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BADIA A COLTIBUONO

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BADIA A COLTIBUONO

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ABOUT THE WINERY

There are few other wineries anywhere that have such an aura of vinicultural history as that of Badia a Coltibuono. In Europe, it is not too difficult to find wineries that have origins dating back one, two, three, even five centuries, but the edifice at Badia a Coltibuono has been watching over winemaking for almost a thousand years—and the building was constructed long after wine was first made on the property. Grapeseeds and amphorae from the first century A.D. Roman period—evidence of wine production—have been found at an archaeological dig on the property, and even earlier ruins from the wine-savvy Etruscan culture are present as well.

That is not to say that Badia a Coltibuono was designed specifically as a winery all those years ago. It was established as an abbey (badia) in 1051 by St. Giovanni Gualberto, the founder of the Vallumbrosan Order of Benedictine monks. Of course, wine production was an important element of monastical life, and the Vallumbrosans may have been the first to cultivate Sangiovese in Tuscany. The abbey’s name, Coltibuono, can be translated as “Good Cultivation” or “Good Harvest,” perhaps indicating the importance of viticulture there. 

Today, the Badia a Coltibuono estate in the Chianti Classico commune of Gaiole in Chianti is led by the fifth generation of family members: Emanuela, Paolo, and Roberto Stucchi Prinetti. There are 150 acres of vineyards on the property, along with another 50 acres of olive trees. This being Chianti Classico, Sangiovese is naturally the most important grape variety planted. However, the family honors Chianti’s heritage by also keeping significant numbers of vines of other traditional varieties that are allowed but often omitted in Chianti Classico: Canaiolo Nero, Ciliegiolo, Colorino, Foglia Tonda, Malvasia Nera, Mammolo, Pugnitello, and Sanforte (as well as Trebbiano and Malvasia for Vin Santo). From these building blocks, Badia a Coltibuono makes a robust range of wines from the traditional to the innovative.

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WINERY LOCATION: Gaiole in Chianti, Tuscany
REGION: Chianti Classico DOCG, Chianti DOCG, Vin Santo del Chianti Classico DOC, IGT Toscana
VINEYARD LAND: 150 acres (60 ha) estate vineyards, with additional vineyards under contract
FARMING PRACTICES: Sustainable, Organic & Certified Organic
GRAPE VARIETIES: Sangiovese; small amounts of Canaiolo, Ciliegiolo, Colorino, Foglia Tonda, Malvasia, Malvasia Nera, Mammolo, Pugnitello, Sanforte, and Trebbiano
WINE STYLES: Dry red, sweet dessert, grappa
TOTAL WINE PRODUCTION: 245,000 bottles (183,750 liters)
YEAR FOUNDED: 1846 (1957 as a commercial winery)
OWNER(S): Emanuela, Paolo, and Roberto Stucchi Prinetti
WINEMAKER(S): Roberto Stucchi Prinetti, with consultant Maurizio Castelli

WINES

CULTUSBONI "COLMAIA" ORGANIC SANGIOVESE TOSCANA IGT

Colmaia is a new Sangiovese Toscana IGT, from organically grown grapes, born to offer a fresh crisp and modern wine that is affordable but with the quality that is expected from the iconic Badia a Coltibuono winery.  "Colmaia" refers to the verb Colmare - meaning to top off a container - but also to the colmatore, which is the traditional glass air-lock that is used as the closure in tuscan botti (casks).

CULTUSBONI “CETAMURA” CHIANTI DOCG

Badia a Coltibuono developed Cetamura (pronounced chay-ta-MOO-ra) in the late 1980s to apply the know-how developed in the production of the estate wines to the goal of producing an excellent value wine. The goal was, and still is, to show the true character, quality, and style of Tuscany in an elegant, drinkable, and food-friendly form. The Coltibuono Cetamura Chianti is a young and fresh Sangiovese for every day. The Cetamura name comes from a hamlet on the Badia a Coltibuono estate where archeologists have excavated remains of a medieval fort, an earlier Roman villa, and an even earlier Estruscan town. Finds at Cetamura include evidence of viticulture more than 2,000 years old.

CULTUSBONI “RS” CHIANTI CLASSICO DOCG

Cultusboni RS Chianti Classico was created with the goal of showing a more contemporary style of Chianti Classico made with only Sangiovese. Each year, the winery sources grapes from different areas in Chianti Classico, looking to build the complexity that comes from the many distinctive characters of Sangiovese in different terroirs. The winemaker likes this wine so much, he put his initials on it.  With the 2018 vintage winery decided to update the brand name to Cultusboni, which shares the same meaning of Coltibuono or "good harvest" in Latin.   

