Notes of one russian traveller: Fabrizio Dionisio

This time I'm eager to tell you guys about one of my most favorite places in the region of Cortona (dintorni di Cortona) - the winery Fabrizio Dionisio. And also, about one of the best wines here and, probably, in all Tuscany. Not that I am such a big expert. But it is the opinion of many experienced sommeliers and wine experts. The person who brings life to this winery is Marina about whom I will tell later here. The winery is situated in the beautiful place called Ossaia, and consists of the vineyards, the winery itself with several buildings where they produce and mature wine, - and the big main house. Also there is a little church where the countess is buried, and, by family legends and by the observations of people visiting this place, this countess's ghost still lives in the house. But anyway, the most beautiful place there is some kind of a terrace in front of the house, where, if there is a good weather, the they do wine tastings accompanied by a home-made focaccia or cheese pie. A table in the center, chairs around, under tall trees and with a view on vineyards, fields and on a Cortona hill. What can you ask more? Wine, friends around, amazing nature, peace and quiet and... home-made tuscan lunch or dinner. Time seems to stop when you get there.

I had a chance to learn about this place when I first came here in autumn to work in a culinary school "Belonika & Les Chefs". Marina Petrin (Kositsina) - d_wines - has been almost always with us during the time of the school: in autumn and this spring - and this is the reason why we have visited this winery many times. Marina is the person who is working on a winery: not only is she responsible of PR, promotion and popularization of the unique wines of Fabrizio Dionisio. But also she is always in the center of producing wines. When she starts to speak about her winery and wines - this sounds like a poetry or even an opera. You can't not fall in love with this.

Fabrizio Dionisio is Roman and he has bought this land with a house and vines in the end of 60's. He owns 15 hectares of vineyards, that include two sections: one near the winery and another - on a hill called Cuculaia. They grow only Syrah and make sound this wine amazingly beautiful. The quality is very high, because they take care of the vines all year round, they gather grapes by hands, and what is mostly precious - for their best wine Cuculaia they take only one best and most ideal bunch from each vine. All others are not being used.For Cuculaia and Il Castagno, after fermentation in steel vats - the not-yet-wine is being matured in barriques made from oak that gives these special notes of vanilla, tobacco, chocolate and others. The great thing about wines of Fabrizio - he never saves on quality. These barriques are being used only for the first 2 years, after what the most part of the taste goes away - so they buy new ones every second year. Il Castagnino is being fermented first in steel vats and after -in cement vats.

Now a little bit more about their incredible wine. First - it is L-O-V-E!

The very unique wine is Rosa del Castagno. First of all, this is Rose in Tuscany that itself is very rare case. And second - the only Rose in Italy made from Syrah. And it is amazing! The only problem is that it finishes too quickly :-S I am absolutely not a wine specialist, but this is something really unique: mineral, not sweet, fresh... for white fish, seafood, vegetable dishes - I think is perfect. But also itself without anything is amazing - especially when it's warm or hot. What I surely can't be silent about is their labels. How boring sometimes the labels are - Fabrizio's you want to take immediately. And why? - It's his daughter's job! After the eldest daughter made a label with a heart, the other one envied a little, so she made the one for the new wine, and the father decided to use it for the his new Rose. Bravo, Fabrizio, girls loooove ;)

Well, I have already told you about the simple but yet very tasty red wine Castagnino. It is also 100% Syrah and is a younger brother of Il Castagno. As a wine for everyday is perfect! It is not expensive (12 euros approximately) and has quite light taste. I will NOT say that it perfectly matches meat because, well... In Tuscany they drink red wine with everything, and I absolutely agree ;))

The wine Il Castagno, which is called as the winery itself, is a red wine with a deep taste and is sometimes an expensive delight in the restaurants (25 euro). Anyway, in my opinion, the prices for Fabrizio's wines are low, if we corellate the taste, quality, quantity and the money you spend. Their real price could be much higher.

And my favorite wine and their absolute proud is Cuculaia. My tuscan friends now know very well, which present to bring me to Moscow or how to make me absolutely happy here in Tuscany - bring me Cuculaia. And I can do almost everything for that ;) Just kidding, but I would be in seventh heaven. Absolutely delicate, very rich taste of the wine is uncomparable. Yet mineral and dry - not for the fans of sweety notes. I have already wrote about the details of it's producing, but I cannon be silent about some others. From 5000 vines they gather only 4 tons of grapes which is incredibly little. Only the best of the best can join the others to become afterwards Cuculaia. It is the best with beef chianina or I would advice - with pasta or risotto. In this case red wine matches absolutely amazing with primi piatti and not with meat, because I dont like to kill the wide and rich palette of Cuculaia. The price is very low for that wuality the wine brings - 35 euros in the enotec. So before they have raised the prices - I would advice you to try to find and try it.After I first tried it with Marina at the winery - I fell in love immediately. Who's fault is it - Marina's or the moment's or the beautiful weather's - nobody knows. The fact is just that it is the one and only. It can be compared with Sassicaia no doubt.

Not to mention is local tuscan lunches and dinners that prepare only one woman - Ines. And Ines is genious. Shy, quiet and hardworking - her dishes people can't forget for a long time. Focaccia with rosemary, home-made pasta with different meat ragouts, crostinis, pies... Unbelievable