Red wines from Toscana

The Ormanni estate is located in Tuscany, between Poggibonsi and Castellina in Chianti. Founded by the Ormanni family in 13th century, it has been owned by the Brini family since 1818.

This Chianti Classico is made principally from Sangiovese grapes, with ten per cent of Canaiolo, all estate grown, and aged for twelve months in oak barrels and casks. It's a medium- to full-bodied wine, with cherry and hedgerow fruit character. There's a hint of liquorice and some cleansing, earthy minerality too.

The 13th Century Ormanni estate is located right in the heart of Chianti, between the towns of Poggibonsi and Castellina. Proof of the incredible heritage of this Tuscan property can be found in Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy, where the Ormanni family is mentioned.

For the last 200 years the estate has been owned by the Brini Batecchi family, and it is Paolo Brini Batecchi together with his daughter Paola who run the winery today.

The farm covers an area of 242 ha of land, 68 of which are vineyards dedicated principally to the cultivation of Sangiovese. They also have two beautiful agriturismo resorts, Podere La Querce and Podere Montignano.

This is the perfect lighter red to choose if you're looking for something Italian that's smooth and a little spicy, but not too heavy

Avignonesi's basic Rosso is a versatile, everyday wine that really sings alongside roast meats, meat pies, and strong cheeses. It's produced from hand-picked grapes grown on 300m high south-facing slopes around the Tuscan town of Montepulciano, and is aged for nine months in large oak barrels before bottling, with a further three months' bottle rest prior to release.

• 88/100 Bronze Medal - Decanter World Wine Awards
• 90/100/smart buy - Wine Spectator
• 2 red glasses/price-quality award - Gambero Rosso

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, awarded DOCG status in 1980, is made in the hills surrounding the Tuscan town of Montepulciano. It is surrounded by the large Chianti subzone of Chianti Colli Senesi.

Regulations dictate that the vineyards must sit on the hills (250m-600m) around the town and that the grape to be used (at least 60-80% of the final blend) is Prugnolo Gentile (the local name for Sangiovese Grosso, the strain of Sangiovese used in Tuscan superstar-wine Brunello). The balance is made up of a combination of Canaiolo, Mammolo, Malvasia and some international varieties.

90/100 "A light, elegant style, delivering cherry, iron, leather and earth flavors in a balanced profile. Clean and lively, with a lingering aftertaste of leather, earth and almond. Drink now through 2023."
Wine Spectator

Dante's Divine Comedy mentions the Ormanni property: proof of its ancient heritage.
For proof of its remarkable wines, try this mouthwatering Chianti with brisk tannins, fresh acidity, and savoury notes of black cherry, tea leaves and herbs.

The Sangiovese grape can sometimes pose a challenge for producers and even for drinkers, and in the past some very indifferent wines have been passed off as "Chianti" – but the prestigious history of the Ormanni estate and the Brini Batacchis' constant striving for improvements in both vineyard and cellar mean that there's nothing to worry about in this case.

The estate's basic Chianti DOCG is a medium-bodied, lively red with aromas of cherries and hints of the distinctive violet scent of great Sangiovese. Savoury notes of herbs combine with its bright acidity and judicious tannins to deliver a satisfying and easy-drinking wine that looks as good in shirtsleeves at a casual lunch or picnic as it does dressed up for dinner.

The Ormanni estate is located right in the heart of Chianti, between the towns of Poggibonsi and Castellina, and dates back to at least the thirteenth century.

For the last two hundred years, the estate has been owned by the Brini Batacchi family, and it is Paolo Brini Batacchi together with his daughter Paola who run the winery today.

The farm covers an area of 242 hectares, 68 of which are vineyards dedicated principally to the cultivation of Sangiovese. There are also two beautiful agriturismo resorts, Podere La Querce and Podere Montignano, on the property.

The use of Tuscan clay rather than stainless steel brings an authentic local method to the vinification of this wine. The result is exuberant, pure cherry and red berry fruit flavours, polished and vibrant, with a gentle, spicy finish.

The name Da-Di is taken from Chinese words meaning 'earth' or 'soil', and is a reminder that this pure Sangiovese was made using twelve terracotta vessels especially produced for the winery using Tuscan clay.

Vinification in clay is an ancient technique, and gives the finished wine a lift and polish quite different from the effect achieved with oak.

