Marchesi de Frescobaldi is the biggest wine producer in Tuscany with 1200 hectares under cultivation in nine estates including the ones in Montalcino and Bolgheri, the oldest estate at Castello di Nipozzano holds a special charm for the family, as Bhavna Bahl discovered during her recent visit to the winery.
Dr. Diletta Frescobaldi, the daughter of Leonardo Frescobaldi (Vice President of the Frescobaldi group) started work for the family business in 2002. She is in-charge of marketing Marchesi dè Frescobaldi wines and also teaches about wines at an international school in Florence.
Diletta very kindly drove us from her Via S. Spirito office in the Florence city centre to Castello di Nipozzano in the North-East hills of Florence, in the Chianti’s Rùfina DOCG zone. The estate is 240 hectares (590 acres) of vineyard, roughly 25 kilometres from the centre of Florence. A Florentine fortress dating back 1000 years and a retreat for literary figures and artists in the Middle Ages, Castello di Nipozzano is the Frescobaldi family’s flagship wine estate.
According to Diletta, the popularity of this particular estate for wine tourism is rising due to the current times of recession as tourists are staying closer to the city and not travelling to far off vineyards. The estate has an Enoteca and a shop for visitors to enjoy the tasting experience of some of the best wines produced in the region at this estate and shop for wine related items.
The castle and its homonymous estate are located on the border between two different soil types – the Massiccio of the Mugello, whose sand-stone-derived soils favour the production of elegant, aromatic wines, and the Macigno of the Chianti area, with more marl-based soils that yield powerful wines, concentrated and firmly structured.
The three wines produced here are the Montesodi Riserva (Chianti Rùfina, DOCG), Mormoreto (Super Tuscan, IGT) and Nipozzano Riserva (Chianti Rùfina, DOCG).
The estate hills rolling down are planted with Sangiovese, which finds ideal conditions in Nipozzano. With the vineyards at an average height of 350 meters (1150 feet), the region is extremely well drained and enjoys a perfect exposure to the sunlight. From the late 1800s on, other noble varieties of grapes such as Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and above all the Cabernet Sauvignon, have become perfectly acclimated to Nipozzano.
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The modern stainless steel machinery at the estate– the grape crushers, presses and the mixers – stand out in the stark contrast with the natural beauty of the estate with the ancient castle in the backdrop. Foot stomping grape crushing festivals are apparently just a tourism gimmick now and all crushing today happens in hygienic mechanised machinery. Different parts of the estate display the old machinery that was used for wine-making, which is soon going to be placed in an area they plan to section off as a museum. French and American oak barrels are used in the processing.
We walked up to the castle where the estate’s cru wines are stored for aging. The castle is also where the family cellar is located. Wines of good vintage, as old as 1893, can be found in the cellar. When a new member is born in the family, 300 bottles of wine of the birth year put aside for sons in the cellar for their consumption in their lifetime and 100 for the daughters. Diletta claims that it is a sexist custom which must change. She also mentioned that the courtyard at the castle is often used by the family for wedding celebrations and parties. Standing there watching the view of the village Rùfina down below, one can sense the positional importance of the castle safe guarding over the village.
A path winding down a hillside abloom with wild iris (flower of Florence) brings us back to the Enoteca at the base of the estate. The walk takes us through an olive tree plantation. Besides their wines, Frescobaldi also produces Olive Oil (Laudemio) and formaggio (cheese), salame and prosciutto.
At the Enoteca, we do a tasting of their Nipozzano Riserva and Mormoreto.
Nipozzano Riserva 2005 (DOCG, Chianti Rùfina) – Composed of Sangiovese 90%, and complementary grapes (Malvasia nera, Colorino, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon). With an alcohol level of 13%, this wine has a ruby red colour. It releases a floral first-nose and follows up with a sweet, fruity bouquet. Last to emerge is a spicy note of cloves. It enters as a warm and dry, full bodied yet light wine with a long lingering, pleasant after taste. It is best served with barbecued meat and stews as well as aged cheeses, particularly the mature pecorino along with a touch of honey.
Mormoreto 2005 (IGT, Toscana)- A single vineyard cru of Castello di Nipozzano is a Super-Tuscan of great elegance- composed of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. Wine has alcohol level of 14% with a deep ruby red colour. The first-nose released is that of black current fruit, followed by cinnamon and thyme. On the palate, it has a velvety feel with a delayed flavour of chocolate as well as oak barrel in which it matures for 24 months. In my opinion, it is a meditation wine. It is best served with Tuscan Bistecca alla Fiorentina (Beef steak Florentine style) and with a heavy and cheesy vegetarian dish like Melanzane alla Parmigiana (Eggplant with parmesan cheese).
Along with the wines, we taste the Laudemio olive oil made from Frantoio, Moraiolo and Leccino olives, totally hand harvested and then pressed the same day at controlled temperatures in an olive press in one of the other Frescobaldi estates. It is dense, sparkling green oil with aroma of fresh cut hay with an intense flavour and the right degree of pungency.
It is a pity that the few houses in the estate have not yet been converted into a small hotel for tourists. The plan is on the anvil and it would be great to spend a few days on the estate, walking around the vineyard and taking in the heady scent of roses in full bloom...under the Tuscan sun!
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| Dr. Diletta Frescobaldi with the writer |
For those who are planning a trip to Florence, there is a restaurant and wine bar run by the Frescobaldi family by the name of Dei Frescobaldi at Via de’Magazzini, very close to Piazza della Signoria. The food is among the best I have tried in Florence and the Sommelier is very helpful with his suggestions of the Frescobaldi wines. The latest vintage of the Mormoreto (2006) was just out a few days after we visited Nipozzano, which we had with our Pumpkin Ravioli with amaretto and Grilled Cod in white sauce.
Mormoreto 2006 is matured for an additional 6 months (after 24 months in oak barrels) in the bottle before marketing. It has a deep purple colour with a frutta di bosco (berry fruits of the forest) aroma with a velvety feel on the palate.
Bhavna Bahl
Bhavna Bahl is the new wave of young women who love wine. Particularly fond of Italian wines, she had gone to study the Italian language and cooking in Florence when she took the opportunity to visit a few wineries. She also runs Beleza...by the beach, a new resort in South Goa. |
