Forum: News and lifestyle

OFFER: BRUNELLO 2019 AND BRUNELLO RISERVA 2018 PREVIEW

Donatella’s Club members will be among the first in the world to taste the new releases from the Casato Prime Donne winery. Directly to your home 3 bottles of Brunello 2019 and 3 bottles of Riserva 2018 for €339.00

This offer is for those who want to start the new year with the right wines to celebrate any special occasion!

The 2019 harvest is to be considered one of the best harvests in Montalcino, with perfect grapes for the production of a great Brunello apt for aging. The 2018 Brunellos are characterized by a particular richness of aromas thanks to the cold nights during the entire maturation period and can be cellared for a long time.

21 December 2023

BRUNELLO PRIME DONNE 2019 BIO -ORGANIC

In Montalcino, 2019 will be remembered as the perfect Sangiovese harvest. Bunches and berries so small that the winemaker Valérie Lavigne said <<it looks like Cabernet>>

Brunello di Montalcino selezione Prime Donne 2019

This harvest had two surprising characteristics: on the day of harvest the vines were still in vegetation, an unusual circumstance that also occurred in 2010. As in that magical year, the grapes were excellent and abundant. An increasingly frequent characteristic with the new climate in which the vines find balance with a higher number of bunches than in the past.

Another surprising element is the robustness of the grapes. Sangiovese has few layers of cells in the skins, which is why the rainfalls, during the harvest period, are feared by producers and expose the bunches to possible mildew attacks. Well, in 2019 there were two very strong storms, on 22-23 September and on October 2^nd, which the Sangiovese survived intact.

With such a perfect grape, the must immediately showed extraordinary characteristics: intense colour and a wealth of impressive polyphenols. In order for these noble components to evolve well, very long macerations were carried out and the racking was delayed by a week -10 days.

14 December 2023

ENOUGH OF PHOTOCOPY WINE TOURISM

WINE ALONE IS NOT ENOUGH AND THE BARRELS ARE ALL THE SAME. INSTEAD TOURIST CELLARS ARE ATTRACTIVE ONLY IF THEY OFFER UNIQUE EXPERIENCES AND THEY RENEW THEM EVERY YEAR

Winery tours Toscana Brunello Casato Prime Donne

<<The proposals of the tourist wineries must be designed based on the specificities of each production reality and the needs of the visitors>> says Donatella Cinelli Colombini, inventor of the Cantine Aperte- Open Cellars day <<it is wrong to copy from your neighbour who is successful, it is wrong to only offer the guided tour with the explanation of the production process by only changing the number of wines being tasted, it is wrong to offer the same thing every year even if it was liked in the past. Enough of photocopy wine tourism>>.

5 WINERY TOURS AT CASATO PRIME DONNE AND 5 AT FATTORIA DEL COLLE, TAILORED EXPERIENC

ES FOR TOURISTS AND FAMILIES, WINELOVERS AND ENTHUSIASTS WISHING FOR EXCLUSIVITY

Faithful to the principles she teaches in the manuals and post-graduate courses, Donatella presents 5 different winery tours this year for each of her wineries, the Casato Prime Donne in Montalcino and the Fattoria del Colle in the Orcia DOC region. The former focused on Brunello and the latter on the discovery of a Tuscan farm that has remained almost intact for over 400 years.

7 December 2023

CHIANTI SUPERIORE DOCG 2021

CHIANTI SUPERIORE 2021 FROM FATTORIA DEL COLLE A FAMILYWINE FULL OF TUSCAN ELEGANCE AND YOUTHFUL ENERGY THAT PUTS FLAVOUR IN EVERY SIP

Chianti Superiore 2021 DOCG Donatella Cinelli Colombini

Fattoria del Colle was very lucky in 2021: it was saved from the frost and hailstorms that hit many parts of the Italian and Tuscan vineyard.

