I Giusti & Zanza is an organic estate in Fauglia, in Pisa Province on Tuscany’s Tyrrhenian coast.

Owner: Paolo Edoardo Giusti (Tuscan; 45 in 2005) and Fabio Zanza (47 in 2005). Schoolboy friends. Paolo is a construction engineer but got into wine as a hobby.

Estate vineyards: In 2005 there were about 16ha: 11ha of newish vines and 5ha of older vines. In 2013 the website said there were 17ha of mainly red grapes. Syrah clones are 460, 525 (new one Petit Syrah). Vine density varies from 9,000-10,500 vines per hectare, the age of the vines ranges from 10 years for the youngest plants to 40 years for the oldest. Yields of 8,000 kilos per hectare.

Soil: Between the Pisan Hills (or Monti Pisani) and Livorno. Alluvial, sandy gravel (‘ghiaia’) with calcareous clay with upto 70% of sand as the Tyrrhenian sea is nearby. Get good drainage which is important.

Viticulture: “We work only with organic and biodynamic compounds in the vineyards.”

Organic certification: Yes.

Winemaking: Paolo Edoardo Giusti designed his own steel tanks to be able to get the seeds out during fermentation and maceration of reds (visit 14th March 2005).

White wines

Toscana Bianco, Nemorino Bianco: 2013 Trebbiano and Semillon blend fermented in steel and aged 4 months in French tonneux on the lees. | 2004 Trebbiano and Semillon. 3,000 bottles for the house. Clean, well weighted unoaked white (visit 14th March 2005).

Pink wines

Toscana Rosato, Nemorino: Syrah. Unoaked.

Red wines

Toscana Rosso, Nemorino Rosso: Syrah with small amounts of Sangiovese and Merlot. Aged in 300-litre medium toasted French tonneaux for 8 months.

Toscana Rosso, Belcore: 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot (Gambero Rosso: 2003, p.475). | 2002 None made. | 2003 Sangiovese  and Merlot. Exotic fruit with new oak; bit extracted as these are Parker style wines and the wood is a bit heavy but at least the vines are good in terms of planting density, and the winemaking is sensible as there is no bitterness, sexy international style (visit 14th March 2005). | 2013 80% Sangiovese, 20% Merlot. Aged in 300-litre medium toasted French tonneaux for 10 months.

Toscana Rosso, Dulcamara: The flagship wine in the early 2000s. 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc, 25% Merlot 5% Petit Verdot. Aged in 300-litre medium toasted French tonneaux for 18 months. | 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Smoky nose and quite extracted, international style wine, not too bitter, clear blackcurrant fruit at the end (visit 14th March 2005).

Toscana Rosso, PerBruno: Syrah aged in 300-litre medium toasted French tonneaux for 12 months. | 2003 Lovely red fruit, bright wine, young vines, new oak a bit heavy at the end but not too extracted; €15.00, good(ish) value I think visit 14th March 2005.

Toscana Rosso, Vigna Vecchia: 2013 Sangiovese. 18 months in 300-litre medium toasted French tonneaux.

Contact

I Giusti & Zanza

Via dei Puntoni, 9

I-56043 Fauglia (PI = Pisa), Italy

Tel+39 0585.44354 | www.igiustiezanza.it