The Magic Formula at Col d’Orcia: Brunello and Montalcino

Count Francesco Marone Cinzano owner and manager of Col d’Orcia, the largest certified organic vineyard in Tuscany, was in the house (virtually, of course) recently. With a terrific group of journalists and members of the media, I spent an hour learning about the winery, tasting exceptional wines of Brunello di Montalcino and Cabernet, and appreciating the estate’s history that dates from the 1700s. We were also privy to Count’s “magic formula” at Col d’Orcia. Read on.

As an introduction to the event, Count Cinzano stated that the mission at Col d’Orcia is “to produce the best wine” and the symbols on the label of each bottle explain. The three rows of hills indicate the link with the land. “It’s a family of farmers and wine is a consequence of farming,” shared Count. “The hand pointing upward shows the search for excellence and the quest for quality.”

The name “Col d’Orcia” means “the hill overlooking the Orcia River” and the estate is found between the hills of the River and Sant’Angelo in Colle, in the Siena Province of Tuscany. Vineyards are of loose soils rich in limestone and marl and are located at 1500 feet above sea level. This positioning helps protect the property against floods and hail. With a sunny Mediterranean climate, limited rainfall comes from the Tyrrhenian coast, about 21 miles away.

The land of Col d’Orcia has been recognized for centuries and is nestled in a natural park like setting – it’s also a UNESCO World Heritage site. The winery itself is one of the oldest established wineries of Montalcino and is an important element in the history of Brunello. Count Cinzano’s family, originally from Piemonte, purchased the property from Stefano Franceschi in 1973. At the time, Col d’Orcia was planted with an array of crops with only a few hectares under vine. With Count Alberto Marone Cinzano at the helm, about 70 hectares were planted and under his son Count Francesco Marone Cinzano, the estate expanded to include approximately 140 hectares. 108 hectares are designated as Brunello – Col d’Orcia is the third largest owner of Brunello vineyards in Montalcino.

The entire estate is comprised not only of vineyards, but gardens, olive groves, tobacco, and wheat fields. Count Cinzano shared that “about ten or eleven years ago, I chose to make Col d’Orcia fully organic.” Now, it’s farmed following strict organic agricultural practices that include biodynamic and sustainable farming, hand harvesting and pruning, dry farming and pest monitoring, use of organic fertilizers, and use of cover crops and erosion control. By 2013, all wines became certified as organic and to be honest, Col d’Orcia could be referred to as “an organic island in Montalcino.” Count Cinzano is also proud to be involved in research since the 1970s with the University of Florence. There, he and the students experiment with different clones of Sangiovese sourced predominantly from the estate’s Poggio al Vento vineyard. For more about this research and development, click here.

Once I tasted each of three wines (sent as samples), I understood the meaning behind the Count’s words, the “magic formula” of Brunello and Montalcino. Thanks to a “healthy climate, selection of Sangiovese, terroir of clay, sand and a variety of other soils, and high level of calcium in the limestone,” I found wines from Col d’Orcia beautifully balanced and superior representations of the variety and area.

Our first wine was Col d’Orcia Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2016. Intensely fresh aromas and flavors of purple plums, cherries, rosemary, sage, toast and vanilla spice were on a foundation of vibrant acidity and firm tannins. Full bodied and structured, the wine was aged for three years in Slavonian and French oak barrels with at least another year in the bottle before release. With its fruit filled finish, this wine was a joy to experience.

Sangiovese in Col d’Orcia “Poggio al Vento” Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2013 are from vines planted in 1974 within the single vineyard Poggio al Vento (windy hill). The vineyard is influenced by the winds from the sea and is the closest parcel to the Mediterranean coast. This wine is only produced in the best vintages and the Count feels that it’s “the essence of Brunello.” Elegant with finesse and structure, this stunner can be aged for up to ten years. On the nose, rich raspberries, red currants, spice, anise, and cocoa were mesmerizing. The palate offered plenty of body and complexity with abundant fruit notes. Aged for three years in Slavonian and French oak barrels then three years in the bottle prior to release, this “magic formula” is indeed an elixir.

Col d’Orcia “Olmaia” Cabernet Sauvignon Sant’Antimo DOC 2015 is an homage to “the innovative spirit and vision of Count Alberto Marone Cinzano,” Count Francesco’s father who planted Cabernet in the early 1980s on the Montalcino hills. The grapes in the wine are from vines in the Olmaia vineyard that was planted in 2005. The nose was exotic and enticing with notes of plums, cherries, black fruit, earth, herbs, and a dash of pepper. Balanced and full bodied from the first sip to the last, bright acidity, lush tannic structure and a round mouthfeel enveloped this outstanding Cabernet. The wine was aged for 18 months in new French oak (with a small amount in American oak) and another eight months in the bottle before release.

Count Francesco Marone Cinzano is a tireless ambassador for Brunello, Montalcino and Col d’Orcia. Truth be told, he’s part of the “magic formula,” too.

Cheers! ~ Cindy

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