WOW: Percorso Castagneto Carducci
Continue readingWOW: Percorso Castagneto Carducci
Patrizia Cencioni’s awards’ update
Patrizia Cencioni ‘s awards’ update.
Kerin O’ Keefe rated their beautiful Rosato Toscana 2023 with 93 Points while Brunello di Montalcino 2019 received 98 Pts by Doctor Wine.
ROSATO TOSCANA 2023
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“Made entirely with pre-harvsted Sangiovese destined to make Brunello, the fantastic 2024 Rosato from Patrizia Cencioni has an intense color recalling pink rose petal and intense floral aromas of lavender and rose that mix with small red berry and spice. Dry, savory and linear, the full-flavored palate delivers succulent red cherry, pomegranate and orange zest before a saline close. Bright acidity keeps it vibrant and balanced. Drink through 2027. Abv: 12.5%”
Kerin O’Keefe June 2025
©kerinokeefe.com
….and ther is more…..
With a ratings of 93 Points,
Patrizia Cenzioni’s Rosato Toscana 2023 reached the 8th place in the Top 25 Italian Rosato.
BRUNELLO MONTALCINO 2019
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THE WINERY:
Founded in 1989, the winery Patrizia Cencioni is now managed by three women who continue a tradition started by their grandfather, Giuseppe Cencioni, one of the founders of the Consorzio del Brunello di Montalcino.
The estate spans about 50 hectares, including 8 dedicated to Brunello di Montalcino vineyards and 7 to olive groves.
Patrizia, Annalisa and Arianna
Last but not least, the winery offers tours and tastings at their location at Podere Capanna, 102 – 53024 Montalcino.
Slow Wine: Cantina LaSelva
Slow Wine: Cantina LaSelva, TOP WINE BEST BUY – SLOW WINE 2026 seal to the Morellino di Scansano Riserva Colli dell’ Uccellina 2022.
Grapes: Sangiovese, Merlot
Production area: Magliano in Toscana
Grape harvest: manual, in crates
Vinification: the grapes are harvested when they achieve optimal ripeness and vinified separately in small stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature. When fermentation is completed, the Sangiovese is left in contact with the skins for another 10 days, while the Merlot is placed directly into new French oak barriques. At the end of maceration, the Sangiovese is put into French oak tonneuax for 12 months. During maturation the wines are racked twice and combined only shortly before bottling.
Flavour and aroma: ruby red. Fresh notes of red fruits and blackcurrant, finished with complex spice. The palate has a nice articulation from which emerges a lively fruitiness, pleasant tannins and balanced acidity. Good persistence.
Pairings: game, red meat, aged cheeses.
Cantina LaSelva
“Nothing taken away, nothing added”
This is the motto of Cantina LaSelva, founded in 1980 by Karl Egger.
Through his vision and work in developing LaSelva, Egger became one of the pioneers of organic farming in Europe. Karl Egger left his homeland, Munich, and moved to the south of Tuscany where he bought 7 hectares of land. Here he began to grow fruit and vegetables following the simple rules of nature: a choice that led him ten years later to give birth to the organic farming association, Naturland.
In 1984 LaSelva became the first Naturland-certified business beyond German borders.
In Maremma: Cantina LaSelva is located in a unique place, nestled in the south of Tuscany and surrounded by untamed nature. The varied landscape ranges from the woods of a regional park to medieval villages, and then on to the sea. These are places where you can discover ancient traditions and enjoy true beauty in every season. Maremma is also the birthplace of Tuscan viticulture, with its origins dating back to the Etruscans and their sophisticated civilisation.
The microclimate of the Maremma hills has always brought out the best qualities of Sangiovese grapes, which are used to make wines like Morellino di Scansano – known and loved throughout the world. The combination of minerals, lime, marl and limestone – combined with the coastal influence of the Tyrrhenian Sea – form the basis for opulent, soft red wines and for savoury white wines with a strong personality.
Strictly Organic: Even in the winery, they process the grapes without using unnecessary additives. They apply organic concepts and adopt the most advanced technologies in temperature control, fermentation, pumping over and delicate punching down.
