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TOSCANA LOVERS: THE SHOPS FOR THE BEST TUSCAN CRAFTSMANSHIP

TABLEWARE, KITCHEN, AND BATHROOM ITEMS MADE ACCORDING TO TRADITION OR WITH THE CREATIVITY OF MASTERS OF ART. THEY CARRY WITH THEM A CENTURY OF HISTORY.

Toscana Lovers boutique del miglior artigianato toscano tessuti a telaio

Toscana Lovers boutique for the best Tuscan handicraft loom-woven fabrics

The three Toscana Lovers stores in Siena, Bagno Vignoni, and Cortona are owned by Casato SRL, a company wholly owned by Donatella Cinelli Colombini and her daughter Violante. Casato SRL also owns the 20 hectares of vineyards and the Casato Prime Donne winery buildings in Montalcino, where Donatella produces Brunello and Rosso di Montalcino, which she exports to 44 foreign markets.

HISTORY OF THE TOSCANA LOVERS CHAIN OF STORES

“The first Toscana Lovers shop opened in Siena in 2006, when I finished my first term as the city’s tourism councillor,” says Donatella Cinelli Colombini. “I thought I wouldn’t be re-elected. My husband, Carlo, owned a beautiful shop in Siena’s historic centre, and I asked him to vacate it so we could start a business selling Tuscan objects handcrafted according to our traditions.

I didn’t expect the mayor to call me back to serve as councillor, and when he did, I asked him, ‘But what am I going to do with the shop now? I’ve also bought the furniture.’ He replied, ‘Open it, but don’t make any requests to the city.’ That’s why the shop remained without a sign for five whole years. It was during my time as tourism councillor that I realized that craftsmanship is the true barrier to the decline of tourism, from fake souvenirs to industrial imitations—often imported from abroad—of traditional products.”

13 January 2026

EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL FROM FATTORIA DEL COLLE (1)

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THOSE WHO LOVE EVO OIL AND WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE QUALITY, THE ORCIAIA PROJECT AND THE VARIETIES WE PRODUCE

Olive correggiolo Toscana Fattoria del Colle

Correggiolo olives Toscana Fattoria del Colle

by Alessia Bianchi, Fattoria del Colle Trequanda, winedestination, Casato Prime Donne Montalcino, Donatella Cinelli Colombini

What determines the quality of extra virgin olive oil? It depends almost equally on nature and man. The terroir (soil and microclimate) determines the quality of the oil by 50%, the cultivar (i.e., its cultivation and harvesting method) by 25%, and finally, the mill and storage methods by 25%.

The Trequanda area and its olive oil production have been among the most renowned and appreciated for centuries. It is a small territory with abundant calcareous soils, its altitude is over 400 meters, its climate is breezy, and its distance from the sea means olive fly rarely reaches it. This area is particularly suited to olive cultivation, and the oil produced here is of the highest quality. Our production is entirely organic. Fattoria del Colle has 6 hectares of olive groves with approximately 1,600 trees grown in VASE (vase-trained). The olive varieties are Frantoio-Correggiolo, Moraiolo, and a few Olivastra.

The olives are hand-picked in October and November while still green. They are then stored in perforated crates and transported to nearby mills. Since 2025, we have been researching and differentiating the pressing process at three different mills in the area, with the aim of increasing the quality and accentuating the oil’s distinctive characteristics

FATTORIA DEL COLLE ORCIAIA PROJECT

The new oil storage room was created inside two wine vats from the early 20th century. Here we placed the ancient terracotta jars produced in Petroio, a few kilometres from Fattoria del Colle, a few centuries ago. The project involves returning to storing oil in the ancient terracotta jars, as was historically done in our countryside. Some of them have already been restored. The work was long and complicated because it involved both the internal lining and the connection to the nitrogen distribution system to preserve the quality of the oil. In fact, the oil must be stored in washable containers and without contact with oxygen to prevent oxidation.

8 January 2026

CENERENTOLA ORCIA DOC RISERVA 2020-ORGANIC

A SERIES OF ONLY 200 NUMBERED MAGNUM BOTTLES FOR DONATELLA CINELLI COLOMBINI’S FIRST ORCIA DOC RISERVA. FOR WINE LOVERS LOOKING FOR EXCLUSIVENESS.

Sangiovese harvest 2020

The very small production run limits this wine’s audience to connoisseurs seeking exclusive bottles. In short, it’s a rare gem.