A great fortune that the winemakers of Donatella Cinelli Colombini wineries wanted to live to the full by making a harvest with attention to every detail. The year was called the “puzzle harvest” because the vineyards were divided into small areas based on the ripeness of the grapes. The harvest calendar was built according to the maturation of each portion, ensuring that the small fermentation vats in the cellar were full every evening. A method that entailed greater costs, more staff and more time due to the constant movement from one vineyard to another. The result is greater respect for the fruit, which is always picked at the moment of its maximum potential and an increase in the quality of the wines.

1 December 2023

NEW OFFER: FROM TUSCANY 6 BOTTLES OF ORGANIC EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

Our new offer with EVO oil blend and 2 monocultivars from Fattoria del Colle delivered to your home for tasty and healthy dishes

Three 0,750lt bottles of BIO Evo Oil blend 2023, one 0,500lt bottle each of BIO Evo Oil 2023 Correggiolo, Moraiolo and a blend at €134.00

Olio EVO blend e 2 monocultivar della Fattoria del Colle

New Offer with Olio EVO blend and 2 monocultivar from Fattoria del Colle

A VERY LIMITED BUT HIGH-QUALITY PRODUCTION FOR THIS NEW OFFER

In 2023, quantity production was lower than usual, but the yield per quintal was higher! The fruit setting of the olives occurred late due to the rains, and the hot and dry periods that followed also reduced production, causing part of the olives to fall

The 2023 oil has aromas of cut grass and is slightly bitter and a little spicy in the mouth. Ideal for making a plate of pasta, a Tuscan soup but also a pizza much tastier.

THE OLIVE GROVES OF THE FATTORIA DEL COLLE

Fattoria del Colle is located in an area famous for the quality of its extra virgin olive oil. Trequanda, where the farm is located, has been included in the register of “Rural landscapes of historical interest” thanks to the olive groves that cover its hills. Here we have 6 hectares of Correggiolo (frantoio) and Moraiolo olive groves and some Olivastra that produce TOP oils.

TOGETHER WITH THE BOTTLES OF OIL, A RECIPE BOOK WITH THE TYPICAL DISHES FROM THE AREA

Furthermore, as a gift, you will receive a booklet with traditional local recipes for appetizers, first courses, second courses and desserts, plus you will also find some newly created recipes by the chefs at Fattoria del Colle and also by Donatella! We also add the recipe for “chickpea soup”, the best dish to enjoy the EVO oil just arrived from the mill.

22 November 2023

ORGANIC BRUNELLO 2019 FROM CASATO PRIME DONNE

The 2019 super harvest marks the beginning of a lucky series for Montalcino with 4 excellent consecutive vintages. A circumstance that has never happened in the past resulting from the new climate.

Il nuovo Brunello di Montalcino 2019 di Donatella Cinelli Colombini

New Brunello di Montalcino 2019 by Donatella Cinelli Colombini

The 2019 harvest is to be considered one of the best Montalcino harvests with small, loose Sangiovese bunches and grapes the size of a coin. A perfect grape for the production of a great aging Brunello. In fact, by transforming into wine, it immediately gave colour and aroma to the must. To fix the particular richness of noble materials deriving from the grapes, after alcoholic fermentation, the future Brunello 2019 underwent a very long maceration in contact with the skins and was drawn off with a delay of 10 days compared to normal.

BRUNELLO 2019 AND THE NEW CLIMATE

The 2019 Organic Brunello di Montalcino from Casato Prime Donne celebrates the effects of the new climate which has especially rewarded the cooler areas of Brunello. The northern area of the Montalcino hill, where Donatella Cinelli Colombini’s estate is located, has always been considered the most humid and least sunny side. A circumstance that was once a misfortune and is now a fortune because, together with the richness of clay that makes the soil cold, it allows a gradual maturation of the grapes even in the current hot summers.

Obviously, the vines are cultivated differently from the past, for example, winemakers try to reduce the surface area of active (young) leaves to 80 cm2 for each kg of grapes, in order to limit transpiration and therefore water consumption. Just as the management of the foliage of the vines has changed, which now serve to shade the grapes and protect them from the sun while they were once trimmed (cut). In fact, thirty years ago, the sun’s rays were sought while now they are avoided. The ORGANIC vineyard like ours therefore has a messier appearance than in the past, with lots of grass and many shoots but this wild appearance also corresponds to a greater respect for nature and the needs of the vines.

