Tuscany - Marc De Grazia · Hapsburg-Lorraine, Grand Duke of Tuscany. The Sderci family became...
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Podere Il Palazzino, owned by Alessandro and Andrea Sderci, and now managed by the young generation, Claudia and Edoardo, is located in Monti in Chianti, 20 km northeast of Siena, in the southern part of Chianti near Gaiole. The estate is part of a network of farms and of country residences built or restored in the eighteenth century during the land reform enacted by Leopold Hapsburg-Lorraine, Grand Duke of Tuscany. The Sderci family became owners of the estate in the mid nineteenth century. But wine started being produced and sold more recently, at the beginning of the 1970s, when Alessandro and Andrea took over the management. The first vineyards were planted then, replacing the earlier system of interspersing grapevines with olive trees and planting crops on the aisles between the rows of trees and vines. As the original cellar was not large enough, a new underground cellar was built under the garden of the homestead. Il Palazzino is an estate with a traditional style, but with a firm organic approach to viticulture, which has received a strong boost from the young Claudia and Edoardo. Environment friendly practices are particularly meticulous here and are carried out through canopy management, soil management and grape yield management. In some vineyards, as an experiment, sulphur and copper base products are not sprayed any more (although it is allowed by the regulations for organic viticulture) and a special mixture of seaweed, bee propolis and other natural compounds that increase the defenses of the vines are utilised. The estate is not only certified organic but wines are produced with the highest respect for the different characters of the soils and vineyards and with a natural attitude in vinification. In the cellar SO2 is reduced to a minimum and nothing else is added to the wine. Only wild yeast is responsible for the alcoholic fermentation aided by some additives in order to favour natural fermentation. All types of filtering have been eliminated. The flag wine of the estate, Chianti Classico Grosso Sanese, started being produced in 1981 as a “Super Tuscan”, but after a few years it became one of the two Chianti Classico wines of Il Palazzino. Grosso Sanese is now is considered a benchmark of this area for its traditional style and its combination of elegance, finesse, equilibrium, intensity and complexity. The ageing in wood depends on the type of soil of the vineyards so to maintain the character of the wines: the elegance of Chianti Classico Grosso Sanese and the floral and aromatic quality of Chianti Classico Argenina. In addition to the two Chianti Classico wines, the estate produces a Vin Santo del Chianti Classico of extraordinary complexity and length, aged for more than ten years before bottling. Other IGT/proprietary wines complete the range of products: Rosso del Palazzino (95% Sangiovese, 5% other indigenous red berry varietals), Bertinga (60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot) and Stagi (100% Colorino). The Sderci family is supported by the oenologist Luciano Bandini and by the agronomist Ruggero Mazzilli who specialises in organic/sustainable viticulture. ◊ Tuscany
Transcript of Tuscany - Marc De Grazia · Hapsburg-Lorraine, Grand Duke of Tuscany. The Sderci family became...
Podere Il Palazzino, owned by Alessandro and Andrea Sderci, and now managed by the young generation, Claudia and Edoardo, is located in Monti in Chianti, 20 km northeast of Siena, in the southern part of Chianti near Gaiole. The estate is part of a network of farms and of country residences built or restored in the eighteenth century during the land reform enacted by Leopold Hapsburg-Lorraine, Grand Duke of Tuscany.The Sderci family became owners of the estate in the mid nineteenth century. But wine started being produced and sold more recently, at the beginning of the 1970s, when Alessandro and Andrea took over the management. The first vineyards were planted then, replacing the earlier system of interspersing grapevines with olive trees and planting crops on the aisles between the rows of trees and vines. As the original cellar was not large enough, a new underground cellar was built under the garden of the homestead.Il Palazzino is an estate with a traditional style, but with a firm organic approach to viticulture, which has received a strong boost from the young Claudia and Edoardo. Environment friendly practices are particularly meticulous here and are carried out through canopy management, soil management and grape yield management. In some vineyards, as an experiment, sulphur and copper base products are not sprayed any more (although it is allowed by the regulations for organic viticulture) and a special mixture of seaweed, bee propolis and other natural compounds that increase the defenses of the vines are utilised.The estate is not only certified organic but wines are produced with the highest respect for the different characters of the soils and vineyards and with a natural attitude in vinification. In the cellar SO2 is reduced to a minimum and nothing else is added to the wine. Only wild yeast is responsible for the alcoholic fermentation aided by some additives in order to favour natural fermentation. All types of filtering have been eliminated.The flag wine of the estate, Chianti Classico Grosso Sanese, started being produced in 1981 as a “Super Tuscan”, but after a few years it became one of the two Chianti Classico wines of Il Palazzino. Grosso Sanese is now is considered a benchmark of this area for its traditional style and its combination of elegance, finesse, equilibrium, intensity and complexity. The ageing in wood depends on the type of soil of the vineyards so to maintain the character of the wines: the elegance of Chianti Classico Grosso Sanese and the floral and aromatic quality of Chianti Classico Argenina. In addition to the two Chianti Classico wines, the estate produces a Vin Santo del Chianti Classico of extraordinary complexity and length, aged for more than ten years before bottling. Other IGT/proprietary wines complete the range of products: Rosso del Palazzino (95% Sangiovese, 5% other indigenous red berry varietals), Bertinga (60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot) and Stagi (100% Colorino). The Sderci family is supported by the oenologist Luciano Bandini and by the agronomist Ruggero Mazzilli who specialises in organic/sustainable viticulture. ◊
Tuscany
Type of Viticulture: Certified Organic
Monti in ChiantiGrosso Sanese, Ortolino100% Sangiovese3 hectares10,000 bottles
Chianti Classico DOCG Grosso SaneseZone:Crus: Varietal:Vineyard Ext.:Average Prod.:
Chianti Classico DOCGArgenina
Zone: Monti in ChiantiCrus: Argenina, Cipriani, Orto Modesto
Varietals: 95% Sangiovese, 5% Canaiolo, Colorino
Vineyard Ext.: 5 hectaresAverage Prod.: 25,000 bottles
Toscana IGTRosso del Palazzino Zone: Monti in Chianti,
San Martino al VentoCrus: Casina Girasole,
Orto ModestoVarietals: 95% Sangiovese,
5% Canaiolo, ColorinoVineyard Ext.: 2 hectares
Average Prod.: 13,000 btls
Toscana IGTBertinga
Zone: Lecchi in Chianti, Argenina, Monti in Chianti
Cru: BertingaVarietals: 60% Cabernet Sauvignon,
40% MerlotVineyard Ext.: 1 hectare
Average Prod.: 3,500 bottles
