Anyone who had watch Bernardo Bertolucci's Stealing Beauty (Liv Tyler's début movie and shot near the beautiful medieval town of San Gimignano) or Diane Lane acted movie, Under The Tuscan Sun would be so captivated by the breath-taking landscape. My very first visit to Tuscan Coast was some 5-6 years ago. I was traveling with few other Italian wine Aficionado (sadly, I've just lost one of my best traveling partner - Byrick, who was tragically killed early this month from an road accident) to Tuscan right after the Vinitaly (the biggest most important Italian wine exhibition). Instead of driving straight from Veneto to Florence (Firenze), which is the nearest town to the famous Chianti's region. We have instead started off our trip at the east end of Arezzo, where we visited the town of Cortona, famous for their Syrah. After my driver (actually a very good drinking buddy of mine) complained that, we took nearly 4-6 hours driving journey to reach our destination and only to realize that, there were just three wines to be taste, along with some sourdough breads (actually, very difficult to find good sourdough here. Most of which, do not taste "sour") and prosciutto (famous Italian cured Ham). The nagging persisted throughout our next destination (guess, he is not coming with me next year?).
Direction to south-west - Siena, we arrived at the small town of Montalcino. Here, where everybody seem to know everybody and looks like, they are expecting an alien (Chinese) group of intruders to stir up their rather peaceful and quiet lifestyle. For those who think the best Italian food is found here, you are likely to be disappointed. Food here are rather simplistic, with clear minestrone soup (not our usual spicy-style) and pasta are commonly found in the la trattoria menu. Fortunately, the quality of noodle here is sound and with some luck, you might get yourself some chicken's liver to go with. Nevertheless, all the Brunello producers we visited did not disappoint us with their wines and their hospitality.
Our next stop was to pass Grosseto and drive towards our first coastline region of Castagneto Carducci. Most people are aware that, Sangiovese is the most important grape for Tuscan. Much like Nebbiolo for Piedmont, Aglianico for Campania, Negroamaro & Primitivo for Puglia, Nerello Mascalese, Nero d;Avola for Sicily. However, one such talk about Tuscan coastline, it was the foreign varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah that's stealing the lamplight. Yes, Sangiovese do make their presence here; like those very fine examples from Michele Satta and Pier Mario Cavallari's Grattamacco in Castagneto Carducci, also those Morellino di Scansano (part of the Sangiovese's clone) from the neighbouring village of Maremma.
Among all the Tuscan's Mediterranean coast sub-zone between Grosseto to Livorno. It would have to be Bolgheri being the most famous and internationally known. This small town has a history that's dated back since 8 century, where the area was once owned by the family of Counts della Gherardesca. At their prime, many poet like Giosue Carducci (where Castagneto Carducci taken it name) and Davanti San Guido (where the estate of Sassicaia name after) made their stint here. In 1703, the famous boulevard, along with the centuries-old cypress trees was build. Till these days, the same site continue to intrigue new visitors and we were told by the local that the road actually lead you to the sea?
The father of modern day Italian wine, Giacomo Tachis, made his first experimental Bordeaux-blend wine in Bolgheri with Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta in 1968. The wine was named, Sassicaia. The success story of Sassicaia not only drawn many foreign interest on Italian wine, it also inspired many open-minded, new generation winemakers to start experiment with foreign grapes and blended them with their native Sangiovese, Canaiolo. Italian wine has begun it's quality revolution.
Despite the central Tuscan, more noticeable from Chianti's region, many IGT (or innovatively blend wine) have emerged over the years, however, Bolgheri remained as home of the finest Bordeaux-inspired wine due to their unique maritime climate that is best suited for those foreign grapes and unlike, central Tuscan, where there are many boundary guarded by regulation and traditional practices, Bolgheri are rule-free and playground for those experimental wine producers such as Ornellaia, Guado al Tasso (owned by Antinori), Tua Rita, Le Macchiole, more recently, the famous Piedmontist, Angelo Gaja also join the pool with his Ca'Marcanda.
