Not only wine…

4 August 2026

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

by Donatella Cinelli Colombini

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CASATO PRIME DONNE: A BRUNELLO WINERY—AND MUCH MORE (1)

IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A WINERY THAT WILL SURPRISE YOU, COME TO CASATO PRIME DONNE. HERE, I WILL TELL YOU WHAT AWAITS YOU—BEYOND EXCEPTIONAL BRUNELLOS AND UNIQUE EXPERIENCES.

Montalcino 2018 Premio Casato Prime Donne con vincitrice Sara Gama

Montalcino 2018 Casato Prime Donne Award with winner Sara Gama

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

There is a common belief that all wineries are alike. To some extent, this is true, as many do resemble one another; after all, the types of barrels and fermentation tanks used are much the same everywhere. Consequently, architects have sought to arrange them aesthetically to create a “wow factor,” even though this often comes at the expense of winemaking itself. While a uniform row of identical vats may look more harmonious, it is rarely practical to have identical quantities of grapes to fill them. In most cases, winemaking vessels of varying sizes are required to keep grapes from different vineyards, grape varieties, and stages of ripeness separate.

16 July 2026

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

by Donatella Cinelli Colombini

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DONATELLA BEGINS WORKING AT FATTORIA DEI BARBI

PECORINO CHEESE, CURED MEATS, HOSPITALITY AND PUBLIC RELATIONS – THIS IS HOW DONATELLA’S PROFESSIONAL CAREER BEGAN, A TIME DURING WHICH SHE ALSO BECAME MOTHER WITH THE ARRIVAL OF VIOLANTE

Donatella at Fattoria dei Barbi

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

DONATELLA BEGINS WORKING AT FATTORIA DEI BARBI

Tired of playing the role of the supportive wife and doing the cooking, I decided to ask my mother, Francesca, if I could work for the family business; she assigned me the task of managing the dairy, the cured meats production, the restaurant, inbound tourism, and media relations.

Meanwhile, our daughter Violante was on the way. There hadn’t really been a conscious decision to have a baby, either. My husband, Carlo, kept putting it off because he didn’t want to change our life as a couple, but then we went to Mexico; I caught “Montezuma’s Revenge”—traveller’s diarrhoea—which shifted my cycle, and I ended up pregnant. After a perfect pregnancy, Violante was born in the small hospital in Montalcino. She is the only member of the family born in the land of Brunello.

I arrived at the hospital at eight o’clock, and half an hour later, Violante was born. While most newborns are wrinkled, she was so beautiful she looked almost unreal. At first, she just ate and slept, but then our nights became a nightmare. When she finally slept for eight hours straight at the age of two, Carlo and I rushed to her crib to see what had happened. It was an experience that sealed our decision to let her remain an only child.

25 June 2026

in Not only wine...

by Donatella Cinelli Colombini

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Offer: Pure Sangiovese for your summer parties!

Donatella Cinelli Colombini Wine Club Offer: Brunello di Montalcino 2021 and Brut Rosé Metodo Classico 2020 from Tuscany.

Do you want three bottles of Brunello 2021 and three bottles of Spumante 2020 delivered directly to your home for €237.00?

This offer combines two wines made exclusively with Sangiovese, two wines for summer dinners: a young Brunello for roast meats, aged cheeses, or flavorful pasta dishes, and a Spumante Rosé Metodo Classico for fish, chicken salads, fresh cheeses, pizza, and relaxing moments with friends.

Two great wines that transform every sip into a special moment, rejuvenating your taste buds and rejuvenating your soul.

With these two wines, your summer parties will have true Tuscan style!

18 June 2026

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

by Donatella Cinelli Colombini

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TOSCANA LOVERS OPENS IN FLORENCE

THERE ARE NOW 4 “TOSCANALOVERS” BOUTIQUES WITH THE BEST TUSCAN CRAFTSMANSHIP FOR THE HOME WITH THE NEW FLORENCE STORE IN PIAZZA DEL DUOMO

Toscana Lovers Firenze

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

The new Toscana Lovers store opens in Florence, in the Palazzo dei Canonici di Santa Maria del Fiore, on the left side of Piazza del Duomo.

TUSCANA LOVERS IN FLORENCE IN A HISTORIC AND BEAUTIFUL LOCATION

The monumental entrance features columns and 19th-century statues celebrating Arnolfo di Cambio, who designed the Duomo in 1296, and Filippo Brunelleschi, who designed the dome (1436), one of the most extraordinary works of the Renaissance. The Palazzo dei Canonici was built in the early 19th century by demolishing pre-existing buildings. Inside, the painted ceiling and walls were created for the visit of Pope Pius IX in 1857. After consecrating four Tuscan bishops, the Holy Father stopped here to receive the clergy and have his foot kissed. This visit also coincided with the laying of the cornerstone of the new façade of Santa Croce, one of the great religious projects of 19th-century Florence.

