Tuscany
The subject of Tuscan wine is absolutely vast and you'd need to spend a lot of time studying it to understand even the basics. Tuscany's success is largely due to it's hilly terrain and the vast number of individual mesoclimates. The predominant grape is Sangiovese, although there are at least 14 different clones of this variety such as Prugnello and Brunello, both famous in their own right, in their own DOCs where they can command upwards of £40 per bottle.Tuscany's vines were wiped out by a severe frost in 1956 and were quickly replanted with high yielding clones, which produced vast quantities of mediocre wines. In the last 20 years or so there has been a firm swing over to lower yielding higher quality vines. Many producers were unhappy with the DOC restrictions and used their expertise to produce stunning wines outside the system, simply labelled as Vino da Tavola. This was the birth of the 'Super Tuscans'. The laws were altered in 1992 and they now have to have either IGT or DOC status to display a vintage or provenance on the label. There can be tremendous differences between two wines with the same classification, which makes selecting Tuscan wines very difficult for the amateur enthusiast. All the ones we are recommending below are superb. Most have a typical Tuscan dry finish. If this is not your style, consider the slightly sweeter Veneto wines instead.
| IL COCCOIl cocco is a tiny vineyard of just 3 hectares on the highest hill in Montalcino, the home of Italy's ultimate wine - Brunello di Montalcino. It has been in the hands of the Bindi family for over 300 years. Today Giacomo (pictured) farms the vineyards as naturally as possible with no artificail fertilisers or pesticides. They have been certified organic since 2004, but go further than simply organic embracing many biodynamic principles, and, unlike most organic or biodynamic producers, use only the tiniest essential amounts of copper and sulphur at the winemaking stage. The result is outstanding wines with a really clean and natural feel.Everything is done by hand with great care and pride. Giacomo's father, Mirco, who also lives on the farm, is a medical oncologist treating cancer patients. He has had a long standing interest in natural agricultural practices which have passed down to his children. There is a great deal of concern over additives in mass produced food and wine - sulphites in particular, and their link with various forms of cancer. Perhaps as a result of his father's beliefs, Giacomo is fervently passionate about producing his wines as naturally as possible.The family only produce tiny quantities of wine, about 1000 cases per year, along with olive oils and Grappa of course. They also derive income running the farm as agritourism with 2 houses they rent out to holidaymakers - many of them Italian, but everybody is welcome of course! And if you're touring Italy you're very welcome to park up your campervan and sit and enjoy the stunning location while sipping some of Giacomo's superb wines. They run the farm as ecologically as possible with many sustainable practices with great respect for the land around them.Il Cocco Website |
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