Special thanks to our friend Jennifer for this great review — read more here.
Last night, while relaxing and wrapping up creating my wedding album from my amazing wedding in Tuscany this past October, I felt it was necessary to drink from the region where I celebrated the best day of my life. I received and opened a bottle of Chianti from the Torciano Winery.
The estate
Thirteen generations of winemaking
The Torciano estate was founded in 1720 by Bartolomeo Giacchi, who was originally from Florence but moved to San Gimignano. The winery became a place for passersby on the way to Rome to rest and drink, where the Giacchi family could sell their wine and olive oil. There have been 13 generations of winemakers managing the estate and vineyards since, so winemaking runs in the Giacchi family's blood.
If you have ever been to Tuscany, you have shared in its splendor: small villages to explore, windy roads, rows and rows of vineyards, wineries and tall cypress trees, one of the region's most beloved features. Turning a corner and seeing cypress trees line the horizon, with vineyards everywhere on the hills, takes your breath away. San Gimignano, between Florence and Siena, is a medieval-looking town known for its towers, visible from a distance as you approach.
The wine
Grapes harvested by hand
The grapes at Torciano are harvested by hand. They grow Chardonnay, Vernaccia di San Gimignano and Trebbiano for whites, along with Pinot Noir, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese and Canaiolo for reds. Depending on the grape, they use stainless steel tanks or French and American oak for fermentation and maturation. I opened the 2012 Crete Rosse Chianti D.O.C.G., 80% Sangiovese and 20% Canaiolo Nero: ruby in color, medium body, dry, with higher acidity and soft tannins.
Beyond the wine
What else the estate offers
The Torciano estate has everything, from wine, balsamic vinegar and olive oil to other handmade products, including preserves and sauces. There's a wide breadth of things to do while visiting: apartments and rooms where you can stay, private tastings or dinners with the winemaker, and even a Fiorentina steak dinner — if you haven't had the famous bistecca alla fiorentina, you're missing out. Depending on your location and dates, they even hold classes in the US where the winemaker comes to do a tasting and meet-and-greet. The activities you can take part in while visiting and spending your holiday there are limitless, and you can see them all on their website, including cooking classes.
There is a lot more I'd like to share about this estate, but I still own a Rosso di Montalcino and a Vernaccia di San Gimignano, which I can't wait to share with you — one of my favorite whites in Italy. It amazes me that there are 13 generations of winemaking in this family, so experience a bottle for yourself, and stay tuned for upcoming blogs on the Torciano estate.
