Tenuta degli Dei
Panzano in Chianti
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![Tenuta degli Dei Forcole Chianti Classico DOCG]()
Tenuta degli Dei Forcole Chianti Classico DOCG
An elegant and smooth Chianti Classico, easy to drink, with a beautiful body and fine structure. Without being too powerful!
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![Tenuta degli Dei Cavalli Toscana Rosso IGT]()
Tenuta degli Dei Cavalli Toscana Rosso IGT
A velvety soft Merlot with plenty of spice from Alicante. Dark berries characterize the fruit aromas, a wine with beautiful structure and length.
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![Tenuta degli Dei Redini Toscana Rosso IGT]()
Tenuta degli Dei Redini Toscana Rosso IGT
An elegant red wine made from international grape varieties, with fruit aromas of dark berries and fruit, an elegant acid-tannin structure and great length.
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![Tenuta degli Dei Foho Fiorentino]()
Tenuta degli Dei Foho Fiorentino
"Spicy" is the name of the game here. But the spiciness is very easy to dose thanks to the spray bottle. Wonderful for use with anything that is already prepared and needs to be individually seasoned!
Tenuta degli Dei
Once you pass the gate of Tenuta degli Dei, you enter another world - a world that seems a little more beautiful and elegant. Along the road that slopes gently down into the valley, horses gallop across the paddocks, vines nestle on the slopes in between and llamas greet you from the left over the gate. The two dogs belonging to Tommaso Cavalli, who lives and works here on the estate, also greet you loudly. Tommaso's father, the Italian fashion designer Roberto Cavalli, bought the estate in San Leolino in Panzano in Chianti in the early 1970s.
Roberto and Tommaso Cavalli
For a long time, the designer, who came from Florence, used the estate as a refuge from the hustle and bustle of the glitz and glamor world. Tommaso Cavalli and his family have lived on the estate, which covers around 70 hectares of land, since 1989. And it was he who turned the country house into a productive business. The basis for this, however, was the breeding of trotting horses, with which Tommaso is still extremely successful internationally today.
Young winery
The Tenuta degli Dei has only been dedicated to viticulture since 2000. However, Tommaso sought support for this - and not just anyone, but none other than the star oenologist Carlo Ferrini. As Tommaso thought it was a shame that no wine should grow here in one of the best wine-growing regions in the world, he invited Ferrini to take a look at the land. And Carlo Ferrini was of the same opinion as Tommaso: "The terroir and the sites: outstanding! The sunniest locations at an altitude of 400 to 450 meters above sea level. And the soil: rich in Galestro. All in all, the ideal conditions for viticulture.
Sangiovese & friends
Together, the two decided to grow only international grape varieties. As a result, only Alicante, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot grow on the five hectares of vineyards at Tenuta degli Dei today. It was only a few years after the estate was founded that Tommaso acquired additional vineyards planted exclusively with Sangiovese grapes for the Chianti Classico. Other vineyards, whose grapes are also processed at Tenuta degli Dei, are located on the family's estate in Florence. Over 1,800 Alicante vines grow here. In contrast to the Conda d'Oro, however, the temperatures in these vineyards remain high during the day and at night and the soil is clayey.
Forcole, Redini & Cavalli
The first Cavalli wine to be produced was a blend of five international grape varieties. Le Redini, a cuvée of Alicante and Merlot, was produced later. Since 2013, Cavalli has also been producing a Chianti Classico called Forcole. Cavalli's wines show off the terroir to its full advantage, while still retaining a cosmopolitan side. Incidentally, the conversion from conventional farming to organic and sustainable farming is in full swing.
Heavenly pleasure
A special feature of Cavalli wines is that they are produced on the Tenuta degli Dei - which translates as "God's vineyard" - with a heavenly blessing. This is because vinification and ageing take place in the immediate vicinity - or actually within the walls - of the church of San Leolino. This is because the premises where the grapes are processed are wall to wall with the church. "Some days," smiles Tommaso, "we can listen to the Bible being read while picking the grapes."
Blessing from above
The vaults of the old wine cellar also receive a kind of blessing from above, as these ancient walls are located directly below the church. Incidentally, the parish church of San Leolino dates back to 982 and was rebuilt in the Romanesque style in the 12th century. The church and its forecourt served as the backdrop for many scenes in the 1958 film "A Journey into Happiness" with Rudolf Prack and Waltraut Haas. And when it is very quiet, you might hear the Chianti song ringing through the vineyards. today also the theme song for the podcast "A glass of wine with Nina in Chianti"
Cavalli - highest quality
The name Cavalli stands for products of the highest quality all over the world: from the creations of fashion designer Roberto Cavalli to the precious grappa, which is made from the company's own grape marc, to Roberto Cavalli Vodka. Recently, Cavalli has also launched a gin - Ginarte, refined with herbs from Tuscany. Another "hot" delicacy is the Foho Fiorentino olive oil. Hot because "Foho" means fire and because it is also a peperoncino oil.
