Florence cooking class and wine tasting is held at Castello del Trebbio. As I was saying in the previous blog instalment, the Castello del Trebbio is past Fiesole towards the Mugello but with a final twist eastward that eventually places it the twin Valdisieve valley always in the province of Florence.
Alberto Peroni is already waiting for us outside the Trebbio’s shop and tasting parlour. We have to wait a little as we are part of a somewhat larger group who is about to be formed .
We take advantage poking our noses at the various wine bottles on display and the place itself is worth admiring as it presents all the classic quintessentially Tuscan traits of stylish refurbishing.
Actually as I am really curious about wines, I ask Alberto a quick resumé of the Trebbio’s best. Meanwhile I’m looking forward to taste them at home. I don’t drink when I’m driving as my daughter Carmen had already cautiously bought 1 bottle for each of Trebbio’s best .
she said she would then also want to try the Vin Santo and a sparkling wine produced in the Classic Method, a Brut coming from Chardonnay and Trebbiano) .
Alberto explains that certainly there’s traditional Chianti of the Rufina subzone which still keeps to the Sangiovese vine but the area is also really an excellent territory for other grape varietals such as Merlot which under their care is capable of fully expressing all of its elegance.
Along with traditional Sangiovese based wines, such as their Chianti DOCG and Chianti Rufina Riserva “Lastricato,” they produce another line of wines sold under the “Vigneti Trebbio” label. These modern concept wines are created from grape varietals new to the area. With professional handling in the vineyards and cellars, these varietals have found momentum in the Chianti Rufina region.
To connect wine production to the history of the castle mainly owing its fame to the Pazzi family and to the famous plot to kill the Medici (Giuliano and his brother Lorenzo later called “il Magnifico” or “The Magnificent”) in the late XV century, Alberto said they also offer three wines, whose names actually strike a meaningful note especially in Italian.
The first is the “Pazzesco”. It can be translated as mind-boggling, wonderful or even unbelievable. It’s a pun playing on the name of the Pazzi family which literally means “The mad ones”) .
Pazzesco is the outcome of a blend between Merlot and Syrah and is now an institution at the Castle.
Next comes Congiura (literally “plot or conspiracy”), an excellent white wine made from the union of Riesling and Pinot Grigio. The last one is called De ‘Pazzi, a blend of Sangiovese, Merlot and Syrah . It achieves unique characteristics during its refinement in amphorae (large terra cotta vessels).
We are summoned for the castle tour. Maureen and Audrey are already crossing the road in front of the shop to get to the castle just opposite. Alberto’s eyes sparkle glee when he’s talking about his Trebbio wines. That’s when I learn that all of trebbio’s wines age in traditional, large oak casks.
“Lastricato” and “Pazzesco” additionally spend some months in smaller and medium barriques and tonneaux. Then they age in bottlesfor at least six months.