More info?
Take a look at their website
New label Solarianne
New label Solarianne: Patrizia Cencioni‘s Rosso Toscana has a new label.
Rosso Toscana IGT Solarianne 2022
“Solarianne: a singular wine for the mouth as well as on the label.
A project that changes every year – not only in the choice of the final blend but also in its aesthetics: year by year, We choose a different bottle label together with the Sienese painter Alessandro Grazi“
– Patrizia Cencioni-
THE WINE
Grapes: 50% Sangiovese – 50% Cabernet Sauvignon
Vinification: in steel
Staying on small lees: 36 months in 2.5 oak barrels (French oak)
TASTING NOTES:
Colour: clear, deep ruby red with violet reflections.
Bouquet: floral and fruity, particularly in evidence the scent of black cherry and fresh violet.
Taste: it is a structured wine, intense and with good persistence. It is elegant and fine, well balanced between softness and tannicity.
Food pairings: red and white meats, cheeses and cold cuts.
THE WINERY:
The winery is managed by the owner Patrizia and her 2 daughters, Annalisa and Arianna. Thanks to the long family experience and the entrepreneurial skills of Patrizia, a refined feminine touch is added.
There is feminine elegance in the wines from this cantina.
THE LAND:
The vineyards date back to 1989, the year in which the company was born, which draws its origins from an ancient company in Montalcino created in the 1950s by grandfather Giuseppe Cencioni, one of the founders of the Brunello di Montalcino Consortium.
Located a few kilometres from the town center of Montalcino at about 350 meters a.s.l., overlooking the Val d’Orcia.
A total area of 50 Ha, of which 9 Ha of Sangiovese vineyards and 7 Ha of olive groves
THE WINES:
High profile wines and Sangiovese.
The azienda creates high profile wines, thanks to a very good balance between use of modern technologies and respect for the tradition. This results in a range of excellent wines. Wines where Sangiovese is the protagonist.
With the steel vats at controlled temperatures, the correct fermentation is guaranteed.
The slow aging of the wines takes place in oak barrels, with their refinement the elegance and character, already peculiar characteristics of each vintage, stand out also in the bottle.
Check the website of the winery for more info about the producer and the wines
Gold for Grati’s Olive Oil
Fratelli Grati's Olive Oil, honoured with a gold award
Fratelli Grati: A Family Tradition in the Heart of Tuscany
Nestled in the Tuscan countryside, this family-run estate is dedicated to producing exceptional wines and olive oil that honor their land and heritage.
Tuscan Wines, Rich in Character
From the historic estates—Galiga, Vetrice – they cultivate native grape varieties like Sangiovese, Colorino, and Canaiolo. Each bottle reflects their dedication to quality, expressing the vibrant terroir and timeless spirit of Chianti Rufina.
Award-Winning Olive Oil
Their extra virgin olive oil is a true taste of Tuscany: fruity, peppery, and beautifully balanced. Produced with a blend of tradition and innovation, it’s internationally celebrated for its purity and flavor—perfect for elevating any dish.
Oliviers & Co
Fratelli Grati’s extra virgin olive oil, crafted in the hills of Chianti Rufina, has earned international recognition for its purity and flavor. In France, it is proudly imported and distributed by Oliviers & Co, a renowned curator of the finest Mediterranean olive oils. Among their rigorous annual selection—where only a handful of oils are chosen from hundreds of artisanal producers—Grati’s olive oil stands out as one of the very best, celebrated for its vibrant character, impeccable freshness, and authentic Tuscan soul.
Global Recognition at the NYIOOC
Fratelli Grati’s extra virgin olive oil was honored at the NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition, the most prestigious international contest dedicated to olive oil quality. Held annually in New York, the NYIOOC brings together producers from over 30 countries, with thousands of entries judged by a panel of expert tasters. In the 2025 edition, Grati’s olive oil stood out among hundreds of submissions, earning a Gold Award for its exceptional flavor, purity, and craftsmanship.
