Avignonesi, Sangiovese DA DI, Toscana 2018

At Avignonesi, striving for excellence goes hand in hand with experimenting with 100% Tuscan wine-making processes. For this particular wine, Avignonesi has put aside steel and oak in favour of Tuscan clay. Da-Di is vinified in 11 terracotta vessels made in Tuscany. Da-Di is blended after three months, then returned to the amphora for an additional two months’ ageing before bottling.

Nose with intense and fascinating, precise and varietal aromas. Notes of cherry, ripe raspberries and currants are harmoniously intertwined with nuances of wild strawberry. Viscous, dense, vibrant and explosive on the palate. The red fruits, morello cherries and black cherries, straightforward and sincere, come back to the palate and fill it with bright colours. The well-present tannin spreads out on the lips thus recalling the real and tenacious Sangiovese from Tuscany. The finish is the highest point of the encounter between freshness and sweetness, a combination that only terracotta wine can offer.

The vineyards of Avignonesi are mainly set among the beautiful rolling hills in southeastern Tuscany, with some vineyard space also in neighbouring Cortona municipality.

The prestigious winery is currently been run by Virginie Saverys, originally from Belgium, who took over in 2009 after several years as a silent partner. In moving from consumer to producer, she started a large-scale refurbishment of the winery, turning her attention in particular to environmental concerns. This has involved a ban on synthetic biocides and commercial yeasts and other additives, as well as setting up an energy policy that has reduced the winery’s emissions significantly through eco-friendly packaging.

The majority of the vineyard is given over to the Sangiovese grapes that are synonymous with Tuscany’s wines, but there are other varieties planted too (mostly at the Cortona site). The land is divided into micro-plots, with the clay-rich soil often improved with the addition of sand or limestone. The fruits of each small plot are vinified separately before the final blend is determined; this artisanal attention to detail is rare even among small-scale producers, but it leads to excellent quality in the finished wines.

Chief winemaker Matteo Giustiniani uses biodynamic viticulture processes to make the most of the fruits. A gentle touch with the use of oak (particularly in the case of the Sangiovese grapes) results in fresh-tasting wines with an elegant profile and fruit aromas accompanied by a burst of vibrant acidity.