The Frescobaldi family of Florence have been around for a while; in the 13th century, along with other prominent Florentine families, they laid the foundations of the modern banking system, and by 1270 they had an office in London and were acting as bankers to the King of England. The first record of Frescobaldi wine comes from the early 14th century, and by the 16th century they were selling wine to King Henry VIII (and have a signed contract to prove it!).Tradition clearly has its place; there aren’t many people with a bridge and piazza in Florence named after them, and several of the family’s estates have been in the family for centuries, but the Frescobaldis haven’t rested on their laurels. New projects have been launched in Montalcino, the Maremma and Chianti Classico, a ground-braking partnership with California’s Mondavi family was developed, and the historic estates of Castello Pomino and Castello Nipozzano have set the pace for modern Tuscan winemaking. The current Marchese di Frescobaldi, Lamberto, is the 30th in an unbroken line that goes back to the middle ages, but having studied in California, opened a Frescobaldi restaurant in London and purchased the Ornellaia estate, he is no less ambitious than his banking ancestors.A couple of years ago the Marchese di Frescobaldi was kind enough to invite a couple of us and two customers to visit several of his estates in Tuscany. Wine trips don’t come much better than this! The Queen may own more castles (though it’s a close run thing), but the Marchese has better vineyards!Once again, the Marchese has invited us to take two lucky customers to Tuscany. To enter a draw for one of the two places all you need to do is buy one of the cases below before the 5th of November. The winners will be drawn at random after the Frescobaldi Wine Dinner (unfortunately it is sold out), but you could be having dinner in a Tuscan Castello instead! Each case bought gives you one entry in the prize drawer – two gives you two chances, and so on..
What’s more, you get the same 20% discount as we offer to guests at the wine dinner, so it’s win-win, even if you lose!
Castello do Pomino
A relatively recent addition to the Frescobaldi empire; they only built the castle 500 years ago, the Pomino estate, north east of Florence, has some of the highest vineyards in the whole of Tuscany and is planted largely with white grapes and cool-climate varietals.
Pomino Bianco 2018 £180 for 12
A blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Bianco, fermented in 85% stainless steel and 15% oak. A wine that offers complexity and elegance at a great price.
Benefizio Pomino Bianco Riserva 2017 £190 for 6
Chardonnay was first planted here in the 19th century, but in 1973, Benefizio became the first Italian Chardonnay to be fermented in barrique – the Burgundian way.
Pomino Vinsanto 2010 (50cl) £220 for 6
Tuscany’s great sweet wine! Trebbiano, Malvasia and San Colombano grapes are dried, fermented, and aged in small barrels for 8 years. An unforgettable experience!
Castello di Nipozzano
Whilst the Castello di Nipozzano, in Chianti Rufina, has only been in the Frescobaldi family for 150 years, its history goes back almost 1000 years and encompases many of the great families of Florence. Here Sangiovese is king, with the high altitude providing insurance against global warming.
Montesodi Toscana 2015 £215 for 6
The wine from the Montesodi vineyard were first bottled as Chianti Rufina in 1974. 100% Sangiovese and aged for 18 months in large oak, the 2015 won ‘Tre Bicchieri’.
Tenuta Perano
It is astonishing that in 700 years of winemaking history, the Frescobaldi family didn’t own land in Chianti Classico. Now, with the purchase of Tenuta Perano in Gaiole-in-Chianti, we can see what they can achieve in Tuscany’s most famous terroir.
Tenuta Perano Chianti Classico Riserva 2015 £180 for 6
Sangiovese and Merlot, from vineyards at 500 metres are vinified in the traditional way and aged in large Slavonian casks to produce a classic Chianti Riserva.
Castelgiocondo
The ancient hill town of Montalcino is steeped in history, much of it bloody, but its famous Brunello wine has a much more recent history. Frescobaldi’s Castelgiocondo estate, built around an 11th century fortress, is one of the most ambitious and successful producers in the region.
Castelgiocondo Brunello di Montalcino 2014 £270 for 6
Consistantly one of the great Brunellos, Castelgiocondo is a finely balanced blend of traditional methods and state-of-the-art facilities. Sangiovese at its best!
To buy a case of great wine, and have a chance of a trip to Tuscany, click on one or more of the bottles in this offer, send an email to matt@planetofthegrapes.co.uk, or call us on 020 7405 4912. |
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