BADIA A COLTIBUONO CHIANTI CLASSICO DOCG

The estate Chianti Classico is central in representing Badia a Coltibuono’s vision and relationship with its place and its history. Using the traditional blend of Sangiovese and complementary varieties, as well as the choice of propagating vines the traditional way - by massal selection - taking cuttings from many top-performing vines rather than a single vine for cloning - has always been the backbone of the wine. Modern techniques such as vinification by gravity are used to bring forth the best expression of the fruit, but traditional approaches, from indigenous yeast fermentation to aging in oak casks rather than barriques, are central to the authenticity of the wine. The winery's long-established organic practices are also fundamental in the development of the truly unique character of the grapes.

BADIA A COLTIBUONO CHIANTI CLASSICO DOCG RISERVA

Badia a Coltibuono Chianti Classico Riserva represents the estate’s history and a significant part of the history of Chianti. Like the annata (the non-riserva version), this wine uses a traditional blend of Sangiovese and complementary varieties. For the Riserva the grapes are coming from the oldest vineyard sites in Monti-in-Chianti & Gaioli-in-Chianti. As a testimony to its long history and traditions, the estate is the proud possessor of a unique patrimony of old Riserva wines which date back as far as 1937.

BADIA A COLTIBUONO “MONTEBELLO” TOSCANA IGT

Montebello is a modern study on classic Chianti. High proportions of Sangiovese are standard today, but traditionally Chianti was made from field blends that included up to 100 different varieties. An homage to that older tradition and rather than focusing on Sangiovese (or international varieties), the winery uses an assemblage of nine of Chianti’s most important indigenous red varieties in equal parts for Montebello. Each variety is fermented and aged individually and then blended after a year of barrel aging. Montebello is a unique and complex antithesis to the contemporary single-variety obsession.

BADIA A COLTIBUONO “SANGIOVETO DI TOSCANA” TOSCANA IGT SANGIOVESE

Sangioveto is the traditional name for Sangiovese in Chianti. In 1980 when Badia a Coltibuono created this wine, a pure Sangiovese wine was not allowed in Chianti Classico, so the wine could not be labeled with the DOCG name. While many winemakers were innovating by using international varieties with or instead of Sangiovese, Badia a Coltibuono innovated in the other direction—making one of the first 100% Sangiovese Super Tuscans as a statement about Sangiovese and its value and quality in Chianti Classico. The wine is as an expression of Chianti and Sangiovese pride, always from older vineyards and aged in barriques after an extended maceration on the skins. Though 100% Sangiovese wines are now allowed in Chianti Classico DOCG, the winery has chosen to keep its original IGT status.

BADIA A COLTIBUONO “CULTUS” CHIANTI CLASSICO DOCG RISERVA

The Cultus Boni is Badia a Coltibuono’s more modern expression of Chianti Classico. It is still made with a traditional blend of Sangiovese and other varieties—in fact, using eight historical Chianti varieties making up 20% of the blend—but it is aged in barriques rather than large oak casks. Modern techniques such as vinification by gravity along with Badia a Coltibuono’s long-established organic practices are used to bring forth the best expression of the grapes. Cultus in Latin, like in colti in Italian, means “cultivation.”

BADIA A COLTIBUONO VIN SANTO DEL CHIANTI CLASSICO DOC

Vin Santo has probably been produced at the Coltibuono Abbey for almost a thousand years, and since 1846 in the family. Vin Santo is the traditional hospitality wine and the true Tuscan vino del contadino (farmer’s wine). The sharecroppers would hide a barrel of it in the attic of the farmhouse because it was made for use of the family. Using the traditional process, Trebbiano and Malvasia are picked early and dried into raisins indoors before being fermented and aged in sealed barrels stored in attics for 6 years. With its sweet intensity, vibrant acidity, and unique combination of nuttiness and dried fruit notes, Badia a Coltibuono Vin Santo is way more than a typical dessert wine.

BADIA A COLTIBUONO VIN SANTO DEL CHIANTI CLASSICO DOC OCCHIO DI PERNICE

Badia a Coltibuono Vin Santo Occhio di Pernice is a variant on the classic Tuscan sweet dessert wine. Vin Santo is the region’s traditional hospitality wine, made using grapes that have been picked early and dried into raisins indoors before being fermented and aged in sealed barrels stored in attics for several years. While the usual version is made with Trebbiano and Malvasia, Occhio di Pernice is instead made with Sangiovese. Being made from red grapes gives this Vin Santo an extra layer of complexity and its unique dark brownish-amber color that is reminiscent of the "occhio di pernice" or eye of a partridge.

