Podere Il Castellaccio: new ratings by Vinum.
Continue readingPodere Il Castellaccio: new ratings by Vinum
World Octopus Day
World Octopus Day is celebrated on October 8th. The date of this annual international awareness day was chosen to honor the octopus’s eight arms.
The day is dedicated to:
Celebrating the intelligence, diversity, and fascinating behaviors of octopuses.
Raising awareness about the ecological importance of octopuses.
Encouraging people to learn about marine biology and support ocean conservation efforts.
Octopuses are remarkable creatures with several unique characteristics:
Nine brains: They have one central brain and a cluster of neurons in each of their eight arms.
Three hearts: Two pump blood to the gills, and one pumps blood to the rest of the body.
Blue blood: Their blood is blue because the protein that carries oxygen, hemocyanin, contains copper instead of iron.
Masters of camouflage: They can change their color and texture to blend into their surroundings.
Ancient lineage: Octopus fossils have been found that predate the dinosaurs, dating back over 300 million years.
We have the best wine to celebrate this day
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.
THE PRODUCER
Cantina LaSelva is located in Maremma , 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.
Discover the world of Cantina LaSelva…..
…take a look at their website →
Falstaff: awards for Cantina LaSelva
Falstaff: awards for Cantina LaSelva.
TOSCANO ROSSO PRIMA CAUSA 2022
Prima Causa was the first big challenge of Cantina LaSelva.
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot, a symbol of their desire to express the high quality of the grapes through a wine of character with a balanced, complex structure. A solid, enduring wine just like the winery.
WINE DETAILS
60% Cabernet Sauvignon
30% Merlot
10 % Petit Verdot
Each variety is harvested and vinified separately.
After harvesting, the grapes are immediately destemmed and crushed in order to avoid any possibility of oxidation. The controlled temperature fermentation process lasts 10 days for the Merlot and 20 days for the Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot; at the end of fermentation, the wines are put into new French Allier oak barriques for the Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, and second-fill for the Merlot. After 12 months, the wines are combined and bottled, and before being placed on the market, Prima Causa ages in bottles for at least 12 months.
MERLOT TOSCANA PERVENTUM 2022
From the Latin Perventum: arrived, achieved, fulfilled.
The second great personal challenge of the winery represents the culmination of a long journey of growth and maturation. A wine of great elegance, balance, and complexity that celebrates the beauty of waiting and the value of time.
WINE DETAILS
100% Merlot
The grapes, after a rigorous selection carried out during the harvest, are immediately brought to the cellar where fermentation begins in stainless steel tanks; to best preserve and enhance the typical characteristics of this great grape variety, multiple pump-overs are performed daily. Once alcoholic fermentation is complete, the wine is racked and undergoes an aging period during which malolactic fermentation takes place. At this point, it is transferred into new French oak barriques, and after the maturation period in wood, the wine undergoes further bottle aging for several months before being released to the market
Cantina LaSelva is an organic winery located in the heart of Maremma, in the southern part of Tuscany,
The winery is part of a larger organic farm, Azienda Agricola LaSelva, which has been a pioneer in organic farming in Europe since its founding in 1980. The winemaking philosophy is centered on the principle of “nothing taken away, nothing added,” with a focus on producing authentic, high-quality wines that reflect the unique terroir of the region
Founded by Karl Egger, a German entrepreneur, LaSelva began as a 7-hectare organic farm in 1980. Egger was one of the co-founders of the Naturland organic farming association, and in 1984, LaSelva became the first company outside of Germany to be Naturland-certified. While the farm initially focused on fruits and vegetables, the winery was a natural extension of this organic vision. The winery building, constructed in 2003, is largely underground, designed to blend into the landscape and maintain a constant temperature and humidity for optimal wine aging.
The winery’s mission is to be a bridge between nature and culture. The team, including winemaker Giulio Serafinelli and oenologist Leonardo Conti, works with meticulous care, respecting the natural balance of the land. They aim to capture the flavors and aromas of the Maremma region in every bottle.
Cantina LaSelva’s vineyards span over 30 hectares, divided into several plots in the Maremma area. The soil is predominantly clay, rich in minerals, limestone, and marl. The coastal influence of the Tyrrhenian Sea provides a unique microclimate with salty breezes, contributing to the character of the wines. The vineyards are located at various altitudes, from plains at sea level to hillsides up to 120 meters.
Pietroso’s awards’ update
Pietroso’s awards’ update
Continue readingWOW: Percorso Castagneto Carducci
WOW: Percorso Castagneto Carducci
Continue readingPatrizia 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
Points
0
“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
Points
0
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
Points
0
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