“I’ve been waiting for this moment for over a year,” said Donatella Cinelli Colombini, without hiding her affection for the Cenerentola wine, which she considers one of the greatest successes of her professional life. “I believed in the native Foglia Tonda grape variety when it was on the verge of extinction, and I followed step by step the research for the right way to grow, harvest, and age it. I found winemakers who love it as much as I do—Valérie Lavigne and Barbara Magnani—and I made the Cenerentola DOC Orcia wine a true princess of winemaking,” she says, referring to the international ratings that award it scores between 91 and 94 out of 100.

“Producing an Orcia Riserva means showcasing Cenerentola’s excellent aging potential. The Sangiovese and Foglia Tonda grape varieties are genetically father and son. The former gives the wine elegance, the latter power. In the Fattoria del Colle terroir, at 400 meters above sea level, they find a particularly favourable habitat, producing elegant, powerful, velvety, and wines for cellaring.”

DOC ORCIA CENERENTOLA 2020 FROM FAIRY TALE TO WINE

Each magnum bottle will come in a white “royal case” with gold lettering that recalls the fairy tale from which the wine’s name originates. Indeed, Cinderella is a fairy tale transformed into wine. The Orcia DOC, to which it belongs, was created on February 14, 2000, nestled between the territories of its two more famous “sister” wines: Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. With courage, tenacity, and talent, the young appellation is establishing itself, and wines like Cenerentola are already exported to over 20 foreign markets.

8 January 2026

ERIC GUIDO REWARDS DONATELLA’S BRUNELLOS

29 December 2025

EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW: Brunello 2021 and Riserva 2020!

Would you like to receive a preview of three bottles of Brunello 2021 and three bottles of Riserva 2020 delivered directly to your home for €319.00?

Brunello di Montalcino 2021 e Brunello Riserva 2020 Donatella Cinelli Colombini, Casato Prime Donne, Montalcino Toscana

Brunello di Montalcino 2021 e Brunello Riserva 2020 Donatella Cinelli Colombini, Casato Prime Donne, Montalcino Tuscany

This is a unique opportunity for true wine lovers. We’re delighted to present a preview of two extraordinary new vintages of Brunello di Montalcino from Casato Prime Donne by Donatella Cinelli Colombini.

These wines are released on January 1st, so those who participate in this offer will be among the first in the world to taste them and share them with friends.

🍇 Offer of the Month – For Members of Donatella’s Club

3 bottles of Brunello 2021

3 bottles of Brunello Riserva 2020

+ brochure with a map and information about the Montalcino area

Price: €319.00 instead of €370.00

For those who double up

€624.00 instead of €740.00

23 December 2025

in Characters and places, Not only wine...

ANTONIETTA MAZZEO AND DONATELLA’S EVO OIL

THE SUPERIOR EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL TASTER TAKES A LOOK AT THE 2025 FATTORIA DEL COLLE OIL, PRESSED IN THE FRANTOIO DI MONTALCINO MILL

Antonietta Mazzeo Olio evo di Donatella Cinelli Colombini

Antonietta Mazzeo – Donatella Cinelli Colombini’s EVO oil

By Donatella Cinelli Colombini, winedestination, Fattoria del Colle in Trequanda, Casato Prime Donne in Montalcino

I’ve known Antonietta Mazzeo for over ten years and have always admired her expertise and thoroughness. These qualities sometimes complicate her life, because like all very sincere people, she also says unpleasant things. The flip side is that everyone can trust her words

In this spirit, I had her taste my 2025 oil, just arrived from the Frantoio di Montalcino mill. Antonietta Mazzeo was in Trequanda to moderate the conferences and lead the tasting panel at the “Festa dell’Olio Novo,” which takes place every year in mid-October. My request stemmed from the desire to evaluate which mill was ideal for our olives, given that we were using three this year. Antonietta told me, “It’s good, very good,” and I decided to return her favour by saying, “Take the bottle home to dress your vegetables.” She smiled happily, “Thank you, I’m really pleased.”

I didn’t expect her to call me a few days later and say, “I did the organoleptic analysis of your oil, can I publish it?” I accepted, and now I’m sharing it with you.

FATTORIA DEL COLLE EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL BY DONATELLA CINELLI COLOMBINI

2025 Olive Oil Campaign

Tasting: October 20, 2025

Unfiltered Sample

Cultivar: Blend of Moraiolo, Leccino, Frantoio

18 December 2025

ORGANIC BRUNELLO 2021 BY DONATELLA CINELLI COLOMBINI

A YEAR THAT STARTED BADLY, WITH A LIGHT SPRING FROST, BUT ENDED WELL WITH AN EXTENDED RIPENING PERIOD THAT GIVES US A BRUNELLO FOR LONG AGEING .

Montalcino, Toscana, vendemmia 2021 Casato Prime Donne

Montalcino, Toscana, 2021 harvest Casato Prime Donne

Casato Prime Donne is usually the first to harvest Brunello grapes, but in 2021, it was among the last to harvest in Montalcino.