16 November 2023

MONTALCINO’S CONDITO

CONDITO IS A TRADITIONAL PEASANT SALAD FROM SOUTHERN TUSCANY BUT WE CAN TURN IT INTO A DELICIOUS HEALTHY STARTER

by Donatella Cinelli Colombini #turismodelvino

Condito di Montalcino della chef Doriana Marchi

Condito from Montalcino bychef Doriana Marchi

This was the “coffee break” for the farmers who went out at dawn in the summer to harvest, during the cooler hours. They returned home in the late morning to eat and then work in the stables and warehouses.

In addition to omelettes and cured meats, the housewives also would put on the table the Condito, a salad made with celery, cucumber, tomatoes, green peppers and spring onion. All coarsely chopped, seasoned with extra virgin olive oil, pepper and salt. The name Condito comes from the difference with the normal salad which was dressed with oil immediately before eating it. The Condito, on the other hand, was “seasoned” in advance so that a sort of infusion was formed with the liquids from the tomatoes and the oil. A sauce that allowed it to be eaten with bread or on toast.

The peasant bread made with sourdough, kneaded by hand and baked in a wood oven once a week, had a thick, dark crust which, as the days passed, became less hard. Today, finding really good bread is the most difficult task because, in most cases, after a few hours it becomes inedible.

9 November 2023

2023 EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL FROM FATTORIA DEL COLLE

SCARCE BUT GOOD AND SWEETER THAN PAST YEARS. THE 2023 EVO OLIVE OIL ARRIVES FROM THE ORGANIC GROVES AT FATTORIA DEL COLLE FOR DELICIOUS AND HEALTHY DISHES

Olio monocultivar Moraiolo e Correggiolo 2023

Moraiolo e Correggiolo monocultivar oil 2023

Evo oil will be scarce this year too. By now we have become accustomed to harvesting few olives but we continue to love the trees that characterize our landscape. Trequanda, where the Fattoria del Colle is located, has been included in the register of “Rural landscapes of historical interest” thanks to the olive groves that cover its hills and which, since the Renaissance, have given rise to the production of terracotta jars in the hamlet of Petroio

2 November 2023

JAMES SUCKLING 6 OF OUR WINES SCORE MORE THAN 90

3 WINES WITH 90/100 AND THEN FOUR WITH 92, 93 AND 94 OUT OF 100 ALL THE NEW BOTTLES BY DONATELLA CINELLI COLOMBINI PASS THE FAMOUS AMERICAN CRITIC'S EXAM...

27 October 2023

OFFER: WINES FOR IMPORTANT LUNCHES AND CHRISTMAS GIFTS

Passito da uve di Traminer Aromatico 2018 BIO an absolute preview and Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2018 BIO , two high quality “family wines”, exclusively to add prestige to Christmas gifts and lunches

Passito da uve Traminer Aromatico IGT Toscana 2018

Offer: a bottle of Passito made from 2018 aromatic Traminer grapes in its blue case, 5 bottles of Brunello di Montalcino, 2 single shoppers and 2 small cards

1 bottle of Passito da uve di Traminer aromatico 2018 and 5 bottles of Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2018, at 274,00 € directly to your home

Passito is a signature wine produced with artisanal care in just 364 small 0.375 cl bottles. Each bottle is numbered by hand and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. It is destined to lovers of sweet wines and is presented in a small, elegant blue box

Jamessuckling.com has already rated the Passito 2018 with 93/100

“Dried apricot, sultanas and honeycomb followed by cardamom, dried orange peel and roasted almonds. Luscious, full-bodied and creamy on the palate with a solid backbone of acidity. Beautiful length and depth thanks to the excellent concentration. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.

Brunello, with its velvety royalty, transforms a lunch into a memorable event and should be accompanied by important meat dishes or mature cheeses.

Together with the bottles you will find two shopping bags with the Donatella Cinelli Colombini logo and 2 Fattoria del Colle cards to accompany the bottles with your best wishes.