Why is the NYIOOC an important recognition?
The NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition is the most prestigious international competition for olive oil quality, where thousands of entries from over 30 countries are judged. Winning a Gold Award here places Fratelli Grati among the world’s elite olive oil producers!
What makes Fratelli Grati olive oil so special?
The oil is celebrated for its pure taste, vibrant character, impeccable freshness, and authentic Tuscan soul, derived from the traditional olive varieties Frantoio, Moraiolo, and Pendolino.”
For more information about Grati, their wines, olive oil and events they organize, take a look at their Facebook page or at the website:
Awards for Villa di Vetrice
Awards for Villa di Vetrice: their Vin Santo del Chianti Rufina 2005 has been awarded with a Gold Medal, Best of class at the Los Angeles Wine Competition 2025.
Gold Medal
Best of Class
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Vin Santo del Chianti Rufina
A masterpiece where freshness and elegance are combined with a thick mouthfeel
Fresh, focused and elegantly open with a thick and exquisite mouth-feel.
On the palate it shows harmonious, with oil, toffee, walnut, leather, caramel and dried apricot character. Dried fig and orange peel accents lead to an everlasting finish.
Well-known the perfect combination with cantucci (traditional almond biscuits from Tuscany) but very good also with other (nut based) cakes, liver-pate dishes and complex cheeses. thanks to its multiple layers, long finish, acidity and good structure.
Herebelow the list of all winners. You can find Villa di Vetrice’s in Santo on page 10.
How is the Vin Santo made?
The vinsantaio, where vinsanto is made, hangs full of grape bunches, quite appropriately above the family chapel at Villa Vetrice, as ‘vinsanto or vino santo‘ means ‘holy wine’.
In the Grati family, it is a tradition that began over a hundred years ago, with which the great secret of vinsanto, the madre (mother), is also over a century old.
The madre is an aromatic sediment of inactive fine lees. She, a natural yeast, is ‘eterna’, for ever, because each new production uses some of the old that has multiplied at the end of the process and is then kept again.
Healthy bunches of grapes were picked in mid-September, and hung in the vinsantaio to slowly dry out for over three months.
70% of the grapes are white, Malvasia and Trebbiano, 30% are blue, Sangiovese.
Vinsanto is made only in years with extremely healthy grape material.
Sulfur is lit daily in the vinsantaio to clean the air of insects and unwanted critters. There is also the game of windows, which are open during the day and closed again at night, depending on the weather. The grapes have to dry properly and slowly. As an extra help, only if needed, ventilators can be used.
In December or January, when 30% of the original volume remains, the grapes are pressed. The must is then put into clean caratelli, small wooden barrels, on top of the madre. The caratelli are then sealed with cement, while 25% of the space remains empty.
Fermentation starts slowly in March, while temperatures rise and stops with the heat in summer. For three years in a row. In winter, spontaneous clarification takes place, including the deposition of the madre.
The wine then remains in the unopened caratelli for at least ten years before being bottled.
Villa di Vetrice Vinsanto del Chianti Rùfina DOC comes with 17% alcohol and 100% class.
Discover the other wines of Villa di Vetrice: Chianti Rufina and Chianti Rufina Riserva.
Take a look at their Facebook page
Vinum: awards for Masseria Cuturi
Vinum awards for Masseria Cuturi
Continue readingAwards for Patrizia Cencioni
Awards for Patrizia Cencioni.
Continue readingVinum: awards for Agricola del Nudo
Vinum: awards for Agricola del Nudo.
GOLD Medal for their Crudelia 2024 at World of Rose’ competition.
Cheers!
Tasting notes:
“A light copper rosé. A full-bodied nose, with notes of almond, cinnamon, damp earth, candied orange peel, and acacia. On the palate, white apricot, a slender structure, and plenty of juice. The acidity permeates the entire palate, lending a flowing finish. A hint of lime juice. With aeration, the complexity increases on the nose and palate. An atypical rosé.“
Simple, Clear and Pure:
this is NUDO
The purpose
Nudo symbolizes “unvarnished, straightforward and purity”.
