The grapes were perfectly ripe but small, with thick, quite hard skins. Therefore, after removing the stems, the grapes were crushed. The vinification was the most delicate ever, and after fermentation, the newly born wine remained on the grape skins in closed vats much longer than usual. At the same time, the arrival of the new barrels was brought forward so that the 2022 wine could be transferred to oak containers in November.

These seemingly small changes are actually very important and able to smoothen the tannins that were abundant in the wine. The result is a powerful, harmonious, and pleasant IGT Toscana Il Drago e le 8 Colombe, a wine that beautifully captures the Tuscan countryside and the hot, dry vintage in which it was born. A wine with great personality that pairs well with Tuscan cuisine, Asian dishes, and brunches featuring cold cuts and cheeses.

IL DRAGO E LE 8 COLOMBE: A WINE DEDICATED TO MEN IN THE WOMEN’S WINERY

Donatella Cinelli Colombini’s wineries—Casato Prime Donne in Montalcino and Fattoria del Colle in Trequanda—are the first in Italy to have an entirely female staff. The cellar workers, winemakers, sales staff, and tourist reception staff are all women. But there are important male figures in the company and in Donatella’s family, and she felt the need to dedicate a wine to them: Il Drago e le 8 Colombe.…

L'articolo IL DRAGO E LE 8 COLOMBE IGT TOSCANA 2022 sembra essere il primo su Cinelli Colombini.

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.…

L'articolo Family Gift Set: Wine and Olive Oil for Relaxing Moments Together sembra essere il primo su Cinelli Colombini.

Everyone remembers  Covid masks and tests always at hand. In reality we should remember it as one of the luckiest harvests because the damage from the spring frost (18-23 March) was less than elsewhere and because the autumn rainfalls circled around the vineyards until the end of the harvest.Lucky but scarce, the 2020 vintage certainly deserves 5 stars, the maximum rating.Donatella Cinelli Colombini has been cultivating her vineyards organically for years and has been following a project called “Vineyard first” for years. It consists in a large investment in labour and equipment so that the grapes arrive in the cellar in perfect conditions on the first day of full maturation. A lot of work and a lot of attention which, in years like 2020, are helped by nature and the climate.

The 2020 grapes were healthy, with small berries, well-lignified seeds and the Sangiovese had the typical crunchiness of great vintages. Analytical data even better than 2019 with an excellent content of noble substances in the skins (extractable polyphenols) and a nice acid content

IL DRAGO E LE 8 COLOMBE, A WINE DEDICATED TO MEN IN THE WOMEN’S CELLAR

Donatella Cinelli Colombini’s wineries – Casato Prime Donne in Montalcino and Fattoria del Colle in Trequanda – are the first in Italy with an entirely female staff.…

L'articolo IL DRAGO E LE 8 COLOMBE IGT TOSCANA 2020 sembra essere il primo su Cinelli Colombini.

2019 the harvest of the super Sangiovese, the year in which the bunches and berries of the king of Tuscany grape variety looked like Cabernet, the king of the Bordeaux vineyard.A dream of a harvest, with abundant, perfect grapes that were harvested by hand and then vinified in small vats where the must quickly took on a very intense colour.

The bunches of Sagrantino and Merlot, which also make up the blend of Il Drago e le 8 Colombe were also of the highest quality. Each grape variety was vinified separately but, to make the most of the richness of the 2019 grapes, all made a very long post fermentation maceration. For this reason the racking was postponed for a week – ten days for all types: Sangiovese, Merlot and Sagrantino.

There was also a small variation in the aging in cask compared to usual. When the wine was ready to be moved from the vats to the barrels, the Covid epidemic caused the first lockdown, forcing the cellar work to be slowed down. Too bad because precisely because of the superior quality of the vintage, the quantity of barrels purchased was greater than usual.

IL DRAGO E LE 8 COLOMBE: A WINE DEDICATED TO MEN FROM THE ALL-FEMALE WINERY

The cellars belonging to Donatella Cinelli Colombini, Casato Prime Donne in Montalcino and Fattoria del Colle, in Trequanda, where this wine is born, are the first in Italy with an entirely female staff.…

L'articolo Il Drago e le 8 Colombe IGT Toscana Rosso 2019 sembra essere il primo su Cinelli Colombini.

In 2016 the vegetative cycle of the vines was very very long: the vines budded 15 days sooner than usual, but the harvest took place in October, as was usual traditionally. This was because the ripening of the grapes was gradual and slow: something rare during this era of climatic changes that gave great joy to the producers. In fact the ripening of the grape skin (poliphenolic) and that of the pulp (technological) went hand in hand and this circumstance always produces extremely elegant wines.

THE NAME IL DRAGO E LE 8 COLOMBE

This wine was born to celebrate the only man in Donatella Cinelli Colombini’s wineries, my husband Carlo Gardini. These wineries are the first in Italy to be all female staffed. But Carlo is however always present with his advice and his passion for great red wines, that sometimes, are completely different to those that I love.

THE STORY OF IL DRAGO E LE 8 COLOMBE

“Il Drago e le 8 Colombe” was originally “Il Drago e le 7 Colombe” and was renamed with the arrival of our consultant wine maker Valérie Lavigne. On that occasion the blend too was changed, today it is a 60% Sangiovese 20% Merlot and 20% Sagrantino. Three varieties that give different characteristic to the wine: the Sangiovese gives elegance, the Merlot pleasantness, and the Sagrantino increases the structure.…

L'articolo 2016 vintage of Il Drago e le 8 Colombe Super Tuscan sembra essere il primo su Cinelli Colombini.

 What do the words DIVERSITY, IDENTITY, TIPICALITY? In an era of globalization these seem to have become more important but can they merge with the research for high quality?

1) Donatella Cinelli Colombini

Valerie Lavigne Identity and typicality define the personality of the wine. It is through them that wine is recognizable by its taste, taste that is the specific expression of one or more grape varieties grown in a given region. Without authenticity, there can be no diversity. Therefore the search for quality in my opinion is inextricably linked from the notions of authenticity, identity and therefore diversity.

2) Donatella Cinelli Colombin autochthonous varieties like Sangiovese, Foglia Tonda and Sagrantino. What have they to offer more or less of compared to the international varieties like Cabernet or Merlot

VLV Autochtonous grape varieties, when combined with the image of a great wine produced in this region, Brunello Sangiovese for example, are always cultivated at their northern limit, ie where there is always a little more difficult than elsewhere to get a full maturity. It is in these conditions that the grape expression is the most original and most inimitable either.
The international varieties like merlot, cabernet sauvignon or chardonnay, when grown in Bordeaux and Burgundy are at their northern limit. The aromas of these varieties, in these circumstances are very unique and identifiable.…

L'articolo Donatella Cinelli Colombini interviews the wine maker Valerie Lavigne sembra essere il primo su Cinelli Colombini.