In the Heart of Tuscany, near the coast but a little inland, between Cecina and Volterra for those who know the area, is a little piece of quiet paradise called Agroturismo Fattoria Statiano.
Surrounded by protected and nearly untouched national parks, it is home to a passionate and lovely couple called Tina and Paolo, passionate with their land, passionate with their Azienda, and more importantly passionate with their vino.
During a busy wine trip in between two major events of the world of wine (namely the Feminalise World Wine Competition and the Vinitaly professional Italian wine fair), I had the immense pleasure of stopping by to meet the local people experience for a day the local lifestyle.
Quick History of Fattoria Statiano
Fattoria di Statiano is a small family run business, result of the great passion of a family, and more importantly of a coupl of their land and farm.
In the 1950’s Ettore Castaldi bought the Statiano farm with its 70 hectares of fields, woods and an ancient house dating back from 1750s
Starting in 2001 Tina and Paolo restored the old house creating a farmhouse agritourism to be able to welcome guests and have them to experience to local lifestyle. The Fattoria di Statiano was born.
Tina underwent a great change in her life moving from a city on the coast to the middle of the countryside. Today, she loves welcoming guests and preparing breakfast and meals. She also more importantly loves sharing cooking classes with kids, and sometimes even adults.
Paolo had been working in biological agriculture for 30 years when he joined Tina on the farm. He had also experience growing grapes in other areas of Tuscany. It was therefore natural for him to apply his skills to growing organic grapes on the estate.
Vineyard & Winemaking
Today, Fattoria Statiano grows organically 1.5 hectares (nearly 4 acres) of Sangiovese on a single slopy vineyard.
The vineyard was planted in 2003 and is divided into two area to even better adapt the viticultural practices. For example, the lower part containing a little more water, natural grass cover is left to encourage some competition with the vines and concentrate the grapes.
Soil here is a limestone clay, with some lime as well as sand and a few rocks.
About 3 tons of grapes are produced annually.
Consultant Vincenza Folgheretti is in charge of winemaking, ensuring as natural and respectful of the grapes an approach to making wine as possible, in line with Tina and Paolo’s vision. The aim here is to produce a wine like no other, with the unique expression of the local area were in fact little vines are grown today while in History much quality wine production was recorded.
The Montecastelli IGP
Like if renovating a 3-century old farm and planting vines in a remote part of Tuscany wasn’t enough, Tina and Paolo also went to the length of having a new local appellation: the Montecastello IGP (Indicazione di Origine Controllatta).
In their part of Tuscany, there wasn’t appellation to recognize the typicity of the small, but distinct wine production. Tina & Paolo therefore went around to talk with local producer to try and convince them to support them in establishing a new appellation.
They put together all the administrative paperwork to demonstrate the need for such a new recognition, and establish the typicity of local wines.
After much efforts, in 2006 was finally recognized the new Montecastelli IGP under which are labeled Fattoria Statianio’s wines as well as a few local producer’s vini.
The IGP’s production area covers the entire administrative areas of the Castelnuovo Val di Cecina Volterra and Pomarance communes in the Pisa province.
The Wine
I had the pleasure of tasting the current release of the Fattoria Statiano red, paired with local food.
Here are my tasting notes & Score: 89/100 points
The wine comes in a bright red color of medium intensity, but shiny and vibrantly red to the rim.
The nose is dominated by crisp, juicy and vibrant again notes of little red berries: blueberry and cherry. There are touches of riper berries too, like blackberry but also plum int there.
Add some peppery spices and you have a nose that appeals from the freshness of its approach.
On the palate, tannins are quite smooth for Sangiovese, delivering a soft velvety feel, on a medium body and good acidity.
The outstanding feature in this wine, like detected on the nose, is the juiciness of the fruit character. Combined with a distinct saltiness providing minerality, it makes you salivate positively and want to go for another sip.
There is depth and length too, together with touches of earthiness highlighting the wine’s authentic expression of its terroir.
A wine filled with plenty of personality, local and genuine expression of Tuscan Sangiovese in a pure expression of the fruit which is quite rare and enjoyable, the result of much passion for organic farming of the vines.
Check Out Fattoria Statiano in Video
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