BADIA A COLTIBUONO GRAPPA RISERVA

Badia a Coltibuono Grappa Riserva is a barrel-aged spirit made from the pomace of Sangiovese grapes that have finished fermentation. After the wine is drained and the skins have been pressed, the skins are distilled artisanally to recover the alcohol from them, along with minute amounts of flavor and aroma compounds. The resulting liquor is then given long aging in barrels to achieve gentleness.

LOCATION


WINERY:
Gaiole in Chianti, Tuscany

VINEYARD:
Gaiole in Chianti, Tuscany

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NEWS AND REVIEWS FROM OUR FRIENDS IN THE INDUSTRY



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95
OCTOBER 2020
Badia a Coltibuono Vin Santo del Chianti Classico DOC 2011

A nutty, succulent style, this features apricot, caramel, brown butter and walnut aromas and flavors. Beautifully balanced, with bracing acidity countering the oily texture. Wonderful harmony and length. Drink now through 2032. 750 cases made, 300 cases imported.

93
SEPTEMBER 2021
Badia a Coltibuono Vin Santo del Chianti Classico DOC 2012

The 2012 Vin Santo del Chianti Classico is a very pretty and classic Vin Santo from white grapes. Roasted almond, dried flowers, nutmeg and light brown sugar all grace this mid-weight, nicely layered Vin Santo. Elegant and effusive in the glass, with striking aromatic presence, the 2012 is a winner.

94
SEPTEMBER 2019
Badia a Coltibuono “Montebello” Toscana IGT 2015

What happens when you blend the indigenous grapes Mammolo, Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Ciliegiolo, Colorino, Foglia Tonda, Malvasia Nera, Sanforte and Pugnitello? You get the 2015 Montebello. This is a beautifully intense and curious wine in that it challenges you to come up with precise clues to identify the individual grapes. The bouquet is broadly projected like a wide-screen television, with cherry, blackberry, spice, tar and licorice. The depth and complexity of this vintage is particularly attractive. There is crisp acidity at the end of this mid-weight delivery that makes this wine great for fatty cuts of beef or lamb. This wine may not be for everyone, but I definitely got a charge here. Only 6,800 bottles were produced. - ML

91
JUNE 2023
Badia a Coltibuono Chianti Classico DOCG 2021

The 2021 Chianti Classico is terrific. Bright and vibrant, with tons of Sangiovese character, the 2021 is everything Chianti Classico should be. Bright red cherry fruit, blood orange, mint, spice and tobacco are all nicely amplified in this juicy, wonderfully inviting Chianti Classico. The 2021 is one of the best edition of this wine I have tasted recently

95
APRIL 2021
Badia a Coltibuono Vin Santo del Chianti Classico DOC Occhio di Pernice 2007

Driven by honey and molasses, the Badia a Coltibuono 2007 Vin Santo del Chianti Classico Occhio di Pernice is a pure beauty. Made with organic fruit, this dessert wine opens to a dark copper color and beautifully intense aromas of dried fruit, fig, honey, brown sugar and maple syrup. There is a vein of heat and warmth there that underlines the sweetness and the ripeness of the fruit.

92
FEBRUARY 2023
Badia a Coltibuono Chianti Classico DOCG 2020

From estate vineyards in southern reaches of Chianti Classico’s Vagliagli and Gaiole UGAs, Sangiovese is complemented by local varieties Canaiolo Nero, Ciliegiolo and Colorino. Following the hot summer, these were harvested in the last two weeks of September. The bright ruby hue is matched by equally lively aromas of medicinal herbs and roots suffused with red summer berries. Wild cherry and mint repeat on the palate. midweight and elegant, it is effortlessly balanced with crunchy acidity, light chalky tannins and digestible alcohol. Not a long ager but joyful – and so Sangiovese.

92
OCTOBER 2023
Badia a Coltibuono “Sangioveto di Toscana” Toscana IGT Sangiovese 2018

A multifaceted red, featuring cherry, strawberry, floral, iron, tobacco and oak spice aromas and flavors. Just when you think this is ready to enjoy, the firm, dense structure engages, leaving a stiff, if long, finish. Best from 2025 through 2042.

91
SEPTEMBER 2020
Badia a Coltibuono Chianti Classico DOCG 2018

The 2018 Chianti Classico is a very pretty, enticing wine. Crushed flowers, sweet red cherry, pipe tobacco, cedar and mint all grace this exquisite, ethereal Chianti Classico from Coltibuono. All the elements simply fall into place effortlessly. Silky tannins round things out in style. This is such a beguiling Chianti Classico.