This is a very strange year, beginning with the disappointment of the frost that struck all of Europe’s vineyards. In our vineyards, it burned the tips of the first shoots and delayed the opening of those that were still covered when the cold wind arrived. This had two effects: a reduction in grape production and uneven ripening. Indeed, bud break marks the beginning of a vegetative cycle that lasts about six months. The 20-day gap between the first and last shoots resulted in uneven ripening. The result was a very labour-intensive harvest, requiring us to harvest each parcel separately and even go through the same vineyard multiple times, selecting bunch by bunch. This was a painstaking task, entirely done by hand by the pickers.

2021: THE LONG, CAREFUL, AND SPECTACULAR BRUNELLO HARVEST

Most of the harvest was therefore postponed to the end of September.

The bunches resembled those of Pinot Noir: small, open, and with miniature berries.

The heat and drought were also severe, with only two rains totalling 31 mm of rain from June to September, and peaks of over 40°C mid-August. However, paradoxically, the Sangiovese vines ripened in perfect health. The extraordinary resilience of Sangiovese stems from its millennia-old history in this area. Its DNA contains the effects of the Roman optimum, when temperatures were warmer than today, as well as the small glaciations of the Middle Ages and the 19th century.

The 2021 harvest was therefore poor in grapes but the 2021 Brunello will delight lovers of long-aging reds, as always happens when the ripening phase takes place in a period with cold nights, as happened this year

12 December 2025

in Vines and wines

DONATELLA CINELLI COLOMBINI PRESENTS HER BRUNELLO RISERVA 2020

THE BRUNELLO RISERVA 2020 IS EXCELLENT AND WILL BECOME WONDERFUL. A WINE FOR COLLECTORS AND LOVERS OF RED WINE TO CELLAR THAT REQUIRES PATIENCE.

vendemmia del Brunello 2020 Toscana Montalcino Casato Prime Donne

Brunello 2020 harvest in Toscana Montalcino Casato Prime Donne

The highly elegant style that characterizes all Donatella Cinelli Colombini wines is enhanced in the Brunello Riserva. These are wines designed to last. In the 2020 vintage, this characteristic is extremely evident in the silky yet taut tannins and the acidity that lends vitality to the palate and is well balanced by the intensity of the flavour and the alcohol. Those who drink it now will find a great Brunello in their glass, but those who have the patience to wait two or three years will enjoy truly extraordinary powerful and velvety harmonies.

THE BRUNELLO RISERVA 2020 IN THE VINEYARD AND IN CELLAR OF CASATO PRIME DONNE

In 2020, the winter was mild and dry, so the vines budded early, and the frost of March 18-23 caused more damage than expected for that time of spring. The result was a reduction in the number of grapes in the vineyards. A very rainy June allowed the vines to withstand sixty days of scorching heat from mid-July to mid-September. The leaves were used for shade, leaving the rows with an unattractive but highly protective bushy appearance. For the same reason, pre-harvest leaf removal was avoided.

At harvest time, the grapes were perfectly ripe, healthy, with well-lignified seeds, and had the typical crispness of great vintages. Analytical data even better than 2019: smaller berries, higher extractable polyphenols, potential alcohol around 14%, and a good acidity. Very colourful and fragrant musts.

9 December 2025

EXPERIENCE WITH MYSTERIOUS WINES AT CASATO PRIME DONNE

THE CASATO PRIME DONNE WINERY IN MONTALCINO OFFERS 5 TOURIST EXPERIENCES FOR 2026. THE NEW ONE TESTS VISITORS WITH COVERED BOTTLES OF BRUNELLO AND NOT ONLY

Casato Prime Donne esperienze turistiche 2026

Casato Prime Donne 2026 experiences for visitors

All the wineries in Montalcino are beautiful, but Casato Prime Donne is unique because the vineyards are more than just vines and the cellars are more than just barrels. In the first Italian winery with an all-female staff, which also achieved gender certification in 2025, wine lovers will find many surprises and experiences that will enthral even the most experienced.

THE EXCEPTIONALITY OF A VISIT TO THE CASATO PRIME DONNE WINERY

Contemporary works of art enrich the marvellous landscape of the Val d’Orcia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2004. Alongside, dedications by great women help you reflect and recharge, amplifying the benefits of walking amidst nature preserved by organic farming.

In the winery, painted images and videos tell the story of Montalcino and its people’s sense of belonging. A different way to understand Brunello and discover how only there could a unique and extraordinary wine be born, the fruit of a land and a people with a strong character.

