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In Grignano, where Sangiovese marries… the sewing machine and is made like a made-to-measure suit

In Grignano, in what was once the historic home of Caterina de' Medici, Tommaso Inghirami produces wines that he has elevated to "Ambassadors" of Sangiovese

In Grignano, where Sangiovese marries… the sewing machine and is made like a made-to-measure suit

Put together the collector's passion for sewing machines and Sangiovese and here comes one on the table Singersangio bottle, wine that reinterprets the main vine of Tuscany, declined in red, to be tasted fresh, no wood, fruity notes, light spiciness, or in white, thanks to the irreverent choice of making Sangiovese this way, and finally obviously in rosé.

The label, you know va sans dire, is a Singer sewing machine. It takes place in Grignano villa, an enchanted place a stone's throw from Florence, historical residence of Caterina dei Medici who then gave it as a gift to his banker and confessor Cardinal Henry de Gondi, and then passed on to other owners up to the 70s, when he bought it, at the Inghirami family of Borgo Sansepolcro, well-known name of Italian textile-fashion. Who doesn't know the Ingram shirt?! «Since I was a child I have had a passion for sewing machines – he says today Tommaso Inghirami who is at the helm of the company – These represent the history of my family, the projects and the challenges we faced. I decided to create a line "embroidered" on my passion; because in the end sewing a dress is not so far from making wine. You have to transform a material, therefore you have to know it, study it down to the smallest detail and bring it to its best evolution and the driving force is, as always, passion».

In the Villa di Grignano, the young Tommaso has a private collection of over 300 hand-cranked sewing machines, used since the end of the 1800s

In the Villa di Grignano, the young Tommaso has a private collection of over 300 hand-cranked sewing machines, used from the end of the 1800s until after the Second World War. A symbol of the family, which is due to the grandfather, Fabio Inghirami, who with 24 Singer sewing machines, bought thanks to a loan from his parents, revolutionized the world of Italian fashion. With the acquisition of the estate, the project for the redevelopment and enhancement of the 600 hectares of land that composes it was launched, of which 50 are planted with vineyards, 200 with olive groves, 100 with arable land and 250 with woods. In 1999 the Inghirami family then bought the Fattoria Pievecchia, expanding the extension of Grignano. dFor more than 50 years, two DOCGs and one DOC have been produced in Grignano. Ecosystem's staff is Chianti Rufina Portrait of the Cardinal: it has a delicate contribution of wood, it is aged only in barrels, enhancing the fruit and floral notes of the Sangiovese which stand out with a small addition of Canaiolo (8 euros in the cellar, 15/20 on the shelf). The Poggio Gualtieri Chianti Rufina Reserve: from vines over 20 years of age, with very low planting densities and yields, a brilliant and silky Sangiovese is obtained which, due to its great power, benefits from aging in barrique.

the Terreelectae project which aims to qualify wines in the Riserva category by elevating them to "ambassadors" of Sangiovese.

Harvested by hand, around 20 bottles are made (15 euros in the cellar, around 30 on the shelf). The Chianti Rufina Vin Santo: great and spectacular marriage between Trebbiano and Malvasia del Chianti with grapes that are left to dry for about three months on wooden racks before resting in small barrels for 5 years. Complete the collection Embroidery, Tuscan IGT from Chardonnay and Moscato grapes: it comes from vineyards over 20 years old, where the absence of wood in the winemaking process, combined with the short cold pre-fermentation maceration in contact with the skins, creates a lively but with good structure and depth. Tasted with pumpkin flower millefeuille and buffalo mozzarella, Ricamo is pleasant on the palate thanks to its freshness. About 6 thousand bottles were produced in the 2020 vintage (10 euros in the cellar). The Terreelectae project is also developed with Tommaso Inghirami, which aims to qualify wines in the Riserva category, elevating them to "ambassadors" of Sangiovese. The Montefiesole Terraelectae it comes out in the first year with 2019; it is produced from a single vineyard of the company, the one that best interprets the vine-prince of Tuscan reds. No changes to the specification have been made for the production, but Terraelectae wines must have 30 months of aging of which 18 in wood and at least 6 in bottles. «Terraelectae stands above the concept of Riserva, it is the spearhead of the companies that are part of it. – observes Tommaso Inghirami. Tasted the 2019 vintage with gricia-style Kamut tonnarelli with fresh broad beans, Montefiesole is a complex wine, with great structure and elegance (20 euros in the cellar, 40 on the shelf). 

Grignano farm

Via di Grigano, 22

50065 Pontassieve (Tuscany)

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