Grapes: Sangiovese and other authorized vines the vineyards were planted between 1996 and 2013. Sound vines, in a natural equilibrium, surrounded by the beautiful intact countryside full of woods. There are no factories, but only many small fields like in an antique painting.
Donatella Cinelli Colombini’s Chianti Superiore is made practically with only Sangiovese; the presence of just a few complementary clusters is in respect of the tradition that sees Chianti as a blend of more varieties. Its dominant element is its elegance, typical of Sangiovese with the particular aroma of violet that characterizes this denomination among all the others.
Born in Fattoria del Colle in the oldest and most intact area of Tuscany. It brings you the aroma of ripe red fruits and the powerful and harmonious taste of a hilly territory where the air is clean and the ripening of the grapes slow. Typical of this region are grilled beef steak and pecorino cheese that wonderfully are matched with the Drago e le 8 Colombe IGT Toscana. The vineyards are cultivated following the organic regime and manually as has been done for centuries. The grape growers prune, strip, tie, and remove the leaves and harvest with craftsmanship and attention. In the winery the staff are all women, they are the doves you see on the label. But there is also a dragon represented, it is Carlo Gardini, husband to Donatella Cinelli Colombini, the owner. He is one of the initiators of the new experimentation. A game with symbols where we say that Fattoria del Colle winery is feminine but not feministic because great wines have no gender and are produced and costume by those who love nature, culture and all good things.
Production Area: Those who visit Fattoria del Colle can see its 16 hectares of Vineyard organically cultivated and with plenty of manual care. The harvest too is done by hand, choosing all of the clusters one by one. The fermentation hall and the barrel ageing area are small and well equipped to produce limited quantities of a series of wines with great personality such as this Chianti Superiore. The estate covers 336 hectares on high hills at 404 meters above sea level.
Aging: In oak barrels made in 4 artisanal French workshops. The choice to use different types of casks comes from the desire to find the right container for each grape variety. The blending of the three grapes forming the “Supertuscan” happens at the end of the ageing in barrel. After a period of rest the Il Drago e le 8 Colombe is bottled, where it refines for a further 6 month before being put on sale.
The cellar where this wines ages in barrel is under Fattoria del Colle.
Tasting Notes: Of great structure, full, harmonious, and long lasting.
Food Pairing: Noble meats (such as the fiorentina steak) and aged cheeses. Well matched also with Indian and Chinese spicy and tasty dishes.