19 October 2023

FOLIAGE, AUTUMN HOLIDAYS IN THE TUSCAN COUNTRYSIDE

VIEWS, NEW OLIVE OIL, TRUFFLES, GREAT RED WINES… THE SLOWER RHYTHMS OF AUTUMN AND THE MILD TEMPERATURES INVITE YOU TO REGENERATE IN THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PART OF TUSCANY

by Donatella Cinelli Colombini #winedestination

Every season has something special. Something that makes it more attractive and fascinating than the others and makes it be chosen for a regenerating trip. In spring there are very long days suitable for art tourism while the countryside is covered with a green velvet of buds. In summer it is the desire to escape from the suffocating atmosphere of the cities that pushes travellers where they can enjoy the sun, nature and dinners under the stars, distant from traffic. In autumn there are the most beautiful views and the possibility of enjoying them slowly, on walking or cycling itineraries, at the right temperature. In autumn there are the most refined joys of the palate such as white truffles, extra virgin olive oil just arrived from the mill and the preview of the Brunello which will come out of the cellar on January 1st…

At Fattoria del Colle we offer you truffle weekends to savour these little pleasures.

12 October 2023

CHIANTI TUNA

This is a delicious appetizer or summer main course. Chianti Tuna is made from pork and does not contain fish. Very easy, but long, to prepare

By Donatella Cinelli Colombini #winedestination

tonno del Chianti Fattoria del Colle Toscana

Chianti Tuna Fattoria del Colle Toscana

In Tuscany many recipes have confusing names: the “mice” are stuffed courgette flowers, the “mock thrushes” are veal rolls, the Sienese Schiacciata is a very sophisticated dessert… Chianti tuna resembles the flavour of fish but actually contains pork and was actually born from the need to preserve meat in an era when there were no refrigerators so putting it “in oil” was a good way to prevent it from going bad.

It is thanks to the poet- butcher Dario Cecchini of Panzano that Chianti Tuna became famous , he brought it back from the ancient popular tradition.

It is served cold on toasted bread (preferably Tuscan, without salt) with a salad of tomatoes and capers or with boiled and seasoned cannellini beans. In popular tradition it is also accompanied by pickles and red onion but I prefer homemade mayonnaise.

I know well that the cooking wine should be the same that that accompanies the dish but, in this case, I recommend drinking a well-structured rosé such as the IGT Rosa di Tetto from Fattoria del Colle.

4 October 2023

2023 HARVEST IN BRUNELLO AND ORCIA

VIOLANTE’S FIRST TIME ALONE TO MANAGE THE HARVEST WHILE I AM IN MALTA. STORY OF A GRAPE HARVEST THAT NO ONE WILL EVER FORGET

Vendemmia 2023 Violante Cinellicolombini con il selettore degli acini Pellenc

Vendemmia 2023 Violante Cinelli Colombini with sorting table with optical reader Pellenc

By Donatella Cinelli Colombini #winedestination

The most difficult harvest of our lives.
My husband Carlo in hospital in Malta after he fell down the stairs, in our home in Gozo, which took him first to the operating room and then to intensive care. Now he is recovering slowly: he talks, eats and moves his legs and arms but at the beginning it was really hard.
Violante, between one trip and another to Malta, managed the company and the harvest. For the first time alone managing the most important moment of the year and with a big innovation compared to the past: the optical reader for selecting the grapes.
The harvest was excellent in quality and very scarce in quantity. Half the amount of last year.

In addition to the downy mildew, we had 3 small hailstorms and then the assault of the ungulates. The roe deer jumped the fence of the Casato Prime Donne vineyards in Montalcino and the tourists left the gates at the Fattoria del Colle open, inviting the wild boars in for a snack.
2023 will be remembered as the year of downy mildew. An <<announced disaster >> say the German agronomists who had had the same experience before us and who asked to modify the organic regulations so as to have the tools to combat the fearful fungus. A request that Italy and France had opposed by making organic winemakers pay a high price. We hope that the next rainy year will find us more experienced and better equipped.

29 September 2023