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On a fine day in Tuscany last month, we tell our car driver to take us for wine tasting in between our visit to Sienna and San Gimignano. He promptly calls his friend Luigi who invites us to his vineyard in San Gimignano. This farm is located in the DOCG zone on the hills of San Gimignano, an esteemed area in the Tuscan region.
Pierluigi Giachi (pronounced as ja-key), addressed fondly as Luigi, is the passionate 13th generation of the Giachi family owner of Tenuta di Torciano. He has five vineyards scattered throughout Tuscany which provides them with most of the grapes for their wines and they also buy grapes from other selected wine growers.
Swarming with tourists, noisy and boisterous with wine tasting-actually, more like wine drinking, the enoteca at Tenuta Torciano is managed by an enthusiastic Luigi who personally entertains all his guests. We were led to a special room to start our tasting of 8 wines produced by him.
We start with the white wine - Terresolatie 2007 (Vernaccia di San Gimignano, DOCG) – composed 100% of the popular Vernaccia grape of San Gimignano. With 12% alcohol content, the wine has a pale yellow colour, a fine and intense bouquet, and a well balanced and refined taste.
The next seven red wines in order of tasting (and my preference – last being my favourite) are as follows:
Villagiachi 2007 (Chianti, DOCG) – composed of Sangiovese 80% and Canaiolo Nero 20%, 12% alcohol.
DOGE 2007 (Chianti Classico, DOCG) – composed of the Sangiovese grape with a blend of Canaiolo Nero, 13% alcohol. Colour is a clear ruby red, with an intense aroma of flowers. It is dry on the palate. The wine is aged in barrels made from oak and other noble types of wood. It can be paired with all courses of a meal.
Torciano 2003 (Brunello di Montalcino, DOCG) – composed exclusively from Sangiovese grapes called “Brunello”, 14% alcohol. The colour is deep ruby red, bouquet of rich forest fruit scents, and is dry, full bodied on the palate. This wine is aged for at least 5 years in oak barrels and 6 months in bottle. It pairs well with pasta dishes with meat sauces.
Baldassarre 2004 (Super Tuscan, IGT) – composed of a blend of 3 grapes in equal proportion: Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. With 13% alcohol content, it is a dark red colour with a smooth feel on the palate. It has an aroma of herbs. This wine is aged for 2 years in oak barrels, for 2 years in oak barriques, followed by another 18 months in other types of noble wood and 6 months in-bottle refinement.
Cavaliere 2004 (Super Tuscan, IGT) – composed of 70% Sangiovese and 30% Merlot, has 13% alcohol. Deep ruby red colour, complete and elegant bouquet, and a dry, full and smooth flavour are the key characteristics of this wine. According to Luigi, Cavaliere is an “aristocratic wine” with elegant and personal flavour. Rich first courses and risottos with sauces made from game, red meats, roasts and mature spicy cheeses will go well with this wine.
Bartolomeo 2004 (Super Tuscan, IGT) – composed of 50% Sangiovese and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine is named after Luigi’s Grandfather. It has 13% alcohol and is aged for 1 year each in oak wood barrels, chestnut wood barrels, cherry wood barrels and olive wood barrels. The colour is deep ruby red. The aging process gives the wine hints of the various wood aromas. It is dry and full bodied.
Terrestre 2003 (Super Tuscan, IGT) – a unique blend of 5 grapes: Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Shiraz. The composition of the blend is kept a secret by the winemakers. It has a 13% alcohol level. The Wine Spectator gave it 96 points. Torciano produces only 5500 bottles of this wine every year, marking each bottle with a serial number (we had bottle number 2705). The colour of this wine is deep burgundy. The aroma is a mixture of different types of woods in which it is aged – olive, cherry, chestnut and oak. The most amazing feature of this wine is that the flavour changes every 30 seconds!!!
In the course of wine tasting, Luigi shares with us some interesting information and history of the wines. The wines can only be bought directly at the farm or can be purchased online. He has a huge clientele in the United States who order wines from him.
Luigi refrains from dealing with middle men in the wine trade and prefers to be the direct point of contact for the wine consumer. This may be a speed-breaker for him for the Indian market as it is practically mandatory to have an importer and a distributor. His wines are pricey, but definitely worthy of their price points.
To enjoy the experience of these wines and especially the Terrestre, a trip to Tenuta Torciano is truly a unique experience!
Bhavna Bahl
Bhavna Bahl is the new wave of young women who love wine. Particularly fond of Italian wines, she had gone to study the Italian language and cooking in Florence when she took the opportunity to visit a few wineries. She also runs Beleza...by the beach, a new resort in South Goa. |