Sangiovese Tag

IL DRAGO E LE 8 COLOMBE IGT TOSCANA 2020

2020 WILL BE REMEMBERED BECAUSE OF COVID BUT ALSO FOR THE EXCELLENT QUALITY OF THE GRAPES AND THE LUCK WHICH SAVED THE VINEYARDS FROM BAD WEATHER

2020 Harvest Donatella Cinelli Colombini checks the colour of the must

Everyone remembers Covid masks and tests always at hand. In reality we should remember it as one of the luckiest harvests because the damage from the spring frost (18-23 March) was less than elsewhere and because the autumn rainfalls circled around the vineyards until the end of the harvest.Lucky but scarce, the 2020 vintage certainly deserves 5 stars, the maximum rating.Donatella Cinelli Colombini has been cultivating her vineyards organically for years and has been following a project called “Vineyard first” for years. It consists in a large investment in labour and equipment so that the grapes arrive in the cellar in perfect conditions on the first day of full maturation. A lot of work and a lot of attention which, in years like 2020, are helped by nature and the climate.

The 2020 grapes were healthy, with small berries, well-lignified seeds and the Sangiovese had the typical crunchiness of great vintages. Analytical data even better than 2019 with an excellent content of noble substances in the skins (extractable polyphenols) and a nice acid content

2 January 2025

BRUNELLO RISERVA 2019 ORGANIC CASATO PRIME DONNE

THE 2019 VINTAGE SEEMS BORN TO CHALLENGE TIME AND TO BECOME BRUNELLO RISERVA. GRAPES SO PERFECT THAT NEEDED ONLY PATIENCE

There are vintages that seem born to produce wines capable of defying time and 2019 is one of them.

These are the harvests in which the grapes arrive in the cellar so perfect that they don’t need anything, just attention and patience.

Brunello 2019 is celebrated by critics and consumers as one of the best vintages of the last 20 years and in the Riserva version it finds its most enthusing expression for the silky harmony that hides a powerful structure.

Contrary to what usually happens in the best harvests, 2019 was abundant. A circumstance that also occurred in the legendary 2010 vintage and reveals how global warming has changed the internal balance of plants. In both of these vintages the vines were still in vegetation at the time of the harvest. This is also a rare but very favourable feature.

28 November 2024

BRUNELLO RISERVA 2018 IN THE TOP 10 BY VINUM

NEW SUCCESS FOR BRUNELLO RISERVA 2018 BY DONATELLA CINELLI COLOMBINI , AMONG THE TOP 10 CHOSEN BY VINUM MAGAZINE AND THE GREAT CHRISTIAN EDER

Vinum top 10- Brunello Riserva 2018 by Donatella Cinelli Colombini

Vinum is the most important wine magazine in German. This magazine often dedicates monographic issues to a region with profiles of characters and tastings. In this case the protagonist of the magazine is Tuscany. Violante Gardini Cinelli Colombini newly elected President of the Movimento Turismo del Vino – Wine Tourism Movement is among the profiles described at the beginning while our Brunello Riserva 2018 is among the 10 TOP wines of this type.

VINUM AND CHRISTIAN EDER

As always, the scores are not very high, German culture is always sparing in its judgments and does not reach 1000/100 with the same enthusiasm as American critics. For Germans, perfection is a philosophical concept that almost requires something close to a miracle.

For this reason, the TOP 10 of Brunello Riserva 2018 are between 96 and 94 out of 100, that is, closely positioned. Overall, the best Brunello Riservas proposed by Vinum are 25 and three of them come from the area where Casato Prime Donne is located. A circumstance that demonstrates the growth in the qualitative potential of this corner of Montalcino which, twenty years ago, was too cool and now manages to express itself at a high level even in rainy years like 2018.

7 November 2024

BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO DOCG 2020 ORGANIC

FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE MONTALCINO VINEYARDS LINE UP THREE 5 STAR HARVESTS ONE AFTER THE OTHER. 2020 IS PERHAPS THE ONE WITH THE GREATEST HARMONY AND INTENSITY

A circumstance that has never happened before which confirms the extraordinary vocation of the Brunello area for the cultivation of Sangiovese, its only grape variety. The favourable effect of the new climate which multiplied the excellent harvests was also confirmed.

However, 2019 and 2020 have different characteristics that enthusiasts will be able to enjoy comparing.

2020 A YEAR AND A BRUNELLO TO REMEMBER

In 2020, the year of Covid, there was a spring frost (18-23 March) which drastically reduced the grapes in the vineyards.

After a mild and arid winter, June was very rainy while from mid-July to the end of August the heat was never interrupted by storms. The good weather continued in September until the harvest when the disturbances began to arrive. The rain circled around leaving Casato Prime Donne dry until September 25th when the harvest was almost completed. That day there was a real downpour but, fortunately, almost all the grapes were already in the cellar.

The 2020 Sangiovese grapes were perfectly ripe, healthy, with well-lignified seeds, small berries and the typical crunchiness of great vintages.