4 December 2025

in Forum: News and lifestyle, Not only wine...

WINE TOURISM IN WINERIES AROUND THE WORLD

Lo storytelling nelle cantine turistiche Casato Prime Donne a Montalcino

wine tourism at Casato Prime Donne in Montalcino.

GEISENHEIM UNIVERSITY IN GERMANY INTERVIEWED 1,310 WINERIES IN 47 COUNTRIES, PROVIDING A PICTURE OF WINE TOURISM AROUND THE WORLD

By Donatella Cinelli Colombini, winetourism, Fattoria del Colle in Trequanda, Casato Prime Donne Montalcino

The 2025 “Global Wine Tourism Report” has been commissioned by top-level clients, including the UN Tourism Organization, the OIV – International Organization of Vine and Wine, the Great Wine Capitals Global Network (GWC), and WineTourism.com. The scope is also vast, encompassing the entire world, with 1,310 wineries interviewed in 47 countries, but with a particular focus on Europe, which accounts for 70% of the sample, with Italy in a dominant position (17%).

PERHAPS TOO MANY EXPECTATIONS FOR THE WINE TOURISM BUSINESS

Wineries are showing strong interest worldwide: two out of three wineries report that wine tourism is profitable or very profitable. This type of tourism generates approximately a quarter of their total revenues. This percentage is likely higher in North America and smaller in Europe.

2 December 2025

OFFER: NEW OLIVE OIL FOR YOU!

The new offer includes a blend of EVO oil and two single-cultivar varieties from Fattoria del Colle, delivered directly to your door for tasty and healthy dishes for €179.00.

You’ll receive four bottles of 0.75L organic EVO oil 2025, and two bottles each of 0.5L organic EVO oil 2025 Correggiolo and Moraiolo. Freshly pressed oil with its intense aroma and vibrant flavour, delivered directly from the mill to your table.

Fattoria del Colle is located in Trequanda, one of the best areas in Tuscany and the world for producing extra virgin olive oil thanks to its sandy soil, its remote location from the sea, and its altitude of over 400 meters, which protects it from olive fruit flies. The farm has 6 hectares of organic olive groves and sells exclusively its own oil. The olives are hand-harvested between October and November and pressed at the Oliviera Sant’Angelo, 10 km from the farm, and at the Frantoio di Montalcino.

🎁 For those who take advantage of this offer, a video with the “Guide to tasting EVO oil”!

18 November 2025

MICHAEL GODEL’S EXCELLENT RATINGS

Brunello Di Montalcino DOCG 2021, Brunello Riserva DOCG 2020 e Brunello Prime Donne DOCG 2021 Casato Prime Donne Donatella Cinelli Colombini Toscana

CANADIAN BRUNELLO EXPERT AWARDS DONATELLA CINELLI COLOMBINI’S WINES EXTRAORDINARY SCORES, AND HIS FAVORITE IS THE IOsonoDonatella SELECTION

For many years, renowned Canadian critic Michael Godel has spent extensive periods in Montalcino. He has visited most of the Brunello wineries, tasting all their wines. He therefore has a deep knowledge of the places, the people, and the different Brunello production philosophies, including its evolution over time. Receiving a positive assessment from him is a great honour and a great satisfaction.

Donatella Cinelli Colombini was delighted to receive the stellar scores of 96, 95, 95, 94, and 93 awarded by Godel to five of her Brunellos. These wines are produced at Casato Prime Donne in Montalcino on the northern slope of the Montalcino hill, where the clay-rich soil is cooler and creates ideal conditions for the gradual ripening of the grapes.

13 November 2025

92/100 WS CENERENTOLA ALWAYS MORE A PRINCESS

DONATELLA CINELLI COLOMBINI’S DOC ORCIA CENERENTOLA RETRACES THE FAIRY TALE OF THE POOR YOUNG WOMAN WHO BECOMES A PRINCESS AND IS AWARDED 92/100 FROM WINE SPECTATOR

Punteggio Wine Spectator Cenerentola DOC Orcia 2019, Fattoria del Colle, Donatella Cinelli Colombini

It’s difficult to stand out in an international wine market overcrowded with bottles. Especially with a young appellation like the Orcia DOC, and even more so with a native grape variety abandoned for over a century.

This is why Donatella Cinelli Colombini is happy every time her Cenerentola wine achieves a good result, like the 92/100 awarded by Wine Spectator for the 2019 vintage.

The Orcia DOC was born on February 14, 2000, in the high hills of southern Tuscany, nestled between the Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano territories. Sandwiched between two important and famous sisters, the Orcia DOC is in a favourable position for vineyards but difficult to establish a commercial niche.

6 November 2025

in Vines and wines