A black rooster standing in the vineyard is one of Tuscany's oldest images — and at Tenuta Torciano it is only the beginning of a long friendship between animals and wine.
Gallo Nero
The black rooster of Chianti Classico
For centuries the black rooster has been the symbol tied to the Chianti Classico wine production area. It was the emblem of the Lega del Chianti, the military and political institution the Republic of Florence created to control the Chianti territory at the end of the 1300s.
Today it is common to see different animals living among the vines, and not simply for company. Over the years they have proven to be a real resource for looking after the vineyard: sheep and pigs feed on weeds and let the rows grow undisturbed, while dwarf sheep do the same work but, thanks to their low height, never manage to reach the grapes. Dogs are needed to watch over the sheep, while chickens and ducks — like our mandarine ducks and our Wyandotte chickens — are efficient at clearing away the insects and parasites that could damage the vines.
In cantina
Pets, friends of wine tasting
In our cellar you can taste a good wine in the company of Dante, our adorable Basset Hound: a tireless entertainer and a great source of tenderness. He loves every guest who comes to visit, young or old, and is so affectionate with everyone that he has become the true mascot of Tenuta Torciano. You will find him in our vineyards or in the garden, ready to give you the warmest welcome under the Tuscan sun.
The animals of Tenuta Torciano are charming and elegant company. Walking through the vineyards and the garden you will meet our beautiful peacocks, with their wonderful colours and spectacular fanned tail.
They are unforgettable, and their beauty is best admired with a glass of red wine in hand, like our Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, while you walk alongside our elegant Imperial pheasant or our very chic, vain peacock. Or simply stop to watch how the colours of a glass of our Vernaccia Poggioaicieli match perfectly with the rainbow of feathers on our mandarine ducks.
Curiosità
Is there a wine for pets, too?
From now on, our four-legged friends can join us during tastings, too: more and more producers are creating drinks made specially for pets, with characteristics that recall wine without actually being wine at all.
So it could happen that our faithful dachshund Dante sips a beverage rich in antioxidants while we enjoy a glass of good Chianti Classico Riserva Godenzio, or why not a full-flavoured Chianti Crete Rosse.
Because, you know: wine is best enjoyed in company.