10 October 2024

BRUNELLO HARVEST 2024, A MASTERPIECE

PLENTIFUL WONDERFUL GRAPES WITH OLD STYLE RIPENING WHICH, THANKS TO THE WEATHER FORECAST AND HARVEST TECHNOLOGY, ARRIVED IN THE CELLAR IN PERFECT CONDITIONS

by #donatellacinellicolombini

Brunello-Montalcino-harvest-2024-casato-prime-donne

For the first time, in many years, the ripening of the grapes was what winemakers dream of: the ripening of the pulp of the grapes (technological) and that of the skins (polyphenolic) occurred simultaneously and completely.

Average 13% alcohol, lignified seeds, small berries and bunches, good content of noble substances, acidity and PH just below perfection… And lots of grapes.

At the beginning of September no one was hoping for such a spectacular result, in fact everyone was pessimistic because the weather forecast was terrible.

CHRONICLE OF THE 2024 HARVEST: FROM PESSIMISM TO JOY

After 60 days of scorching temperatures in July and August, with temperatures of 37°C during the day and 22 at night, the vines are still. Veraison is slow and ripening does not seem to progress. Then the weather changes suddenly and a very rainy month begins: from early September to early October, around 200 mm of rain falls. It’s cold and at night the thermometer drops to 10°C.

Managing a climate of this kind is very difficult: you need a team of very good agronomists, grape growers and oenologists, excellent harvesting technology and a pinch of luck. We have all this and in fact we produce an amazing harvest.

30 August 2024

OFFER: TWO ORGANIC 2022 FAMILY WINE PREVIEWS

Receive 2 bottles of Rosso di Montalcino 2022, 2 bottles of Chianti Superiore 2022 and 1 Magnum Rosso Montalcino 2022 at home for €112.00

NEWS ON THE EXCELLENT VINTAGE 2022

Few very good and healthy grapes due to the 2021 frost which extended its effects into the following year, and also

New monthly offer with Rosso di Montalcino 2022 e Chianti Superiore 2022

due to the seven months of drought which put the vines and the winemakers to the test, as they were forced to continuously hoe the earth. 2022 will be remembered as the year of drought and tannins and it was also a very hot year where budding occurred early, also leading to an early harvest compared to the normal calendar. The small caliber of the grapes and their thick skins have allowed the creation of very structured and long-lived wines. The very favorable relationship between the skin and the juice of the grape has produced an exceptional concentration of noble substances and above all of tannins in the wine. For this reason, the vinification was very delicate and the maceration in contact with the skins was prolonged.

THE 2022 VINTAGE OF ROSSO DI MONTALCINO FROM CASATO PRIME DONNE

The result is a powerful and sunny Rosso di Montalcino, like the heat of summer 2022, but also with a surprisingly fresh sip thanks to the perfect acid content of the grape.

4 April 2024

A SMALL SERIES OF 3000 NUMBERED BOTTLES OF BRUNELLO

DONATELLA CINELLI COLOMBINI PRESENTS A SMALL SERIES OF BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2018 FROM THE CASATO PRIME DONNE WINERY WITH GREAT QUALITY AND AGING POTENTIAL...

1 March 2024

ROSSO DI MONTALCINO ACCOLADES FROM CRITICS AND CONSUMERS

FIRST THE HIGHEST SCORE FROM THE AIS SOMMELIER GUIDE VITAE AND NOW THE 92/100 FROM MICHAEL GODEL CANADIAN SUPER TASTER, ROSSO DI MONTALCINO 2021 IS A STAR

Incredible! Donatella Cinelli Colombini‘s Rosso di Montalcino 2021 continues to obtain awards from the most qualified tasters and steals the show from Brunello.

The commercial success is confirmed by super experts who emphasize the drinkable and at the same time elegant character of a young wine but capable of showing the world-class virtues of Sangiovese from Montalcino.

For Donatella Cinelli Colombini it is a great satisfaction because Rosso di Montalcino is a wine made by her winemakers alone, without external consultants. Donatella’s wineries – Casato Prime Donne in Montalcino and Fattoria del Colle in Trequanda – are the first in Italy with an all-female staff and pride themselves on always seeking faithful interpretations of the terroir and vintage. A “light oenology” as Professor Luigi Moio defined it, which leaves nature a leading role and the cellar staff the task of preserving the gifts of the vineyard without changing anything.

Here a super harvest like 2021 reveals its merits in the Rosso di Montalcino which heralds a great Brunello from the same vintage.

So, let’s go and see the reviews

1 January 2024

BRUNELLO RISERVA 2018 BY DONATELLA CINELLI COLOMBINI

2018, a twentieth century style harvest with the grapes for the Brunello Riserva harvested last to capture every ray of sunshine and to pick very small bunches and berries

Brunello riserva 2018 Donatella Cinelli Colombini

The Brunello of this vintage is characterized by a particular richness of aromas thanks to the cold nights of the entire maturation period and by the evident vocation for long aging.

