Terre a Mano. Carmignano

Fattoria di Bacchereto da M. Rossella Bencini Tesi Terre a Mano
Carmignano DOCG
Grapes: Sangiovese (75%), Cabernet Sauvignon (15%), Canaiolo (10%)

2020 is a great vintage for this wine: soft, rich and balanced, a wine that is both immediate and promising.  Ripe black cherry and damson, a gentle spice and a touch of ripe herb. Sublime. 14%
12,000 bottles made

2021 A full-bodied vintage, brooding powerful black cherry and damson fruit, pepper spice and a touch of ripe herb.  Sublime. 14.5% (Sangiovese 75%, Canaiolo 15%, Cabernet Sauvignon 10%)
20,000 bottles made 

Fattoria di Bacchereto da M. Rossella Bencini Tesi producer page

The wooded hills of Carmignano were once the playground of the Medici who registered these wines in 1716, making this one of the oldest appellations in the world.  Unusually, the DOCG insists that the local Sangiovese is joined by some Cabernet, an innovation introduced by family member, Queen of France, Catherine de Medici.

Unusually the local Sangiovese is joined by some Cabernet Sauvignon, an innovation inspired by Catherine de Medici. This vineyard is surrounded by woodland, a perfect oasis for biodynamically farmed vines, planted at an unfashionable low density of around 2700 vines per hectare. The 7 hectare vineyard was planted in 1970, 2000 and 2011 on marly, schist rich clays on sandstone bedrock. 

2021 was a small vintage thanks to severe frosts, fortunately followed by a dry summer.  Warm days and cool nights meant lovely aromatics, a healthy ripeness with good balance.  The bunches were de-stemmed, and both macerated and fermented in a mix of cement tanks and open tubs, using just indigenous yeasts*.  The wine was then decanted into tonneaux* arranged by plot (cru) where it aged for about 2 years.