This is how the wine tastes: simple, clear and pure.
Sustainability is a top priority. Cultivated exclusively according to the rules of organic farming. The wines are fermented spontaneously. At Agricola del Nudo’s they only use sulphites in very small quantities and they only choose for the local grape varieties Vermentino, and Sangiovese but also Syrah.
The history
NUDO was born from the friendship between Stefano Bambagioni, a farmer from Maremma and Roland Krebser, a Swiss oenologist and is a project of the heart.
Stefano grew grapes using organic methods on his two-hectare vineyard. As an oenologist at a winery, Roland bought these grapes from him. That’s how they met in 2009 and that’s how the story began.
At first they only produced a small batch for families and friends. In the year 2012 the first major production of 3000 bottles for public sale started. Thanks to the wonderful cooperation and help of many friends, production was increased to a total of 24,000 bottles. Nevertheless, they have remained true to their philosophy.
The Wines: Excellent grapes from Maremma Tuscany
The wines are consistently grown and matured using organic methods. Great importance to collecting the entire harvest carefully by hand in small cassettes. The selection of the grapes takes place directly in the vineyard.
Vermentino Toscana, Rosato Toscana, Rosso Maremma Toscana, Rosso Costa Toscana
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Toscana Rosso IGT Materia Rossa
Toscana Rosso IGT Materia Rossa: La Casa dei Polpi, the special edition of Cantina LaSelva‘s Toscana Rossa IGT 2022.
A red wine with character – smooth and enveloping.
A special edition wine to support “The House of Octopuses” an initiative aimed at protecting these incredible inhabitants of the sea from intensive fishing using plastic traps.
This experimental project seeks to offer octopuses new shelters by permanently installing artificial dens on the seabed, made from eco-sustainable materials such as terracotta.
THE WINE
Grapes: Sangiovese, Merlot
Production area: Magliano in Toscana
Bottles produced: 16.000 bottles
Vinification: After gentle destemming and crushing, the grapes are vinified in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks to preserve their freshness and varietal character. Fermentation times and pump-over practices are carefully adjusted according to the specific traits of each grape. After fermentation, the wine matures in stainless steel tanks, allowing it to develop greater aromatic complexity and a clean, vibrant profile.
Flavour and aroma: Elegant and spicy with fresh notes of red berries. In the mouth it is soft, persistent and fresh at the end.
Pairings: pasta dishes with red sauces and meat sauce, red meat, spicy dishes.
Serving temperature: 18° C.
Certification: ICEA – Naturland Fair.
“Nothing taken away, nothing added”
This is the motto of Cantina LaSelva, founded in 1980 by Karl Egger.
Through his vision and work in developing LaSelva, Egger became one of the pioneers of organic farming in Europe. Karl Egger left his homeland, Munich, and moved to the south of Tuscany where he bought 7 hectares of land. Here he began to grow fruit and vegetables following the simple rules of nature: a choice that led him ten years later to give birth to the organic farming association, Naturland.
In 1984 LaSelva became the first Naturland-certified business beyond German borders.
In Maremma
Cantina LaSelva is located in a unique place, nestled in the south of Tuscany and surrounded by untamed nature. The varied landscape ranges from the woods of a regional park to medieval villages, and then on to the sea. These are places where you can discover ancient traditions and enjoy true beauty in every season. Maremma is also the birthplace of Tuscan viticulture, with its origins dating back to the Etruscans and their sophisticated civilisation.
The microclimate of the Maremma hills has always brought out the best qualities of Sangiovese grapes, which are used to make wines like Morellino di Scansano – known and loved throughout the world. The combination of minerals, lime, marl and limestone – combined with the coastal influence of the Tyrrhenian Sea – form the basis for opulent, soft red wines and for savoury white wines with a strong personality.
Strictly Organic
Even in the winery, they process the grapes without using unnecessary additives.
They apply organic concepts and adopt the most advanced technologies in temperature control, fermentation, pumping over and delicate punching down.
More info? Take a look at their website →