2018 follows a year of extreme heat and therefore everyone welcomed the insistent spring rains with joy. In fact, the storms continued, making the winemakers work a lot and worrying the cellar staff because the bunches, and especially the berries, were too big. Furthermore, a disturbance of Nordic origin at the end of August had stiffened the grape skins. In September the positive turning point: sunny days made the grapes return to their optimal size, progressively softening the skins. To favour the action of the sun, the vines were stripped. The Sangiovese grapes for the 2018 Brunello Riserva were harvested on October 1st.

HARVEST AT CASATO PRIME DONNE AND THE ROLE OF THE GRAPES PICKED FOR THE RISERVA

It is worth explaining how the harvest is planned at Casato Prime Donne in Montalcino. The vineyards surround the winery. They are on 4 different types of soil and with different exposure.

7 December 2023

CHIANTI SUPERIORE DOCG 2021

CHIANTI SUPERIORE 2021 FROM FATTORIA DEL COLLE A FAMILYWINE FULL OF TUSCAN ELEGANCE AND YOUTHFUL ENERGY THAT PUTS FLAVOUR IN EVERY SIP

Chianti Superiore 2021 DOCG Donatella Cinelli Colombini

Fattoria del Colle was very lucky in 2021: it was saved from the frost and hailstorms that hit many parts of the Italian and Tuscan vineyard.

A great fortune that the winemakers of Donatella Cinelli Colombini wineries wanted to live to the full by making a harvest with attention to every detail. The year was called the “puzzle harvest” because the vineyards were divided into small areas based on the ripeness of the grapes. The harvest calendar was built according to the maturation of each portion, ensuring that the small fermentation vats in the cellar were full every evening. A method that entailed greater costs, more staff and more time due to the constant movement from one vineyard to another. The result is greater respect for the fruit, which is always picked at the moment of its maximum potential and an increase in the quality of the wines.

10 November 2022

Brunello Prime Donne 2018 BIO

Donatella Cinelli Colombini’s first BIO Brunello. Eight years of waiting: the first three in conversion and then the harvest and the long journey of the wine in the cellar, up to the bottle

2018-Harvest-in-Montalcino-at-Casato-Prime-Donne

A great Brunello born in an “old-style” harvest.

The BIO rules do not allow the use of systemic chemicals and in 2018, a very rainy year, the winemakers of Casato Prime Donne had to work hard and very promptly to defend the vines from powdery mildew and downy mildew, but they succeeded.

THE 2018 VINTAGE IN THE BRUNELLO VINEYARDS

An “old-fashioned” vintage with a cold and rainy summer, very slow ripening and harvest on the normal dates of late September.

Very rainy winter and spring (16 rainy days in January, 16 in February, 20 in March, 11 in April and 18 in May). Summer alternated with peaks of heat and thunderstorms. In September, the sunny days and cold nights allowed a slow and gradual ripening of the grapes with a progressive decrease in the size of the berries and an excellent synthesis of aromas.

20 October 2022

in Vines and wines

Brunello di Montalcino 2018 BIO

2018 crowns the talent of Tuscan winemakers. A vintage that is very reminiscent of those of our grandparents and has given us a modern, elegant and richly scented Brunello

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After a very dry 2017, the first half of 2018 was very rainy and replenished the soil’s water reserves. A positive element for nature but also a challenge for those who cultivate the vineyards. 16 rainy days in January, 16 in February, 20 in March, 11 in April and 18 in May. In June the Sangiovese vines for Brunello had few bunches and a lot of grass also because we grow organically and therefore without herbicides.

THE 2018 VINTAGE IN MONTALCINO

An English summer, with an umbrella always at hand and, at the end of August an Arctic disturbance that whitened the Alps and stiffened the skin of the grapes in our vineyards. September had sunny days and almost winter nights. An anomalous climatic situation that has greatly helped the vineyards. The grapes became smaller and as they matured they softened and an amazing synthesis of aromas took place.

The aromatic richness is the characterizing element of the 2018 vintage.

13 October 2022

in Vines and wines

Rosso di Montalcino 2021 from Casato Prime Donne

Donatella Cinelli Colombini presents Rosso di Montalcino 2021 born in an amazing vintage. Never before 4 super vintages one after another in Montalcino

harvest-2021-Sangiovese-Casato-Prime-Donne-Montalcino-Violante-Cinelli-Colombini

Montalcino’s series of extraordinary harvests does not seem to want to stop: 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. Never before has the land of Brunello lined up such a dazzling sequence.

Each vintage with different characteristics to create the desire and curiosity to taste them all. Rosso di Montalcino offers this opportunity rather quickly and here is the 2021, vigorous and velvety after six months spent in cask.

The young appellation of Montalcino is experiencing a period of particular success. A growing market demand that has literally emptied the cellars, monographic tastings by Sommeliers and journalists, an event that highlights “RED Montalcino” and a number of articles never seen before. In short, it is a trendy wine that young wine lovers like for its drinkability and pleasant and understandable style.

26 May 2022