You gotta love a winery dog named Birra, Italian for beer. “The name of our dog is very funny,” says Gabriele Pocaterra, of Colline San Biagio, a family-owned winery in Tuscany’s Carmignano region. “It’s because we love beer too.” This type of playfulness is an indication of a family that doesn’t take itself too seriously, except when it comes to the quality of their wine; that’s something they take very seriously.

Gabriele Pocaterra. Photo: @collinesanbiagio on instagram — Gabriele Pocaterra. Photo: *@collinesanbiagio on instagram*

Colline San Biagio is within the Carmignano (kahr-mee-NYAH-noh) wine region, 12 miles west of Florence in the heart of the Tuscan countryside overlooking the Arno Valley and the plain of Pistoia. Since the 14th century, the area has been acknowledged for its high quality wines, and in 1716 Grand Duke Cosimo III de' Medici declared it one of the first designated Tuscan wine regions, along with Rufinà, Pomino, Chianti Classico, and Valdarno di Sopra. In 1932, the Carmignano wine area was lumped together with Chianti Montalbano DOC, where it remained until it was finally recognized as its own DOC in 1975, and then elevated higher to DOCG in 1990.

Yet Carmignano remains one of Tuscany’s most underappreciated wines, perhaps because of the area’s small size (270 acres) and modest wine production (30,000 cases of per year). However, despite the limited volume, these distinctive, terroir-reflective red wines are steadily gaining some of the well-deserved attention and affection that their neighbors Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Chianti and Chianti Classico regularly enjoy.

Carmignano, Unique in the World and Unique in Tuscany

Like most of Tuscany's traditional wine regions, Carmignano is planted predominantly with Sangiovese. However, the area’s uniqueness stems from 300+ years of blending a portion of French grapes with the local Sangiovese.

Now that’s what I would call the OG Super Tuscan, created centuries before the term was even coined!

Today, in order to be labeled ‘Carmignano,’ at least 10 to 20% of Cabernet Sauvignon or Cabernet Franc must be added to a predominantly Sangiovese-based blend.

And how did that come about? According to legend, it was Italian noblewoman Catherine de’ Medici who, during her reign as Queen of France in the 1500s, noticed that Bordeaux’s climate was quite similar to her native lands. Upon her return to Italy, she brought clippings of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc to Carmignano, thereby establishing a new varietal-blending tradition in the region.

Colline San Biagio

Colline San Biagio winery is located within the hamlet of Bacchereto, close to Vinci, where Leonardo da Vinci grew up. The family’s wine growing history in the area dates back hundreds of years and represents a story of dedication to this distinctive territory.

The winery’s vineyards are situated on the slopes of Montalbano with soils that characterize many of the best vineyard sites in Tuscany, a classic mix of Alberese marl limestone, galestro and sandstone. The Colline San Biagio wines’ soft and elegant texture derives from these soils, along with a microclimate characterized by sunlight, breezes, and a strong diurnal shift (warm days to ripen the grapes and cold nights that maintain the acidity). Red varieties of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot dominate the 20 to 40 year-old vineyards, as well as white varieties (allowed in the blend in small amounts) including Trebbiano and Malvasia.

At a recent Zoom seminar and tasting, third generation owner Gabriele Pocaterra, enthusiastically talked about his winery’s artisanal approach to winemaking in which they respect the entire process of growing grapes and making structured, yet elegant wines. An example of this philosophy is that the wines are released to the market when they are ready, not as soon as allowed. “We don’t sell our top wines unless we think they are ready, and each year is different,” says Pocaterra. “The minimum is one year in bottle, but usually we keep it much longer so they can relax and develop.”

Going into the tasting, I didn’t have any preconceived notions about Carmignano wines since I haven’t had much experience tasting them. If anything, I was expecting them to be good, but probably not memorable. Boy, was I wrong. These wines blew me away! With their bright acidity and savory and elegant fruit notes, they paired well with all types of food and I happily sipped them all week long.

TASTING NOTES

Colline San Biagio Rosato Balè 2019

A rosé made from a blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Sangiovese. Medium salmony-pink color, the wine has subtle but appealing red fruit notes with a hint of peach, melon and tangerine. The distinct mineral salinity, along with chalky notes, gives the wine a savory substance. With 14% alcohol, the wine is round and palate-enveloping, yet surprisingly light and bright, and would be excellent with a meal all year round. Pocaterra loves to drink this rosato with salmon, cheeses and pizza, as well as pasta with figs and light main courses like chicken breasts.

Colline San Biagio Toscana Vigna Toia IGT 2018

This wine is dedicated to Leonardo di Vinci, whose first painting of the magnificent Arno Valley panorama is represented on the label. On the back label, it states that the wine is produced from one of the Toia estate vineyards owned by the di Vinci family, where Leonardo spent much of his youth.

An equal blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet and Merlot, this slightly translucent ruby red wine has notes of cherry fruits along with hints of earth and soft dusty tannins. This is one of the winery’s lightest style blends—soft and elegant with well-balanced fruit, alcohol and structure.

Colline San Biagio Toscana Sangiovese Donna Mingarda 2017

This 100% Sangiovese is dedicated to Donna Mingara, an owner, during ancient times of convents, a chapel and a small farmhouse in San Biagio where the winery is located. “The wine represents the typical grape of our territory, Sangiovese,” says Pocaterra. “Donna Mingarda is the one who planted its roots and so we dedicate it to the lady who created everything.” With subtle and elegant notes of fresh and dried fruits, spices, and a distinct salinity, the wine has a invigorating tartness and less tannic grip than a typical Sangiovese.

Colline San Biagio Carmignano Sancti BlasII 2015

This is a big, juicy wine that pairs well with Florentine steak, and other hearty dishes, like pasta Bolognese. Dark red color, with a slight hint of brick on the rim—a sign of its nearly 6 years of bottle aging. Beautiful aromas of fruit and earth. Tasty and savory notes of cherry and strawberry jam, followed by tobacco, chocolate, spice and eucalyptus. A very concentrated wine that can still be enjoyed in the next 10 to 15 years with a good balance between acidity, fruit, alcohol and tannins. A good reflection of the Carmignano territory.

Colline San Biagio Quattordicisci Merlot 2015

A deep, dark ruby red color. Even bigger than the Carmignano Santi BlasII, this 100% Merlot bursts with dark red fruity aromas, both fresh and dried: cherry, blueberry and blackberry, and on the palate continues with notes of fresh and dried fruits, chocolate, licorice and eucalyptus. Soft but present tannins and a long finish. Hints of vanilla oak appeared after the wine had been open a couple of hours. This is a different kind of Merlot than you will find in other parts of Italy—one with more concentration. Enjoy with strong cheeses, beef stew, and lamb chops.