When Francesca Bidini started out to work for a winery, she probably didn't know how long it would take her to achieve her dream of creating her own company. But in 2015, she finally found a 30-hectare farm in the Chianti region and started Vitae, which was later renamed, because a German company claimed the name infringes theirs. As a determined person, she came up with a new name and, in the process, found somebody to redesign the labels as well. The seven-hectare vineyard is farmed organically and focuses on native grape varieties. There are also 2 hectares of olive orchards, which Bidini wants to expand into more fruit trees, and soon bees will join in on the fun.
This almost classical Chianti's grapes come from a hillside which is approximately 550 meters above sea level and very well ventilated and sunny. It's still cool enough for a well-balanced wine. As Francesca doesn't like the green tannins in her wines, she waits until the grapes are perfectly ripe, and harvest is usually not until mid-September. The grapes then macerate and ferment in concrete tanks for eight days before the pressing and then continue fermentation and aging in concrete until May the following year. It's a beautifully simple wine for cold days expressed by the typical cherry and plum aromas. With some well-integrated tannins, it will make you want some more of that Tuscan salumi or cheese.