‘Intense, deep red in colour, the main trait of Desiderio 2015 is the harmony between the sweet fruity notes, typical to Merlot, and the power, testament of the 2015 vintage. The bouquet is deeply endowed with black currant, myrtle, eucalyptus and black cherries. Very savoury, with hints of incense, the wine has velvety tannins and impressive persistence. Son of a warm vintage, vinified with great finesse.’

Plush and modern, Desiderio shows layers of complexity from the first glass, when gorgeous aromas of fruitcake, truffles, violets, black olive and chocolate waft from the bowl. Powerful, yet refined, it really is a wine to savour and enjoy with another wine lover or two - 'an overwhelming and sensual Merlot'.

The grapes are sourced from the estates of La Selva and La Lombarda, both located between the historic towns of Valiano and Cortona, within the Cortona DOC appellation.

The Desiderio Merlot is named after the white bull you see on the label.

This impressive animal, weighing 1,673 kg / 3,688 lbs, lived on Avignonesi's estate Le Capezzine towards the end of the 19th century. He was, in fact, the largest bull in Cortona and was used to sire the rest of the cattle from the local breed "Chianina" in the region.

The Chianina has earned its fame as the breed which gives us the delicious meat for the famous bistecca fiorentina (Florentine T-bone steak), easily recognizable due to its striking white colour.

The bull Desiderio is known and recognized as one of the forefathers of the Chianina breed, together with another bull by the name of Donetto. In fact, when you savour a bistecca fiorentina today, there is a good chance you will find some Desiderio DNA in it.

Avignonesi decided to honour this majestic animal by naming one of its most emblematic wines after it: the Desiderio Merlot, which, just like the bull, is full, impressive, and sensual.

Consistent scores of 90-94 in the Wine Advocate and Wine Spectator.

• Bronze Medal Decanter World Wine Awards 2015

• 91/100"Flavors of black cherry, blackberry, chocolate and spice enliven this ripe, juicy red. The tannins are dense and firm, and the finish stays fresh and long. Drink now through 2021."
  BS, Wine Spectator

• • 93 pts Vinous
• • 90 pts Wine Spectator
• • 92 pts Wine Enthusiast
• • 92 pts James Suckling

Intense aromas of violets, raspberries, redcurrants and sweet cherries with underlying hints of leather and cumin. Warm and full-bodied with savoury depth and a long, spicy finish.

A magnificent, powerful wine that will repay further aging.

Master taster Giulio Gambelli and Paolo Brini Batacchi, owner of Tenuta Ormanni and an expert on Merlot, Sangiovese and Syrah, have created a Super Tuscan that further enriches the estate's already formidable array of premium wines.

Step by step, Maestro Gambelli has personally assessed the soils and identified the zones where grapes should be collected and selected, overseeing vinification and the choice of barrels. His dedication and commitment have been rewarded by the creation of Julius, a name that Brini Batacchi family adopted in honour of its expert taster.

The judicious combination of hand-picked Sangiovese, Merlot and Syrah combined with eight to ten months' aging in barriques yields an exceptional vino da tavola.

The thirteenth century Ormanni estate is right in the heart of Chianti, located between Poggibonsi and Castellina, and evidence of the incredible heritage of this Tuscan property is provided by a mention of the Ormanni family in Dante's Divine Comedy.

The Ormanni estate is located in Tuscany, between Poggibonsi and Casstellina in Chianti. Founded by the Ormanni family in 13th century, it has been owned by the Brini family since 1818. The Chianti Classico is produced from Sangiovese 90% and Canaiolo 10% estate grown grapes.It ages for twelve months in oak barrels and casks.

The 13th century Ormanni estate is located right in the heart of Chianti, between the towns of Poggibonsi and Castellina. Proof of the incredible heritage of this Tuscan property can be found in Dante Alighieri’s 'Divina Commedia', where the Ormanni family is mentioned. For the last 200 years the estate has been owned by the Brini Batecchi family, and it is Paolo Brini Batecchi together with his daughter Paola who run the winery today.

Fermented in the same way as the Brunello, this vivacious Rosso exudes bright aromas of cherry stone, vanilla and caper, while the moderately-tannic, full-bodied wash is full of smokey olives, savoury cedar and raspberry flavours.

Aged in 60% barriques (one-fifth new) and 40% stainless steel.

Enjoy, after decanting, with mature cheeses, roasted meats, game pie and sauced mushroom dishes.

