Cosimo Maria Masini is a Demeter-certified estate vineyard and winery located in the Tuscan town of San Miniato. Near Pisa, this in the Chianti Colline Pisane DOCG zone, but owner Cosimo Masini chooses to label the wines under the generic Toscana (Tuscany) IGT.
The villa was built by the Medici family at the end of the 15th century. The villa then passed to a branch of the Bonaparte family. (Napoleon once visited.) Then, it was sold to Cosimo Ridolfi, an agronomist and President of the Academy of Georgofili in Florence, who sponsored research to improve agricultural and winemaking practices.
Owner: Cosimo Masini and Francesco De Filippis (managed a 1,200-acre biodynamic farm producing grain, legumes, vegetables and fruit for Natura Sì (Italian version of Whole Foods).
Staff: Lee Green (she is the point of contact. Originally from Germany I think). Winemaker: Cipriano.
Vineyards, wine production: Clay soils. | 2018 14.2 hectares (35 acres), 4,000 cases. Reds from Sangiovese, Buonamico, Canaiolo Nero, Caragiolo, Sanforte, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon. Whites from Trebbiano Toscano, Malvasia Bianca, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
Olive trees: 4.45 hectares (11 acres), 1,000 olive trees.
Biodynamics: The main Biodynamic spray preparations are horn manure 500 and horn silica 501. Cover crops are used to promote an equilibrium in the soil. The vines are not trimmed during the season in order to avoid compensatory vegetative vine growth which can hinder seed ripening.
Organic, Biodynamic certification: 2003 First vintage with full organic certification. | 2004 First vintage with full Demeter certification. | 2018 Still certified Biodynamic by Demeter. | 2019 Member of Renaissance des Appellations.
Winery: 19th century cellar under the villa. Cement or large wooden vats.
Winemaking: From 2005 the winemaking became more low interventionist. All grapes are hand picked. Grapes for red wines are destemmed. The destemmer is positioned above the vats (10hl) which are first moved outside. The red grapes fall into the vats by gravity and undergo whole berry fermentation outdoors, but under a tent structure. A minimum of sulphur is added. The amount of foot-treading (pigeage) or punching down depends on the season. The wines are then aged either in concrete vat or older oak casks.
White wines
Annick: 2014 IGT Toscana Bianco. 100% Sauvignon Blanc.
Orange wines
Daphne: 2011 Toscana Bianco. 100% Trebbiano. Fermented on skins in oak barrels. Clear, clean dried peach flavours, savoury at Vinitaly 9th April 2013. | 2015 80% Trebbiano Toscano, 20% Malvasia Bianca. 250 cases. | 2016 Wild ferment, 59ppm sulfites. Aged in old oak.
Pink wines
IGT Toscano Rosato, Matilde: Sangiovese and Sanforte.
IGT Toscano Rosato, Fanti: 2017 Bottled.
Red wines
Chianti DOCG: Fermented in stainless steel.
Cosimo: Old vine Sangiovese from the Mastelle vineyard. Ferment in plastic bins open at the top for hand plunging. | 2014 IGT Toscana Rosso. 80% Sangiovese, 20% Merlot (I think). Appetizing, sappy, savoury (Demeter Austria tasting 2018).
Nicole: 2010 IGT Toscana Rosso. 100% Sangiovese. Nice fruit at Vinitaly 9th April 2013. | 2015 250 cases. | 2016 IGT Toscana Rosso. 100% Sangiovese.
Nicolo: 2009 IGT Toscana Rosso. Oaked, bit sappy at Vinitaly 9th April 2013.
Sanforte: 2016 Debut. 100% Sanforte. Vinification was done only with indigenous yeasts and without the addition of sulphites and other additives. 900 bottles.
Sincero: 2016 Toscana Rosso IGT. Sangiovese, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon. 1,000 cases. Soft, hint of greeness at the International Biodynamic Wine Conference, San Francisco 07 May 2018.
Contact
Cosimo Maria Masini
Tenuta di Poggio srl
Via Poggio a Pino, 16
56028 San Miniato (PI), Italy
Tel+39 0571.465032 | Website: www.cosimomariamasini.com