Tuscany
Tuscany
Tuscany, you know it, even if you have never been there. Picturesque landscapes, cypress avenues, hills and vines, small villages with grumpy people and butchers. What a dense wealth of culture and cuisine. Yes! Super Tuscans also come from Tuscany, more precisely from Bolgheri DOC. But you already knew that. What you may not know yet...
... Tuscany, with its nearly 64,000 hectares of vineyards, has much more to offer than just superlatives à Ornellaia, Sassicaia or Masseto. It is considered the most famous wine region in Italy and offers numerous DOC and DOCG wines. The climate zones change from high altitude to near the sea, from the northernmost to the southernmost point Tuscany stretches 397 kilometers along the coast. Inland, oenologically speaking, there is anything but unity. Agreed, Sangiovese is still the main grape variety in Tuscany, but the countless niche sites are also perfectly suited for the great international varieties Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and many other grape varieties from which the climate of Tuscany brings out the best. Just the thought of Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano or Morellino di Scansano begins the wanderlust.
Chianti and Chianti Classico DOCG
The Chianti area is composed of eight sub-areas: Chianti Classico, Chianti Colli Senesi, Chianti Colli Fiorentini, Chianti Rufina, Chianti Colline Pisane, Chianti Montalbano and Chianti Montespertoli. All are located between the cities of Florence to the north and Siena to the south. Although the region does not (at first glance) exude the same glamour as its southern neighbors Montalcino and Montepulciano, it has always been closely associated with the history of winemaking in Italy. Chianti from the fiasco (demijohn) is still a cult favorite and one of the most famous wines in the world. The region with the highest quality wines is the Chianti classico DOCG. The area is dotted with olive groves, oak and chestnut woods, and the famous cypress trees that line the roads and the horizon. In this picturesque landscape, Sangiovese, the main grape variety of Chianti classico DOCG, grows at up to 700 meters above sea level, characterized by a balanced continental climate. Chianti classico of the highest category "Gran Selezione" can easily compete with anything else that leaves the best wineries in Italy.
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG
Please do not confuse: Montepulciano d'Abruzzo - this is another red wine, another grape variety from Italy. It has no place in the Vino Nobile die Montepulciano DOCG, this is Sangiovese in its pure form. Its great popularity was not always assured and the Vino Nobile was almost doomed when the market demanded full-fruited and barrique bomb wines. This tempted many winemakers in the region to follow this trend, resulting in interchangeable wines with excessive barrique notes and a share of up to 30 percent of international grape varieties. From today's perspective, clearly the wrong way. Fortunately, however, a rethinking has also taken place here. Back to Sangiovese "in purezza" and back to aging in large wooden barrels. They only give the wine its structure and do not change the essence of Sangiovese. The house Talosa also stands for these "new" traditional wines. For example, for Filai Lunghi - their prestigious wine - only the best grapes of the winery are used. The wine is aged in tonneaux (500 L) and large wooden barrels (up to 10,000 L). The result is an exceptional Vino Nobile of great class. On the nose notes of pickled red berries and cherries, hints of leather, forest aromas and licorice. Perfect for lovers of ripe Sangiovese wines with velvety warm tannins and complex structure.
Morellino, this is the name of the Sangiovese grape in the area around the municipality of Scansano. And as if it were not complicated enough, this Tuscan wine is also called Sangiovese of Scansano. The town is located in the south of Tuscany, more precisely in Maremma, which borders the province of Lazio. The wines shine with a full berry fruit and are characterized by great richness.
Undoubtedly, the appellation is one of the most famous and probably even the one that produces the best red wines in Italy. A matter of taste. But what is the secret of the wines from Montalcino? How did this small region in the heart of Tuscany make it to the greatest world fame? If you believe the locals and many renowned wine critics, the region around Montalcino simply offers the best climatic and geological conditions for the cultivation of the Sangiovese grape. There is no doubt that the conditions are perfect for producing great wines from this urtoscan grape variety, which is said to have been known to the Etruscans. Nevertheless, something else catches your eye when you let your gaze wander over the rolling hills. The area around Montalcino is free of all ostentation. Instead of the traditional magnificent buildings and castelli that one might expect here, the landscape is dominated by olive groves, pastures, grain fields and vineyards. A sign that the people in this region are still down-to-earth winemakers and farmers who see their future and livelihood in the hills of their homeland, which they work every day. This dedication is what makes Brunello di Montalcino always so special from our point of view.
The picturesque little village called Bolgheri is considered one of the most famous wine-growing small regions in the world. Bolgheri stands for Supertoscan. Its triumph began in the 1970s, when unflappable winemakers began planting mainly Cabernet Sauvignon instead of native grapes in the hills of the Tyrrhenian Sea coast. Cabernet thrived so fabulously that Bolgheri was soon being compared to Bordeaux - the home of Cabernet grapes - and in America was performing on par with Nappa Valley wines. And can still perform! Today Bolgheri is home to countless renowned producers who strive for excellence, but there are still true little bijous to be found locally, just waiting to be discovered.