The Frescobaldi family have been cultivating Tuscan land for more than 700 years…30 generations. As South African wine lovers we can only guess at the depth of the accumulated wine knowledge they must share, given that we find 3rd generation winemakers remarkable. This specific family is credited for establishing Tuscany as one of the two most revered wine producing areas in Italy and therefore a viable place to start when introducing Italian wines.
In the 13th Century, Dino Frescobaldi (poet) (lover-of-women...given the sonnets), is known for saving the first seven cantos of Dante Alighieri’s ‘Divine Comedy’, allowing him to finish it. The poem today is widely considered one of the greatest literary works composed in the Italian language. From the famous ‘Inferno’ it details Dante’s journey through hell, through ‘Purgatorio’ and finally paradise. What Dino did for Italian literature, his family did for Tuscan wine. By introducing the then unknown varietals of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay to the perfectly taciturn soils of Tuscany, they elevated the area’s wines to the status they enjoy today.
With seven estates, all family run, this is a business that speaks of a family united in their cause - to produce wine imbued with the spirit of the soil. Virtual travel if you will, for the price of a bottle you get to walk the Tuscan hills for as long as that bottle lasts.
Savour it or cellar it, or just buy the plane ticket.
