Tuscanian wine

Italy's modern prodigiousness with wine scarcely begins to tell the story of its people's perennial links to the vine. The nature of the place - the influence of Mediterranean sunshine and mountain air currents on the hillsides of the elongated peninsula and islands - favors what seems to be an almost spontaneous culture of wine.
Italy's wine heritage dates back some 4,000 years to when prehistoric peoples pressed wild grapes into juice which, as if by magic, fermented into wine. The ancient Greeks, expanding into Italy's southern reaches dubbed the colonies Oenotria, the land of wine. Etruscans were subtle and serene practitioners of the art of winemaking in the hills of central Italy, as attested by the art and artifacts left in their spacious tombs.
The Romans propagated the cult of Bacchus to all corners of the empire, developing a flourishing trade in wine throughout the Mediterranean lands and beyond. So sophisticated was their knowledge of viticulture and enology that their techniques were not equaled again until the 17th or 18th centuries, when Italians and other Europeans began to regard the making of wine as science rather than mystique.

Tuscany's wines - Solferino’s wine.

Tuscany is a land of great harmonies: man and nature working side by side to transform the earth's grapes into some of the world's finest wine. Such majestic art as Michelangelo's David and architecture of unrivaled grandeur coexist with humble stone houses amid olive trees silvering in the Tuscan sun; the vibrant contemporary culture of Florence pulses through a city of medieval and Renaissance treasures.
Tuscany. Ancient hills...Mediterranean breezes...golden sun... ripening vines, and wines crafted by the PODERE SOLFERINO. The soil, the climate, the very heart of Tuscany is evident in every bottle of SOLFERINO. It is this combination of tradition and innovation that is the cornerstone of the PODERE SOLFERINO.
Tuscany. A land where tradition endures.
And no tradition is greater than that of fine foods and wines. The heart of every Tuscan village, town, and city - no matter how small or large, ancient or modern - is the market, where the stalls are filled with the vegetables and fruits from the local fields.
The opulent red tomatoes and peppers... the vibrant greens of artichokes, basil, parsley, and rosemary... the stunning colors of local flowers... the heady smells of freshly made cheeses, breads, and baking focaccia.
And a good bottle of wine always at the ready

Enjoying Tuscany's wines can be a remarkable sensory experience, as well as a wonderful way to bring friends together. All you need is an open mind, a healthy appetite and some good friends. Ideally, one should taste Tuscany's wines at the table, where their lively acidity and distinctive bouquets and flavors mesh wonderfully with the cuisine of the area. Tuscany's wines offer a complex experience for all the senses: the eyes, the nose and the palate.
Bring good wine together with good friends and have a wine tasting party. Any way you choose to celebrate, Ruffino's wines, from the heart of Tuscany, will delight even the most discriminating palates. Salute!

VINES & GRAPES
Vitis Vinifera is the ancient Latin term for vines whose grapes produce juice that ferments into wine. Vitis Vinifera originated in the Near East when man domesticated wild vines, but its numerous varieties and clones are most widely diffused in Europe, where four-fifths of the world's wine is produced.
Such vines are grown in the temperate climate zones, generally between the 30th and 50th parallels in the northern hemisphere, or between the 30th and 40th parallels in the southern hemisphere.
Soil composition and texture influence the character and quality of wines. Grapes from vineyards in sandy or siliceous terrains often produce wines of fresh flavors and aromas to be drunk young, while those from calcareous clay soils make wines that are richer in body and better suited to aging.
Vineyard positions are important. For most Italian wines of quality, hillsides are better than plains, since day-night temperature variations essential to developing aromas are greater at the heights. In cool zones, vines on southfacing slopes benefit from full exposure to the sun, so grapes ripen earlier. They also need to be well ventilated to prevent mold.

