Italiano
Agile wines from the Pisan Hills
From three important estates – Tenuta di Ghizzano, I Giusti e Zanza and Fattoria Uccelliera – we have selected three wines made from Sangiovese, with the addition of some other varietals, which stand out for their incredible drinkability.
The area of Colline Pisane (Pisan Hills) is experiencing a period of rediscovery (better yet discovery) allowing it to break away from its reputation of being a simple Chianti subzone and establish itself as a territory with its own distinctive characteristics. These are classic Tuscan hills with an average altitude, between 250 and 400m above sea level, which are distinguished from a geological point of view by having very complex soils from the Eurasian plate mixed with those from the African plate. In general, the vineyards have silty clay loam soil of medium depth composed of clay and sand from the Pliocene epoch.
From a climatic viewpoint, this is a cool zone with an annual rainfall closer to what existed before global warming (780mm) as are the average temperatures that are never too rigid in winter nor too hot in summer (+4°C in winter and +24°C summer).
From a legislative standpoint, the establishment of the DOC Terre di Pisa appellation is very recent (2011) and was created to enhance the value of the higher quality wines. This benefitted wines that were already well-known but struggled to identify with the territory and, at the same time, served as an initiative to convince other local producers to adhere to a high-quality territorial standard.
While this DOC denomination, both the Sangiovese and Rosso versions, focuses on top wines, the area’s more “easy” wines are almost always classified as IGT Costa Toscana, while the wines with the greatest and longest tradition remain DOCG Chianti. What these wines all have in common is how agile they are.
Pisan wines owe very much to Ginevra Venerosi Pesciolini, of the Tenuta di Ghizzano estate, who over the years has come out with wines that have great technical character and a distinct style for the area. Great care – biodynamic – of the vineyard together with low yield and an old winery but with a modern flair have ensured that Veneroso, Sangiovese with some Cabernet Sauvignon, and Nambrot, Merlot, have firmly established themselves among the best Tuscan wines. Last but not least is the latest arrival, Mimesi, a single varietal Sangiovese made in cocciopesto (opus signinum) amphorae. The Il Ghezzano line of wines (Rosso and Bianco) is for everyday consumption and has an excellent drinkability.
Situated on a hill between the towns of Fauglia and Lorenzana, the Fattoria Uccelliera estate extends over a total of 240 hectares of land of which 15 are vineyards and six olive groves, while the rest are tall forests and crop fields. The product of the efforts since 1960 of Antonio Bulleri and Maria Elena Poggianti, the estate now benefits from the contributions of their family, son Elio with his wife Tiziana, and soon the third generation will come into the picture. Along with wine and olive oil, they also produce honey, truffle products and spirits. Holiday accommodation is offered in the various farmhouses on the estate.
At I Giusti e Zanza, the philosophy of Paolo Giusti, an engineer who turned to farming, is quite modern with great attention paid to aromatic purity and an insistent use of small French barrels. The estate is in the Fauglia hills where the climate is cool and the soil is compact sandy marl. There are around 17 hectares of vineyards and the varietals cultivated are Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot and Sangiovese. The vineyards are very dense with as many as 9,000 root stocks per hectare, while the yield is very low which sometimes results in decidedly rich wines.
Fattoria Uccelliera
Chianti Superiore 2019
94/100 - € 14,00
Blend of mostly Sangiovese with Canaiolo grapes. Stainless steel only. Intense ruby red color. Neat and fruity aromas with pleasant notes of red fruits, cherries, raspberries and currant. Savory and pleasant taste, very fruity and silky sip. A very nice wine.
Tenuta di Ghizzano
Costa Toscana IlGhizzano Rosso 2019
90/100 - € 13,00
Blend of 95% Sangiovese with Merlot grapes. Matures 8 months in cement vats. Bright ruby red color. Fresh and fragrant aromas of red fruits. Smooth taste, savory, again fruity notes, neat tannins, good crescendo. Very nice drinkability.
I Giusti e Zanza
Costa Toscana Belcore 2019
90/100 - € 15,00
Blend of 80% Sangiovese and 20% Merlot grapes. Matures in tonneaux and barriques for 8-12 months, the 3 months in cement vats. Ruby red color with purple hues. Initial smoky notes leave room for black and red fruits, and spices. Smooth taste, very fruity, soft tannins and long finish.