A space that for years housed the Duomo ticket office, so beautiful that it has required furnishings specifically designed by interior designer Lorella Salvi and handcrafted by the Siena-based firm OMIF. The walls, ceilings, and doors are protected as historical monuments. The result is extraordinarily elegant, as if it had always been there.

17 March 2026

in Characters and places, Not only wine...

by Donatella Cinelli Colombini

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FEDERICO FELLINI AND DONATELLA

MY MEETINGS WITH FEDERICO FELLINI AND THE CHARM OF AN EXTRAORDINARY MAN WHO LOOKED ORDINARY WHO TRANSFORMED ORDINARY THINGS IN EXTRAORDINARY WAYS

Federico Fellini with
his wife and the Guidotti and Cinelli Colombini families

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

I’m talking about events that occurred about fifty years ago. Federico Fellini often came to my mother’s winery in Montalcino, thanks to our mutual friendship with Mario Guidotti, a journalist and cultural promoter. After the first, more formal visits, Italy’s greatest director began arriving unannounced, like a member of the family.

The problem was that, often, my parents were away, and I had to welcome Fellini alone. I was very young and lived a very bourgeois and decidedly provincial existence between Montalcino and Siena. I was used to meeting intellectuals and famous people because my family had always had that kind of association, but Federico Fellini was decidedly in another league.

That man was a legend, a world-renowned genius with five Academy Awards. His fame was so immense that it would have intimidated people far more skilled than me. I was incredibly nervous in front of him, my hands were sweating, I couldn’t sit still, and above all, I could only say a few polite words, but I didn’t know how to communicate with him; I felt like I had nothing interesting to say. What a shame!

Federico Fellini and his wife Giulietta Masina would come to Tuscany for the beneficial “waters” in Chianciano. From there, they travelled to Montalcino to break the monotony of the treatments and perhaps even indulge a bit. They were often accompanied by Mario Guidotti or the then-very young Fabio Carlesi.

23 December 2025

in Characters and places, Not only wine...

by Donatella Cinelli Colombini

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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

4 December 2025

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

by Donatella Cinelli Colombini

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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.

5 September 2024

in Characters and places, Not only wine...

by Donatella Cinelli Colombini

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MARIA CANABAL THE PASIONARIA FOR WOMEN, WINE AND FOOD

Who is Maria Canabal. She defines herself as a full-time feminist but in reality, she is a "passionarian" determined to give more opportunities to women in food and wine all over the world...

9 April 2023

in Not only wine...

by Donatella Cinelli Colombini

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Happy Easter

On the day of the Resurrection, I would like to read with you some phrases by Gandhi, sentences that perhaps will help us to deserve the salvation won for us by Jesus

Montalcino Sant’Antimo

<<Take a smile, give it to those who have never had it.

Take a ray of sunshine, make it fly where the night reigns.

Discover a spring, let those who live in the mud get wet.

Take a tear, pass it on the face of someone who has never cried.

Take courage put it in the soul of those who can’t fight.

Discover life, tell it to those who don’t know how to understand it.

Take hope and live in its light.

23 December 2022

in Not only wine...

by Donatella Cinelli Colombini

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Merry Christmas

Let us allow ourselves to be enlightened by the hope that is born on this Holy day. The hope of peace, love and happiness that every man and woman feels in their hearts...

7 November 2022

in Not only wine...

by Donatella Cinelli Colombini

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WELCOME LORENZO

Violante and Enrico are the proud parents of a 3.4 kg boy born in Florence on November 5th, who has been named Lorenzo

Violante-and-Enrico-introduce-their-baby-boy-Lorenzo

by Donatella Cinelli Colombini

Violante has had a perfect pregnancy to the point of going to fairs and traveling until the sixth month. There was only a slight delay in the growth of the baby’s abdominal circumference which normalized during their holidays in Gozo-Malta thanks to the sun and the affection of friends.

BUSINESS TRIPS AND WINE FAIRS DURING THE PREGNANCY FOR VIOLANTE

During Vinitaly I still did not know about the pregnancy and I did not understand Enrico’s concern for Violante‘s severe cold. Only later did I realize that working the whole fair and even dismantling the stand for Violante was a bit risky.

After all, Violante travelled a lot during her pregnancy. At the very beginning she went with her husband to Dubai to recover on the honeymoon that hadn’t happened after the wedding due to Covid. But nothing stops the intrepid Vio! Just after returning from a trip abroad, the future parents showed Carlo and me an ultrasound scan announcing the baby’s arrival.

