradition. Obviously, he will take you to visit the cellar where his wine is aging, where he’s always happy to answer all the questions that his visitors make.

Il Paganello’s wines

But now it’s time to taste! We move to the tasting room. A beautiful old table is there, and everything is set: glasses, open bottles and dishes full of typical local snacks to better enjoy the wines.
At Paganello winery the main production is, of course, Chianti wine and Riccardo produces four different types. From the most simple and traditional Chianti, called Cenacolo, made with Sangiovese variety blended with some Canaiolo and Colorino grapes and aged only in cement vats; passing through the Chianti Superiore, where a special selection of pure Sangiovese will please any palate; or the more modern Chianti and Chianti Riserva that include in the blend a small quantity of Merlot grapes. They undergo a more extended aging in oak barrels, making these wines more approachable to those who are new to the typical and sometimes “edgy” character of Sangiovese.

Finally, you will taste Riccardo’s Supertuscan: QuantaCura is the name. This is a blend of Merlot and Colorino grapes selection. The perfect example of a happy marriage between an International variety and a really local one. This wine is aged in the French barrels for several months and the result is an elegant, full body wine with incredibly soft and long-lasting taste and aromas of ripe berries and spices. Perfect for important and rich dishes, but also wonderful alone.
The tasting though is not over until everyone also tries Riccardo’s Extra virgin Olive Oil, always at its best, as he makes sure that it is packaged immediately after being pressed, to preserve all its freshness and goodness.

All in all, a visit to Il Paganello will satisfy everybody’s whims by offering history, charming views, a superb host and wonderful wines and oil. Secure your Tuscany wine tour with us and get ready to explore the charm of this beautiful winery.

Castelvecchio winery

Castelvecchio winery

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Castelvecchio is a family run winery in the Chianti Colli Fiorentini area, just a few kilometers south-East of Florence. Of course, it wasn’t always a winery. In facts, the premises are actually a renaissance villa that was built on the remains of a medieval castle that used to belong to the Cavalcanti’s. Now it is Rocchi family that owns and runs it.

The owners

Stefania and Filippo are the third generation there. When you visit the winery, you are greeted by the always-cheerful Stefania, in charge of most office work. She likes to explain how, since the place was bought by her grandfather in the late 60’s, through experience and experiments, she and her brother have run the family business to become what it is today. They have in total 25 hectares of vineyards (about 60 acres) and 14 of olive trees (3000 plants). It can be reasonably considered a small to medium size operation, yet they offer a surprisingly wide range of products. Filippo is the winemaker and coordinates all the work in the cellar and the vineyard as well. Castelvecchio is a certified organic winery, so the work in the fields is endless, summer and winter alike. But the results are wonderful.

Their white and Chianti wines

Castelvecchio winery can boast ten different labels, each with its own history and all able to please many different palates. From the fresh and soft San Lorenzo, a white wine made with 100% Trebbiano grapes that grow in the oldest vineyard. This can be a wonderful start to a tasting experience there, especially in the summertime. In this period Stefania will take you to the beautiful terrace of the villa, where the views are absolutely charming.

The production of Chianti wines is the most consistent, with three different labels: Santa Caterina (Chianti), easy-to-drink on any occasion, even with seafood dishes; Castelvecchio (Chianti Colli Fiorentini), with more body but still pleasantly light and fresh, and perfect for most meals; and Vigna la Quercia (Chianti C.F. Riserva), robust and complex and definitely more suitable for rich dishes, like roasts and barbecues.

The other red wines also offer incredible variety.

The other red wines

Orme in Rosso is what one could consider a “playful Supertuscan-wannabe”. It is a Bordeaux style blend of Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Sauvignon. This red wine has great fruitiness and considerable body and complexity. You can enjoy it with meat-based dishes, but also simply with a good selection of cheese.

Numero Otto is a very special red. Made with the historical Tuscan variety called Canaiolo, traditionally used in blends or to make a light and easy everyday wine, at Castelvecchio it is employed alone and aged in barrels to become a very smooth and surprisingly complex red wine that also has great aging potential.

Il Brecciolino is the official Supertuscan and has all the characteristics to be considered so: bold, smooth and very complex. Made by a blend of Merlot, Petit Verdot and Sangiovese, aged for 12 months in oak barriques and then a further 12 months in the bottle before release. It offers extremely smooth tannins, long-lasting flavors and aroma of ripe fruits and spices. Those characteristics make it the perfect match for aged cheese, stews and game. To those who have the patience to wait, it can also give a lot of satisfaction as a meditation wine.

A little internal competition

Every year at Castelvecchio they have a tasting session of the best batches of Sangiovese to elect a winner that after an aging of 15 to 18 months in barrels will be able to stand alone. Solo Uno (literally “only one”) is the result of this internal competition. This is the perfect bottle for Sangiovese lovers, offering boldness, complexity and the right grip for matching with meat roasts and stews, as well as with aged cheese. This too has great aging potential that will reward those who know how to wait.

Their sweet wine

Finally, for something sweet, they produce two versions of the traditional Vinsanto. One made with only white varieties, Trebbiano and Malvasia, and the other, called Chiacchierata Notturna, made with the addition of a small percentage of Sangiovese. Both are wonderfully pleasant, complex and perfect when you enjoy it alone, sip after sip, but they can also be an excellent match for desserts and strong cheese.

So many wines to enjoy on all occasions and, if you visit Castelvecchio, you will also enjoy the super-friendly personality of Stefania, with all the stories behind each label and the beautiful landscape in the background. Take one our Florence wine tour and unlock the secrets of this beautiful winery.