There are fifteen of them, and—with few exceptions—they have been the same for years. The vineyard is the only department within Donatella Cinelli Colombini’s companies where women are in the minority: there are only five. This is because the work requires physical strength and an aptitude for mechanics; indeed, only one woman—Simona De Gregorio—drives the tractor, whereas at least four of the men are able to do so.

A GRAPE GROWER’S WORK IS THE FRUIT OF PRACTICE AND INGENUITY

Years ago, underachieving students were often scolded with the phrase, “If you don’t want to study, go hoe the fields,” implying that agricultural work required no great intelligence—merely the repetition of actions and practices passed down orally.

In short, working on the land was seen as fit only for the bottom of the class. Today, that is no longer the case—or at least, not in viticulture.

The vineyard demands dedication, keen powers of observation, intuition, and study. And this is not just for a short time, but constantly—especially for those aspiring to positions of responsibility.

HOW TO BECOME A GRAPE GROWER

Training a grape grower takes years of practice, and not everyone reaches a high level of proficiency. The learning process is akin to practicing basketball fundamentals: aspiring athletes repeat dribbling, shooting, and passing drills until they can execute them perfectly and automatically, allowing them to focus on the game itself.…

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By Donatella Cinelli Colombini, winedestination

Cultivation at both Casato Prime Donne and Fattoria del Colle is entirely organic and has been certified since 2018. Paradoxically, in fact, to display the “green leaf” symbol, one must pay an external company to conduct inspections. Organic farming is a cultivation system that uses fewer chemicals than conventional methods, but—naturally—that alone is not enough; consequently, we adopt many practices from biodynamics. In summer, for instance, we use clays—specifically kaolin—to shield leaves and grape clusters from the sun. At other times, we use products derived from oranges, seaweed, and even propolis.

To combat certain pests, like spider mites, we buy predators from bio-factories. The first time I received the box containing the little bags of predators, I was afraid—thinking, “Watch, these things are going to jump on me”—but then I saw that they have no interest in humans. In some cases, such as with the vine moth, there is a mating disruption system that prevents them from reproducing… It’s a dirty trick to play on these insects, but for them, it’s better than insecticide.

MUCH MORE THAN ORGANIC

Our fertilizers are natural, too; however, after years of using mature organic manure, we switched to pelleted organic fertilizer. Although it costs more, it doesn’t cause grass to overrun the vineyards, leaving us free to decide exactly what grows beneath the vines.…

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Autumn brings the pleasure of spending time together at the table, we have thought of something ideal for Thanksgiving. We’ve created a special gift set for you that captures the diverse spirit of our region, with wines to sip by the fireplace and something for the little ones, too:

• Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2019, a wine with a silky harmony that conceals a powerful structure.
• Il Drago e le 8 Colombe 2020, dedicated to strong personalities, decisive and full-bodied.
• Colombino Olive Oil, our most delicate extra virgin olive oil, in a 500 ml tin to keep on the table and in two practical 250 ml formats, perfect for any occasion.

A box that represents family in all its nuances: romantic, strong, and everyday.

🎁 Along with the bottles, you’ll find a Fattoria del Colle recipe book featuring the tastiest local recipes.

This is a special opportunity to receive two “family wines” from Casato Prime Donne and Fattoria del Colle di Trequanda.

The 2019 Riserva is a 100% Sangiovese wine, from Casato Prime Donne’s finest vineyard.

Il Drago e le 8 Colombe is a blend of 60% Sangiovese, 20% Merlot, and 20% Sagrantino.

The offer is completed by two sizes of Fattoria del Colle EVO oil, the smallest ones suitable for children.…

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There are vintages that seem born to produce wines capable of defying time and 2019 is one of them.

These are the harvests in which the grapes arrive in the cellar so perfect that they don’t need anything, just attention and patience.

Brunello 2019 is celebrated by critics and consumers as one of the best vintages of the last 20 years and in the Riserva version it finds its most enthusing expression for the silky harmony that hides a powerful structure.

Contrary to what usually happens in the best harvests, 2019 was abundant. A circumstance that also occurred in the legendary 2010 vintage and reveals how global warming has changed the internal balance of plants. In both of these vintages the vines were still in vegetation at the time of the harvest. This is also a rare but very favourable feature.

BRUNELLO 2019 RISERVA IN THE VINEYARDS AND IN THE CELLAR

Mild and arid winter, very rainy spring which delayed budding and then disturbed flowering, resulting in the open

and small nature of the bunches. The summer was hot but not very hot and interrupted by some storms. Disturbances that continued into September when the nights became very cold.

The 2019 Sangiovese had small grapes with particularly thick skins that made it resemble Cabernet. For this reason, the must immediately took on a very rich colour and aroma.…

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<<Around 1919 my great-grandfather Livio Socini was asked by a bank to take over the Fattoria del Colle which was in bankruptcy due to the terrible management of the previous owner>> says Donatella Cinelli Colombini <<Great-grandfather Livio was an engineer and a successful industrialist who, at the beginning of the century, had also been mayor of Siena.

LEONE ROSSO HAS ON THE LABEL THE RAMPANT LION OF THE ANCESTORS WHO FOUNDED THE ESTATE IN 1592

When he arrived at Fattoria del Colle he saw that there were his family’s coats of arms and then he discovered that it had been founded by his ancestors in 1592. A fortunate circumstance that led him to become fond of this estate. He restored the buildings, bought the most modern agricultural machinery and equipped a cellar with indestructible cement vats>> Donatella’s story shows how, over the centuries, the Fattoria del Colle has had its ups and downs. After Livio Socini there was a second period of decline and in 1998, when Donatella Cinelli Colombini, received it from her father <<it had many debts and a small production capacity.

Chianti Superiore and Leone Rosso wine were the first to be produced with Fattoria del Colle grapes. The latter is dedicated to the Socinian ancestors who had a rampant lion in their coat of arms.…

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DONATELLA CINELLI COLOMBINI PRESENTS A SMALL SERIES OF BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2018 FROM THE CASATO PRIME DONNE WINERY WITH GREAT QUALITY AND AGING POTENTIAL

In each harvest the best grapes are identified in the vineyard, hand-picked with great care and vinified separately. The wine remains separated from the rest even during barrel maturation and is used to produce Brunello Riserva and Brunello Prime Donne. In 2018 a small quantity of grapes and then of wine were jealously kept separate from the rest, until they were bottled alone.
Almost an experiment to see if the similarity with the rest of Brunello would then disappear.
Instead, it increased.
The refinement in the bottle made the superior quality with respect to the rest of the 2018 “vintage” Brunello more evident and it was difficult to sell the 3000 Super bottles as if they were the same as the others.

This is why Donatella Cinelli Colombini and her daughter Violante have decided to emphasize the exceptional nature of this Brunello, born as an “experiment” and then becoming a little jewel for wine enthusiasts looking for exclusive bottles.
Determined to distinguish it from the rest, they inserted a golden stripe on the base of the label. The bottles will be numbered, wrapped one by one and marketed mainly in wooden crates. The price increase is minimal and only serves to highlight the difference.

2018 was different from the very hot vintages of recent years. The summer was cool, interrupted by storms and the best grapes were harvested last, as used to happen thirty years ago.…

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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

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!…

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