WINE COMPOSITION
The basic ingredients of a completed wine are water and alcohol, though other components present in minuscule quantities account for quality and character. A list follows:
Water (80 to 85 percent)
The water in wine derives entirely from grape juice, so it is biologically pure. It is the base for all the complex biochemical phenomena that occur as wine is made and aged.
Alcohols (10 to 17 percent)
Alcohols in wine are attained by yeast-converting sugars. Besides adding their own characteristic flavors and odors, alcohols are the main carriers of aroma or bouquet. The most important alcohol in quantity is ethyl, a monoalcohol. Then comes glycerol, a polyalcohol that adds a degree of sweetness. Butylene glycol is among other polyalcohols and cyclic alcohols present. In some fortified wines, alcohol attained by distillation may be added.
Acids (0.4 to 1 percent)
Acids give wine the sour or sharp aspect that enhances flavor when in balance with other components. Of the three organic acids that originate in grapes, tartaric is prevalent as the base measure of total acidity in wine, followed by malic and citric. Three other acids - succinic, lactic and acetic (source of volatile acidity) - are produced by fermentation.
TUSCANY
Regional Capital: Florence (Firenze)
Provinces: Arezzo, Firenze, Grosseto. Livorno, Lucca, Massa-Carrara, Pisa, Pistoia, Siena.
Tuscany ranks 5th among the regions in size (22.992 square kilometres) and 9th in population (3.577.000).
Vineyards cover 86.000 hectares (4th) of which registered DOC plots total 30.500 hectares (3rd).
Annual wine production of 3.600.000 hectolitres (8th) includes 33% or 1.200.000 hectolitres DOC or DOCG (tied for 2nd with Piedmont), of which more than 85% is red.
WINES
DOC AREAS OTHER WINES OF NOTE
1 BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO R-Dr. Ag-4. Rs Ag-5
2 CARMIGNANO* R-Dr.Ag-15,Rs Ag-3
3 CHIANTI R-Dr. Rs Ag-3 (7 sub districts: Classico, Colli Aretini, Co Fiorentini, Colli Senesi, Colline Pisane. Montalbano, Rufina)
4 VINO NOBILE DI MONTEPULCIANO R-Dr.Ag-Z. Rs Ag-3
5 BIANCO DELLA VALDINIEVOLE W-Dr. also Vin Santo W-Sw, Ag-3
6 BIANCO DELL'EMPOLESE W-Dr. also Vin Santo W-Dr/Sw, Ag-3
7 BIANCO DI PITIGLIANO W-Dr. also So
8 BIANCO PISANO DI SAN TORPE W-D(. also Vin Santo W-Sw. Ag-:
9 BIANCO VERGINE VALDICHIANA W-Dr, also Fz. Sp
10 BOLGHERI P-W-Dr
11 SOLFERINO di Castiglioncello
12 CARMIGNANO* Rosato P-Dr, also Fr. Vin Santo W-Dr/Sw, Ag-3
13 COLLI DELL'ETRURIA CENTRALE R-P-Dr, also Fz (red may be called Vermiglio). Vin Santo W-Dr/Sw. Ag-3.
14 COLLINE LUCCHESI R-W-Dr
15 ELBA R-W-Dr.also(W)Sp
16 MONTECARLO R-W-Dr
17 MONTESCUDAIO R-W-Dr, also Vin Santo W-Swl /Dr, Ag-3
18 MORELLINO DI SCANSANO R- Dr. Rs Ag-2
19 MOSCADELLO DI MONTALCINO W-Sw, also Fz. Ft
20 PARRINA R-P-W-DL Rs (R) Ag-3
21 POMINO R-Dr, Ag-l, Rs Ag-3. W- Dr. Vin Santo W-Dr/Sw. Ag-3
22 ROSSO DI MONTALCINO R-Dr
23 ROSSO DI MONTEPULCIANO R-Dr
24 VAL DI CORNIA R-P-W-Dr, Rs (R) Ag-3
25 VAL D'ARBIA W-Dr, also Vin Santo W-Sw, Ag-3
26 VERNACCIA DI SAN GIMIGNANO W-Dr. Rs Ag-l. also Liquoroso W-Sw-Ft
WHITE DRY
Ansonica del Giglio
Belcaro
Campo del Sasso
Canonico
Castelrapiti
Fontanelle
Fumaio
Galestro
Grattamacco Bianco
II Marzocco
II Vignola
I Sistri
Le Fagge
Le Grance
Libaio
Molino delle Balze
Nebbiano
Poggio alle Gazze
Poggio Garbato
Predicate del Muschio
Predicate del Selvante
Salterio
San Angelo
Solstizio
Terre di Tufo
Torniello
Torricella
Vigna al Poggio
Villa Antinori Bianco
Vinbrusco
RED-DRY

