“TRUE LOVE IS THE JOURNEY OF TWO TOWARDS THE LIGHT OF A COMMON IDEAL”.

J. d’Hormoy

Adriana and I will remember 2024 as the year we took a chance on wine! We seized the opportunity to enter this wonderful world that had been closed to us until then.

In 2024, we took over a hectare of Chianti D.O.C.G. vineyard and, in the meantime, we continued to tend the small Sirah vineyard we had planted in front of our house, which is growing more and more as time goes by.

It was one of those gambles that can change your life!

And not only because of the huge investments you have to make to set up your own winery, but above all because of the time you have to devote to the vineyard and your wine!

From January to December, the calendar of work in the vineyard or in the winery is always full of tasks that no one imposes on you unless you want to create something excellent, but which, if you don’t, force you to be present, vigilant and willing to work hard.

That’s how it is in agriculture… nothing is easy and there is no task that does not involve hard work.

Our first production was around 2,000 bottles of Chianti D.O.C.G. red wine!

The first year of running a vineyard is full of discoveries and a constant fear of not having done what needed to be done. The 2024 harvest was not easy due to the bad weather that affected Tuscany from the beginning of September to almost mid-October.

In short, our first year as winegrowers was characterised by constant apprehension until the moment when the oenologist (the Virgil of every winegrower), finally called upon to taste the wine, poured himself a glass of your wine… moments that last an eternity! He uncorks the first bottle of your wine and smells the cork, impassively pouring a little wine into his glass, which he swirls with confident movements, allowing the oxygen to work its magic, before tasting it… His “Yes” gives the go-ahead! Your oenologist’s approval dispels all fears, and his satisfied face repays you for all your hard work!

This is the moment when your wine can be enjoyed by your customers, the moment when you become a wine producer in every sense of the word!

But let’s take a step back. How did we get from our grapes to our first wine?

Through a late harvest rather than an early one. This was at the expense of the security of the harvest, but in favour of the flavours and aroma of our wine.

By selecting our best Sangiovese, Canaiolo Nero, Colorino Toscano and Trebbiano grapes, we brought the basis for our Chianti D.O.C.G. to the cellar.

Harvested and destemmed, our grapes were transformed into must, a “live” must that began its tumultuous fermentation within a few hours.

During this phase, the liquid must in contact with the pomace (grape skins) extracts colour, flavour and aromas from them. All this is done in steel tanks.

Daily pumping over (wetting the “cap” with the must) allowed for the best supply of oxygen and nutrients for our future wine.

Once the first and second fermentations (the so-called “malic” fermentation) were complete, our wine underwent a change of home.

It was time to bring wood into play!

Since ancient times, various types of wooden containers have been used for ageing and storing wine. Initially, it was the availability of the material that facilitated its use, then it was the study of the chemical processes that it triggered.

Wooden barrels, in our specific case French oak barriques, have the ability to impart specific tannins, ensuring continuous but slow micro-oxygenation that transforms the flavour of the wine, fresh out of the fermentation phase, into something superior, something more evolved and complex.

After seven months of ageing in barriques, our wine has gained greater complexity and persistence of flavour in the mouth. All this is crowned by spicy notes, red fruits, coffee and a hint of vanilla.

The colour is simply perfect, “bright ruby red”, just what we were aiming for!

The 2025 harvest has just ended and “from the bubbling vats comes the sour smell of wine to cheer the soul”.

It promises to be an exceptional year, with our best grapes set to be transformed into a unique wine, reflecting the farming tradition of the Valdarno hills!

This ‘dream’ joins the many others that have already come true.

Thanks to Adriana, who is always by my side, and the rest of our family who support us, we continue on our journey, full of hard work but also steeped in satisfaction and accomplished projects.

IF YOU’RE GOING TO DREAM… GO BIG!