Le Cinciole Petresco 2017

Le Cinciole are physically and philosophically off the beaten track. A small 30 hectare farm, set high in the hills of Panzano made up of ancient vineyards, olive groves and forest, known through the centuries as ‘Le terre di Quintius’ (land of Quintius) which Luca and Valeria have bastardised to ‘Le Cinciole’.

Luca and Valeria arrived in 1991 having left their family business in Milan, with the ambition of fulfilling their own idyll: the creation of a genuine and elemental farming project, whose products carry geographic and historical roots and are made in harmony with the environment. That sounds a little too like a personal manifesto, which implies a pretension that simply does not exist at Le Cinciole; they do have a Lamborghini, and it is an old tractor.

Le Cinciole has 10 hectares of vineyard, which have been farmed organically since the off and there has been a natural creep into biodynamic farming. The security of the organic production is ensured as today, over 90% of the community of Panzano’s production is organic, with vineyards broken by woodland and pastures; it is a unique and beautiful commune.

The vineyards are at an altitude of 470m with a southeast aspect within the Conca d’Oro of Panzano in the district of Greve. The soils are typical galestro, pieces of slate mixed into clay and sand. The cellar has been completely refurbished, it is simple and elegant, there is not much steel, concrete and botti are preferred for fermentation and ageing. Clay amphora (7.5hl) from the Trento are performing well, there are also tonneaux and barrique.