Solferino di Castiglioncello
Acciaiolo
Alte d'Altesi
Altero
Balifico
Barco Reale
Boscarelli
Bruno di Rocca
Brusco dei Barbi
Ca' del Pazzo
Cabreo II Borgo
Campaccio
Campora
Castello Banfi
Castelrapiti
Cepparello
Cetinaia
Codirosso
Coltassala
Concerto
Elegia
Flaccianello della Pieve
Fontalloro
For Duke
Gherardino
Ghiaie della Furba
Granchiaia
Grattamacco Rosso
Grifi
Grosso Sanese
II Sodaccio
Intistieti
I Sodi di San Niccolo
La Corte
La Gioia di Riecine
La Querce
Le Pergole Torte
Le Vignacce
Logaiolo
Messer Pietro di Teuzzo
Mormoreto
Nemo
Nero del Tondo
Ornellaia
Palazzo Altesi
Percarlo
Poggio Brandi
Predicate di Biturica
Predicate di Cardisco
Querciagrande
Ripa delle More
Roncaia
Rosso di Cercatoia
Sammarco
Sangioveto di Coltibuono
Sarmento
Sassicaia
Selezione di Bongoverno
Ser Gioveto
Sodole
Solaia
Solatio Basilica
Spargolo
Stielle
Tavernelle
Terricci
Tignanello
Vallocaia
Veneroso
Vigna II Chiuso
Vigna L'Apparita
Vigna Peperino
Vigorello
Vinattieri Rosso
Vine novello
OTHERS
Aleatico, R-Sw
Falchini Brut, W-Sp
Montellori Brut, W-Sp
Sarpinello, W-Sp
Sassolato, W-Sw
Villa di Caperzana Brut, W-Sp
HISTORY
Florence's region has shifted its stance in the last couple of decades from a complacent supplier of flask Chianti to the nation's most creative producer of premium wines.
Tuscany's revolution began in Chianti and the central hills around Siena but quickly spread to take in the coastal zones that were not previously noted for vineyards.
Much of the progress has come with classical reds, as illustrated by the fact that four of Italy's nine DOCGs are here - Brunello di Montalcino, Vine Nobile di Montepulciano, Chianti and Carmignano. But growing success with other reds (including the stylish table wines sometimes called "Super Tuscans") and a new breed of whites has enhanced the region's reputation.
Chianti, still the dominant force in Tuscan viniculture, I, has ranked as the most Italian of wines for decades. This P is partly because it is the most voluminous and widely sold classified wine, but also because it has a personality that cannot be pinned down; in its enigmatic way it is unequivocally Italian. Chianti can be light, easy, quaffable on the one hand, dignified, elaborate, austere on the other. It is produced in seven distinct subzones, including the original core area of Chianti Classic that cover a vast territory of central Tuscany. In these often rugged hills variations in soil and climate contribute as much to the individuality of each authentic estate wine as do oducers' quests for a personal style. These variations may confusing, but for consumers who persist Chianti offers some of the best quality for value in wine today.
Since Chianti was elevated to DOCG in 1984, its production has sharply diminished and its quality has markedly improved. Chianti may be identified by its sub districts, though only producers of Classico - whose consortium is symbolised by a black rooster - have made much of a geographical point so far. Many estates emphasise the name of a certain vineyard or area as a mark of distinction.
What Chianti has in common with all the classified red wines of Tuscany is its major grape variety Sangiovese. In the past varieties were often ended, but today the emphasis is strongly on Sangiovese. When the habitat is right, its superior clones - Montalcino's Brunello, Chianti's Sangioveto and Montepulciano's Prugnolo Gentile - must be ranked with Italy's, and the world's, noblest vines.
Tuscany's wine of greatest stature is Brunello di Montalcino, a DOCG from a fortress town south of Siena with reds of legendary power and longevity that have commanded lofty prices. Conceived by the Biondi Santi family a century ago, Brunello is now produced under scores of labels, representing small farms, established estates and even international corporations.
Brunello production averages less than 2 million bottles a year, but producers also make the DOCs of Rosso di Montalcino (a younger wine from Brunello vines) and sweet white Moscadello di Montalcino (from Moscato).
Not far from Montalcino is Montepulciano with its ine Nobile. The nobile entered the name centuries ago, apparently in homage to its status among the nobility.
The poet Francesco Redi described Montepulciano's red as "king of all wines". After a lapse of decades, Vine Nobile has made an impressive comeback under DOCG and is once again living up to its name. Similar to Chianti In composition, Vine Nobile can stand with the finest reserves. The DOC Rosso di Montepulciano is a younger alternative. Carmignano rates special mention as a wine singled out for protection by the Grand Duke of Tuscany in 1716. Today this rare red from Sangiovese and Cabernet has qualified as DOCG, though the town's rosé and Vin Santo remain as DOC. Pomino, which was also cited in the decree of 1716, is a high altitude DOC zone with a Chianti-type red and a special white which includes Chardonnay and Pinot. Among numer s other DOC reds, Morellino di Scansano, grown in the coastal hills of the Maremma, seems to have a promising future.
From good vintages, pure Sangiovese wines are rich in body and intricate in flavour with deep ruby-garnet colours. Some are smooth and round almost from the start, but others need years to develop the nuances of bouquet and flavour unique to well-aged Tuscan reds.
When conditions aren't right, reds from Sangiovese can be lean, harsh and bitter. That explains why some producers have planted other varieties to complement the natives. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot have made progress here.
By no means all the fine wines of Tuscany are classi fied. The production of up- scale vini da tavola, which began as a trend in the 1970s, is now an established fact Sassicaia and Tignanelio were the prototypes, but now there are dozens more that rank among the most esteemed and expensive red wines of Italy. Tuscan whites rarely enjoyed much prestige in the past, probably because most of them consisted of the pedestrian varieties of Trebbiano and Malvasia. Exceptions to the rule stand out from the crowd.
Vernaccia di San Gimignano, from the ancient Vernaccia vine, has enjoyed a rapid revival. The rich Vin Santo, pressed from semidried grapes and aged in small wooden barrels, can be an exquisite - or, sometimes, exotic - dessert or aperitif wine.
The best known white is Galestro, made by a group of producers equipped to process Trebbiano with other varieties in a fresh and fruity table wine that is deliberately light in weight. Recently, whites of more complexity and character have been devised in Tuscany, due to the introduction of such varieties as Chardonnay, Sauvignon and Pinot Bianco and Grigio, all of which are finding comfortable environments in cooler parts of the region's hills.
Since few of the new style wines are classified, a consortium of producers issues certain types under four categories: Predicate del Muschio for white based on Chardonnay; Predicate del Selvante for white based on Sauvignon Blanc; Predicate di Biturica for red based on Cabernet; Predicate di Cardisco for red based on Sangiovese.

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