Rosso di Montalcino is found in the same delimited area as its more illustrious sibling Brunello di Montalcino. The DOC was created in 1984 in order to make the most of the fruit from the region’s younger vines, the idea being to create a fresher style that required less ageing (just one year) than its stablemate. This would enable Brunello producers to make money while waiting for their DOCG wine to age, as well as declassify any Brunello (still reposing) whose development they were not entirely happy with.

Piancornello takes its name from a hamlet just south of Montalcino where the winery is located. The 10 hectares of estate vineyards are located on hilly land with rocky, volcanic soils and southern exposures, which contribute to crafting full bodied, mineral wines.>/p>

This wine is fermented without the addition of sulphites or the use of temperature control in stainless steel tanks, so that fermentation takes place spontaneously.

Though there's no hard and fast definition of a 'natural' wine, that's probably a handy description of this delicious organic red from Montalcino.

This is a redcurrant-bright medium-bodied pure Sangiovese with fresh, crunchy fruit character and lively tannic structure. 

• • 92/100 Wine Spectator
• • 93/100 James Suckling
• 
  • 92/100 Vinous
• • 92/100 Wine Enthusiast

A full and splendid expression of Sangiovese and the Avignonesi terroir, this is a powerful, elegant red, suitable for further aging, but already showing complex aromas of herbs, flowers and tobacco. Concentrated flavours of rich red fruit will deepen and evolve with the years, shaped by silky tannins.

In this vintage the wine was blended from the fruit of four different and distinct vineyards: Oceano, Poggetti di Sopra, Le Badelle and El Grasso.

‘Finely textured, with a nuanced perfume that fills the glass and takes you to the intense underbrush of Tuscany. Succulent and yet savoury, this has a lilting freshness that is overlaid with ripe berry fruits, sage and white pepper spice, and clear minerality in terms of its scraping texture that makes your mouth water on the finish. Feels light and sculpted and yet has an intensity that skewers you to the spot. This is a great wine, with scope and imagination that doesn't want to let you go. Genuinely stands out among the wines of this tasting, and these are a fine array of wines…’
100/100 Jane Anson, Decanter, August 2020

‘Very subtle aromas of cherries, bark, black truffles and flowers. Hints of crushed stones. It's full-bodied, yet very tight and solid with a very tight, minerally structure. Very long and intense. Racy and bright at the the end. Powerful, orange-peel and citrus-fruit undertones. Salty and minerally. This needs time to develop in the bottle. Extremely structured. A wine not to touch until after 2023.’
97/100 James Suckling

‘The 2018 Testamatta shows elegant Sangiovese purity and transparency, starting with delicate wild berry and blueberry tones and finishing long with pretty accents of crushed limestone and a touch of campfire ash. In the glass, the wine is radiant and vivid with a luminous ruby or garnet color. Oak use is reduced to a bare minimum, with barrels that are up to their 16th year of use. "The older they are, the better," Bibi explains. As the wine opens in the glass, it presents pretty lilac and violet. This wine represents a blend of fruit from various sites (all with old vines that are farmed organically) across the region of Tuscany. The northern-most sites close to Florence tend to add the floral notes that are so characteristic of this cool vintage (which saw a bit more rain than average and extra work in the vineyards to kept these vines healthy). I visited the vineyards with Bibi in 2018 and remember how beautiful the grapes appeared on the vines. Much of the fruit used here comes from the Vigna del Cancello in Casciano del Murlo, which is midway between Siena and Montalcino. These southern sites give the wine its backbone and tannins. Bibi Graetz tells me that he struggled to create the blend for this 60,000-bottle release. He decided on a final blend, only to change his mind and re-blend two and a half months later. His second stab was specifically aimed at capturing finesse and softening the wine's tannic imprint. Indeed, the wine ultimately offers more in length (with fresh fruit flavors and bright acidity) than it does in power or mid-palate. The finish is silky, long and very fine.’
94/100 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

This magnificent and unique wine began in 1988 as the result of the friendship between the former owners of the Avignonesi estate and the Cappanelle estate in Chianti Classico.

The wine is blended with equal parts of Avignonesi's Sangiovese and Cappanelle's Merlot, giving rich, deep layers of red berry and black cherry succulence woven through with secondary notes of tobacco and sun-baked herbs. It's a prestige bottling that will age beautifully in the bottle for years to come.