Each month we highlight a place of interest around the globe that we consider as unique as Borgo di Vagli. The tips are selected as they either show respect for the environment, nature, and architectural beauty or are deeply indigenous to their individual origin and this month we encapsulate all of these components. This month Owners David Cooper and Melissa offer tips about wine-tasting in the area.
Borgo di Vagli – A Heaven for wine Lovers
By David Cooper and Melissa Mech
Borgo di Vagli owners have a passion for fine Italian wine. Fortunately, for us, Borgo di Vagli is located in close proximity to several notable and prestigious wine regions. To the west and north-west, there are the well-known DOCG regions that produce the famous Sangiovese-based wines, such as Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, and Chianti Classico. To the south there is a lesser-known area, centred around Montefalco in Umbria, that produces Sagrantino di Montefalco. And finally in our very own backyard, there is the Cortona DOC, where Syrah is the dominant grape.
The ability to visit local wineries is one of many things that makes owning a property in Tuscany so special. Whether it is for a tour and tasting or a leisurely wine pairing lunch, it is a great pleasure of oenophiles to visit the vineyards and cellars where their favourite wines are produced. Touring any winery is a totally sensory experience: seeing the vineyards and the grapes growing, feeling the soil, smelling the fermenting grapes (if you are fortunate to be visiting at harvest time), and building the connection to what ends up in your glass.
Over the years and having visited dozens of wineries, we have think we have figured out what makes up a good winery experience. While the quality of the wine produced at the winery is certainly important, other factors are critical as well. For us the two main factors that can make or break a visit is the quality of the winery tour and the wine tasting experience.
The biggest highlight for us is seeing the personal connection of the winery owners and producers to the wine. This adds tremendously to the experience. Wine-making is a passion and an art, so talking to the individuals behind the wines you drink can be an enriching and educational experience.
Another factor that comes into play is the quality of wines that are offered at a tasting. While nobody expects a winery to serve their top ‘reserva’ (except if you have paid for the privilege), serving a lower tier wine does the winery a great disservice. We can recall on one occasion visiting a relatively prestigious winery on a paid private tour and at the end being served a glass of their entry-level wine. Needless to say, we wrote a TripAdvisor review that probably hurt them more than the few cents it would have cost them to have served a higher quality wine. On the other end of the spectrum are wineries like Poliziano (near Montepulciano) that generously offer free tours and complete vertical tastings of all their wines. Most of the wineries we have visited over the years are somewhere in the middle in terms of their offerings.
One of the wonderful advantageous to belonging to Borgo di Vagli is the fantastic knowledge and relationships that Stefania and Daria have with many of the wineries in the region. Their unique connections allow them to book private visits for owners to wineries that are not normally open to the public. Below is a small sample of recommended wineries that we have visited.
Wineries
Montalcino
In the Montalcino area, there are several wineries specializing in the renowned Brunello di Montalcino wines. Two of these wineries -
Poggio Antico Winery (a medium-sized winery) and Castello Banfi (a large industrial-scale winery) have wonderful restaurants and it’s worth visiting both wineries for a tour and a pairing lunch. Caparzo winery also has a lovely private tour and tasting, and they produce an excellent olive oil, as well.
Montepulciano
Great private tours and tastings are available at these wineries outside of Montepulciano (on the road towards Cortona) that produce Vino Nobile di Montepulciano:
Tenuta Valdipiatta (small) – a winery on the road leading up the hill to Montepulciano when travelling from Cortona. They offer a variety of wine tasting experiences.
Poliziano (medium-sized) – a popular winery with friendly English-speaking staff that offers free tours and tastings.
Tenimenti Andreucci – a small winery just off the road between Montepulciano and Pienza.
Cortona
Villa Loggio - A small boutique winery run by a wonderful young couple, Hans and Sara Ensing. They offer a very pleasant wine tasting experience with modern Tuscan delicacies. Reservations are required.
Tenimenti d'Alessandro (medium-sized) – an excellent local Cortona winery that highlights in the best fashion the local Cortona style wines. The winery offers a variety of wine tasting/pairing experiences.
Avignonesi - A medium-sized winery renowned for their excellent wines, especially their famous Vin Santo. The winery also hosts an outstanding (although somewhat pricey) wine pairing lunch.
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