5 May 2022

in Not only wine..., Video

by Donatella Cinelli Colombini

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Casato Prime Donne Award incubator of TOP young talents

The Casato Prime Donne 2022 Award adds to the previous activities that of incubator for future leaders. Here is the selection for pastry chefs and goldsmiths

Cake-for-the-Casato-Prime-Donne-Award-2019-made-by-Rossano-Vinciarelli-World-Champion

Communicators, goldsmiths, pastry chefs, language and agriculture students under 30 years of age will be involved in the Casato Prime Donne Award by carrying out training experiences, receiving visibility or stimuli capable of motivating them and opening up new professional and human horizons for them.
The project includes collaborations with the University of Siena – Department of Communication Sciences and with two Sienese schools. At the same time, two small competitions are held for the selection of the best young talents in the goldsmith and pastry fields.

SELECTION OF THE BEST YOUNG PASTRY CHEF FROM TUSCANY

The best young pastry chef will be chosen by a jury composed of the gastronomy journalist Marzia Morganti, Helle Poulsen Tesio, author of 16 books on Italian cuisine and the chef Doriana Marchi from Fattoria del Colle. To compete, you must be under 30 years of age and have been residing in Tuscany for at least 5 years. You need to create a new cake dedicated to women and send the photo of the cake with the recipe (without the doses of the ingredients) to info@cinellicolombini.it by May 30^th along with some biographical notes. The chosen pastry chef will make the cake (or the cakes) for 80 people which will be served in the occasion of the award giving ceremony on September 17th. Obviously, the cake will be paid for, the recipe will remain secret (subject to his/her authorization) and the young pastry chef will enjoy national visibility thanks to the photos and the social and traditional communication linked to the prize.

1 April 2020

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

by Donatella Cinelli Colombini

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Corolli di Montalcino for Lent

To call them Lent Pastries is exaggerated, these Corolli from the Montalcino tradition are soft buns with little taste

Lent Corollo di Montalcino recipe

By Donatella Cinelli Colombini

In Montalcino, long ago, it was possible to buy these only during the 40 days Easter. Only bakeries sold them, and with their vans they delivered all over the countryside. Even further back the farmer’s wives would bake them in the wood fire, placing them in the oven after everything else had been cooked, so the temperature was much lower.

The Corolli are doughnut shaped buns to be dunked in milk at breakfast timer. They are not very sweet so I always thought that they were “repentance” quite the opposite of the tasty cakes and desserts for carnival time or the rich Ricciarelli and Panforte for Christmas time.

Continue reading

6 January 2020

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

by Donatella Cinelli Colombini

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The best Italian restaurants in the world

Passerini in Paris wins, second place for Don Alfonso in Toronto and bronze medal for Heinz Beck’s Tokyo venue. Talk of the best Italian restaurants in the world

Migliori-ristoranti-italiani-nel-mondo-Giovanni-Passerinie

The- best -Italian -restaurants- in- the- world-Giovanni-Passerini

Di Donatella Cinelli Colombini

The ranking 50 Top Italy with the best 50 Italian restaurants in the world is available online and is the first result of the LSDM project (historical congress of kitchen author that takes place in Paestum) curated by its creators, Barbara Guerra and Albert Sapere, along with the journalist Luciano Pignataro.

10 July 2018

in Not only wine...

by Donatella

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The 10 best jobs in wine

Wine critic, wine shop owner, brand manager, journalist, wine educator, organizer of events, wine maker, and buyer: these are the 10 best jobs in wine

Paolo-Basso-world champion-sommelier-atl Casato Prime Donne

By Donatella Cinelli Colombini, Brunello, Casato Prime Donne

Many start working in wine by changing a passion into a profession but everybody ought to know that before the shiny world of parties, elegant clothes, travels and starred meals, there really is a lot of hard work.

The Drinks Business has tried to list the 10 best wine professions, here I summarize just a few notes, but the article is great fun and I suggest you read it. As you will note among the 10 top professions “wine producer”does not appear, those who grow grapes and transform them into wine to sell it. Maybe this is the hardest job, but in my opinion, the best.

10 best jobs in wine-Viviana-Vecchione-buyer

BUYER Spends most of his time in front of the computer, checking stocks and sales, marketing plans and emails. But he does travel and gets to know wine regions and gets to taste a lot too. The best thing about this job is the possibility to get to know many wine areas and many producers.

WINE MAKER – WINERY DIRECTOR Hard job but also fascinating and is always different because every harvest is a new story. To be successful you need to travel and work in other nations.

EVENT ORGANIZER Apt only for those who can handle stress well. This alternates a preparatory job made up of meetings and contacts with some moments where you run night and day.

WINE EDUCATOR This is a new profession that is growing fast, you need to be competent but also have a great ability in communication, and one must be engaging