Poggio al Sole Condimento Balsamico

Condimento Balsamico from Poggio al Sole

Sangiovese - sweet and sour, please!

It is well known that the vineyards in Chianti Classico not only produce excellent wines, but that most of them also produce delicious olive oil. But the fact that Poggio al Sole has recently introduced a condimento balsamico made from Sangiovese grapes is something new at Nina in Chianti. As with wine production, the grapes are first carefully harvested and then immediately pressed for the condimento. This Sangiovese grape juice is brought from Poggio al Sole to Modena - yes, exactly where the famous Aceto Balsamico comes from. The grape juice is boiled down for several hours in a so-called acetaia, a traditional production facility for the famous vinegar. This prevents the first alcoholic fermentation. This boiled down juice is then fermented at a controlled temperature, whereby this fermentation process is interrupted by acidification with organic wine vinegar. The fermented must is then clarified by sedimentation. To achieve the desired density, the must is then boiled down a second time. Ecco: a wonderfully sweet and tangy balsamic vinegar. Ideal with mature cheese and perfect for any type of salad, but also harmonizes perfectly with vegetables or fruit. My tip: If the Condimento Balsamico is too sweet for you, simply mix it with a little apple or white wine vinegar - this emphasizes the acidic side of the Condimento. By the way: Like all products at Poggio al Sole, the Condimento Balsamico is of course 100% organic.

Poggio al Sole: Sunny Tuscan hills in the hands of Swiss winegrowers

The "Poggio al Sole" winery is located between the towns of Tavarnelle Val di Pesa and Greve in Chianti. Translated, this means something like "hill in the sun". And the 70 hectares of land belonging to the winery more than live up to this name. Vines grow and thrive on 24 hectares: On 14 hectares exclusively Sangiovese. In addition to 1,500 olive trees, the Canaiolo, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay grape varieties can also be found in the estate's extensive vineyards. The estate house, built in typical Tuscan style from ochre-colored stone, is enthroned at the highest point of the gently undulating vineyards and forests. The hill can also be seen in stylized form on the labels of the Poggio al Sole wines. The Swiss winegrowing family Davaz is responsible for the eight wines in the range as well as the other products. They have owned Poggio al Sole since 1990. Wine is in Johannes Davaz's blood, so to speak. He comes from a well-known family of winegrowers who have been making wine in Switzerland since the early 1970s. As a trained agronomist and oenologist, Johannes is aware of how sensitive the balance between man and nature is and has therefore long been committed to the sustainable cultivation of his vineyards. Since 2016, all of Poggio al Sole's wines have been officially certified organic.

Eight wines, an olio and a condimento balsamico

A total of eight different wines are produced at Poggio al Sole: six red wines, one rosato and one white wine. Chianti Classico accounts for the majority of production: 90 percent Sangiovese is joined by 5 percent Canaiolo and 5 percent Merlot. The Gran Selezione with the melodious name Casasilia is made from 100 percent Sangiovese - an outstanding red wine! The pure Canaiolo is a specialty. When it comes to Syrah, nomen est omen. Because only Syrah grapes are used for this deep red wine. A lively trio of grapes come together in the Trittico to create the light and tasty house wine from Poggio al Sole: the 70 percent Sangiovese content is joined by 15 percent Merlot and 15 percent Cabernet Sauvignon. Chiara is the sweet name of the light, fresh white wine, which consists of 80 percent Chardonnay and 20 percent Bianco di Sangiovese. Today, almost every Tuscan wine range should include a rosato - in this case a 100% Sangivese: the rosato from Poggio al Sole is called Primavera, which is perfect for drinking on balmy spring and summer evenings. Naturally, an oil is pressed from the fruit of the 1,500 olive trees on the estate - and all the wines are 100% organic. Of course, this also applies to the sweet and sour Condimento Balsamico - produced in an Acetaia in Modena from Sangiovese grapes grown by the Davaz family.

Dream vacation in an area full of history and stories

Anyone dreaming of the perfect vacation in Tuscany can now stop dreaming and make their dreams come true. Since buying Poggio al Sole, Kathrin and Johannes have not only continuously expanded the winery - they have purchased additional vineyards, expanded and modernized the wine cellar and installed a solar power system - but now the agriturismo is making the dream of a vacation on a typical Tuscan winery come true. Tuscany dreamers are spoiled for choice between four spacious vacation apartments and a lovingly furnished double room. All apartments and rooms have one thing in common: from each one you can enjoy the view over the gently undulating vineyards, valleys and forests to the neighboring Rignana winery and the Badia a Passignano Abbey. Incidentally, this is closely linked to the history of Poggio al Sole: Historical documents prove that the estate, which was still called Casasilia in the 12th century, was owned by the nearby abbey. The records also show that wine and olives were already being grown here at that time. It was not until 1969 that the estate passed into secular ownership and was given the name Poggio al Sole. But perhaps you can simply listen to the members of the Davaz family tell you a few stories about times long past as the sun sets over the vineyards. And who knows, maybe you'll dream about it...

In Italy, in the region Tuscany, in the region Chianti Classico, in Tavernelle Val di Pesa

Johannes & Kathrin Davaz