The freshness.
A complicated, challenging year of continual rain and cool temperatures.
The winter was long and tedious, with only the memory of the heat of our extinct volcano, Monte Amiata, to warm us. Spring arrived in green, white and yellow to cheer us up but it was rainy. The vines did not flower until 6th June and the rain continued, although the sun shone through the raindrops.
Veraison was uneven, so the secret of this vintage was selection. The harvest began in late September and finished on 12th October. We went through the vineyards plant by plant, bunch by bunch, with scrupulous care, choosing the best grapes: painstaking work where patience is your best friend.
We were rewarded with a Sangiovese of great finesse, a limited but precious quantity to share in small doses. Pressing brought a carnival air to the estate; even the bees, cattle and pigs seemed to celebrate.
This year’s wine can be summed up in words from the Old Testament Book of Proverbs: “Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness for the soul and coolness for the body.”