Direction to south-west - Siena, we arrived at the small town of Montalcino. Here, where everybody seem to know everybody and looks like, they are expecting an alien (Chinese) group of intruders to stir up their rather peaceful and quiet lifestyle. For those who think the best Italian food is found here, you are likely to be disappointed. Food here are rather simplistic, with clear minestrone soup (not our usual spicy-style) and pasta are commonly found in the la trattoria menu. Fortunately, the quality of noodle here is sound and with some luck, you might get yourself some chicken's liver to go with. Nevertheless, all the Brunello producers we visited did not disappoint us with their wines and their hospitality.
Our next stop was to pass Grosseto and drive towards our first coastline region of Castagneto Carducci. Most people are aware that, Sangiovese is the most important grape for Tuscan. Much like Nebbiolo for Piedmont, Aglianico for Campania, Negroamaro & Primitivo for Puglia, Nerello Mascalese, Nero d;Avola for Sicily. However, one such talk about Tuscan coastline, it was the foreign varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah that's stealing the lamplight. Yes, Sangiovese do make their presence here; like those very fine examples from Michele Satta and Pier Mario Cavallari's Grattamacco in Castagneto Carducci, also those Morellino di Scansano (part of the Sangiovese's clone) from the neighbouring village of Maremma.
Among all the Tuscan's Mediterranean coast sub-zone between Grosseto to Livorno. It would have to be Bolgheri being the most famous and internationally known. This small town has a history that's dated back since 8 century, where the area was once owned by the family of Counts della Gherardesca. At their prime, many poet like Giosue Carducci (where Castagneto Carducci taken it name) and Davanti San Guido (where the estate of Sassicaia name after) made their stint here. In 1703, the famous boulevard, along with the centuries-old cypress trees was build. Till these days, the same site continue to intrigue new visitors and we were told by the local that the road actually lead you to the sea?
The father of modern day Italian wine, Giacomo Tachis, made his first experimental Bordeaux-blend wine in Bolgheri with Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta in 1968. The wine was named, Sassicaia. The success story of Sassicaia not only drawn many foreign interest on Italian wine, it also inspired many open-minded, new generation winemakers to start experiment with foreign grapes and blended them with their native Sangiovese, Canaiolo. Italian wine has begun it's quality revolution.
Despite the central Tuscan, more noticeable from Chianti's region, many IGT (or innovatively blend wine) have emerged over the years, however, Bolgheri remained as home of the finest Bordeaux-inspired wine due to their unique maritime climate that is best suited for those foreign grapes and unlike, central Tuscan, where there are many boundary guarded by regulation and traditional practices, Bolgheri are rule-free and playground for those experimental wine producers such as Ornellaia, Guado al Tasso (owned by Antinori), Tua Rita, Le Macchiole, more recently, the famous Piedmontist, Angelo Gaja also join the pool with his Ca'Marcanda.
In 1998, Fabio Chiarelotto purchased the property of Montepeloso, which was ideally located at the slope above the famous Tua Rita in Suvereto from their original owners, Willi & Doris Neukom. The goal for the Swiss-Italian historian was to produce a world-class red out of his chalky gravel and clay hillside vineyard that has much in common with those of St.Emilion's famed Côtes. This low-yield, hillside vineyard is capable of producing wine of firm structured, great richness and power. Prior to the change of ownership, the Montepeloso was already made famous by consultant oenologist, Luca D'Attoma (also making wine for Le Macchiole). However, my past experiences of Montepeloso often suggest that, there is a strong signature from D'Attoma, much like those from Le Macchiole. The same problem apply to many trendy Italian that uses the services of those flying consultants, where their wines often come across as very similar. I continue to stress the importance that, the owner should remain involved in an active role in making their wines rather to rely too much on those consultants. Fabio does not seek for consultant advise and neither is he concerned about what the press has to say about his wine. He has since replaced Fabrizio Moltard as the new winemaker, and the quality of the recent vintages are among the finest I have seen.
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