2015 Donatella's wonderful year
With my very best wishes for a Happy 2016, where everyone should have their dreams fulfilled. Here below a summary of the last exceptional 12 months.
MINERVA AWARD TO DONATELLA CINELLI COLOMBINI
2016 is the year of MERCIFULNESS, for all, even those who do not believe, should lie in a special way to become constructors of e better world.
2015 is to be framed. A year lived on the run, always-, 12 trips abroad for Donatella and even more for Violante. A book, 2 new wines, a new grappa, many successes, events and awards
FEBRUARY
Meeting with James Suckling king of the Brunello lovers. Toscana previews: 60 buyers for the Doc Orcia and an-out-of-this-world Benvenuto Brunello with the exceptional 2010 vintage
MARCH
Lady Day at the Quirinal in Rome for Donatella and in Colle Val d’Elsa Violante Organizes Cantine aperte di cristallo. Fisar in rosa at Casato prime Donne and at Fattoria del Colle with the female sommeliers of the association. Vienna, imperial capital seen from up close. A grape grower goes RAITV and Donatella goes to visit Anna Scafuri. New web site for the estate and the blog is always among the top 15 in Italy.
LA MOGLIE DI COCCIO fairy tales
APRIL
Donatella is a candidate for the Board of directors of Monte dei Paschi but she knows more about wine than bonds!!!! Women’s Vinitaly. In Canada Donatella and Carlo become knights. Dona falls at the Niagara Falls and then Italia a Tavola awards her a prize in Florence, in front of the Ministro Martina. Then the convention in Chieti regarding wine communication: to win there must be less Montepulciano and more Abruzzo. 96/100 from Wine Spectator to our Brunello Prime Donne 2010. In Puglia out to discover the Nero di Troia. Orcia Wine Festival with a great success.
Violante Gardini Cinellicolombini Jr
MAY
A year with the Gourmets: Ornella Venica, Stefano Garofano, Marilisa Allegrini and Sassicaia…. We went to Salerno to teach wine tourism in the Master course in Wine Business, winner of the Premio Olivetti. We went to Pope Francis with the association Donne del vino. Sansepolcro for the convention on new destinations that concentrate on unique characteristics and active tourists. 7 dishes for 7 wines for 7 dinners at Fattoria del Colle, Roberta the chef creates recipe after recipe. A new wine tasting offer is born, play at winemaker. For Cantine Aperte Violante proposes rare wines in the MTV Toscana wineries. Stefano Scaramelli is a super regional councillor elected through 15 thousand preferences
JUNE
Vinitaly 2015 le Donne del Vino
In Sicily with the Lions Club and then again to Gozo. The “divine awakening” is a new proposal at our wellness centre at Fattoria del Colle. Then there was the l Brindisi arcobaleno, and finally a visit to Marcello Lunelli & famiglia. Here is our list of triumphs with the Brunello 2010 Prime Donne: Wine Enthusiast 93/100, Wine Advocate 93/100, Wine Spectator 96/100 Highly recommended, and Vinum 17/20 TOP. Brazil and Portugal for a beautiful trip but I come back with pneumonia. Croatia and the dream of producing malvazija finishes.
JULY
Milan Donne del Vino fuori Expo. July sees a tornado destroy Florence while at Fattoria del Colle we celebrate a night on the beach.
AUGUST
Fattoria del Colle Summer Beach Party
Calici di stelle in Castiglion d’Orcia is a great success regardless of the three postponements because of bad weather and then Expo with Violante and the Movimento Turismo Vino Tuscany. The winners of the Casato Prime Donne award were chosen Giusi Nicolini Mayor of Lampedusa, Costanza Calabrese from TG5, Walter Speller from jancisrobinson.com, Gaia Pianigiani from the New York Times. Perfect harmony between Orcia wine and Pecorino from Pienza. WE had an invasion of wild boars in the vineyard
SEPTEMBER
Casato Prime Donne Award 2015
At Casato Prime Donne in Montalcino the first wine and music itinerant tasting, studied by the musician-sommelier Igor Vazzaz. Casato Prime Donne ward we had a Skype connection with Giusi Nicolini Mayor of Lampedusa who tells us about dramatic stories about the refugees coming by sea .The English Master of wine Rosemary George becomes a member of the Brunello Prime Donne panel. Malta and Gozo Donatella’s Mediterranean passion.
OCTOBER
Sveva Casati Modignani and Anna Pesenti with Donatella for three events in Tuscany, one of which in Montalcino. 2015 a dream of a harvest. Milan with the Donne del vino in Via Montenapoleone together with Massimo Giletti. Showering of prizes from the Italian wine press. Violante and Donatella go to Tokyo. Finally the new extra virgin olive oil is here
Donatella and Carlo in Brasilia
NOVEMBER
Ischia Vintage with Ian d’Agata. Fattoria del Colle’s wines are on Wine Spectator 90,90 and 91 for Chianti superiore, Vin Santo and Cenerentola Doc Orcia. Crete Senesi White Truffle fair with an Orcia wine tasting for Walter Speller. Dinner in the San Giovanni d’Asso castle with Francesca Negri Geisha Gourmet. The video that talks about Casato Prime Donne and Fattoria del Colle with Violante as protagonist is ready. 100% Montalcino the project regarding selected indigenous yeasts is ready and presented by Ian d’Agata. The farmhouse Colle piccino becomes a villa, Villa Archi and undergoes a complete restyling; air conditioning included. The book “La Moglie di coccio e altre novelle quasi vere” by Donatella is published illustrated by Alessandro Grazi. On November 26 picked up the Premio Minerva in Rome
IOsonoDONATELLA Brunello
DECEMBER
The new board is elected for the Donne del vino, Donatella receives most votes. Académie internationale du vin – Berlin December 3rd , first speech in French. IOsonoDONATELLA is released, a masterpiece of a Brunello by Donatella as a robe it has Donatella’s entire life. Two novelties: “Amici di vigna” a spumante 42 months with the yeast, plus the grappa di Cenerentola in a mini-shopper so desired by Violante.
Now 2015 is practically finished with great results in events and sales (winery, Toscana Lovers store, country inn and restaurant). A year to be framed in every aspect for the wonderful satisfactions and emotions received!