Il Paradiso di Frassina is an organic estate winery in Località Paradiso at the foot of the Montosoli hill in Montalcino in Tuscany, Italy. It produces Sant’Antimo Rosso DOC, Rosso di Montalcino DOC, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG and Maremma Toscana Rosso DOC red wines.
Owner: Carlo Cignozzi since 2000, and his ex-wife Diana, and their daughter Géa. Staff: Federico Ricci; Celeste Fidolfi.
Carlo Cignozzi: In his own words Carlo describes himself ‘Milanese by birth, a lawyer by profession, but also someone whose involvement in Tuscany’s Montalcino region from the 1970s helped successful wineries like Altesino and Case Basse to develop and who from scratch created Tenuta Caparzo, one of Brunello di Montalcino’s most acclaimed producers ever. As wine producer, counsellor and even legal advisor in the Consorzio (or governing body) of Brunello, he made a significant contribution to this wine zone’s now world wide renown. At the end of the 1990s he wanted to develop a new and slightly crazy wine project on his own, so he sold his shareholding in Tenuta Caparzo and in January 2000 acquired Il Paradiso di Frassina, a small and very traditional farm located in his preferred area to the north of Montalcino.
Organic certification: 2008 First vintage with full organic certification. | 2021 Still organic.
Vineyards, wine production: 11 hectares of vines, producing 40,000-50,000 bottles annually from its own vines. It took nearly two years for Cignozzi to restore the farm, its cellar and fermenting tanks, and to establish from scratch a Sangiovese vineyard, totalling just under 4 hectares (10 acres) at the foot of (but not on) the Montosoli hill: 3 hectares of Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, and one hectare to Rosso di Montalcino DOC. At the same time he acquired another piece of land around 12 miles (20 km) away at Santa Rita in Cinigiano nearer the Tyrrhenian coast in the Maremma. This comprises around 11 hectares (27 acres). Half (5ha) this site was planted with a vinous rainbow comprising 6 hectares of the finest Bordeaux and Tuscan grapes and 12 different grape varieties (‘uve’ in Italian) in all for the ‘DO 12 Uve’ wine. Apart from one plot at Paradiso planted in 2000 all the vines were planted in 2001.’I wanted il Paradiso’s range of wines to have such individual personalities as to be right at the extreme of what was considered usual: thus the DO 12 uve, an IGT Maremma, and Gea, a Sant’Antimo Rosso DOC both allowed Brunello to retain its position of splendid isolation,’ he told me
On the other hand, and through the sheer force of their personality my vinous creations, Gea and DO 12 Uve, had no problem conquering new markets, despite competition from Brunello. And my new ‘Mozart Selection’ wine, which will be sold ‘en primeur’, will add even more lustre to the range (see section 7, below).
Vineyards – Cinigiano: The lower vineyard is by entrance road. Space for compost. Tractor shed. Two vineyards on either side of road planted from 2000. Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 ha, behind tractor shed): 2.60 x 1.80 metres, single cordon, 5 spurs x 2; high canopy, mid-slope, no heat stress apart from a patch on the stony hump (about 25% of parcel I estimate). Pratino every other row. Syrah, Alicante, Ancellotta (1.3 ha, lower down): orzo and fava sown every other row in autumn 2007. Said to be an easy parcel to farm. The upper Cinigiano vineyard is reached by walking up a track through a strip of woodland. Lake on LH side in woods used for filling sprayers. Vines planted from 2000. Sangiovese, Cesanese, Alicante, Marselan (2ha): Top part on sandy soil (Cesanese, weak) suffered from heat stress in summer 2007. Cover crops sown every other row in autumn 2007: Vicia fava (30kg/ha) and orzo (70kg/ha).
Viticultural Research – Music & Vines: Carlo Cignozzi says he used to play his accordion at harvest time to the pickers and said it had a good effect on them, so why not on the vines, to reduce incidence of pests and disease and to help advance ripening? The beneficial effects, it seems, had already been demonstrated in France for cows. ‘Just like medicine, sound is capable of having a curative effect’, says Cignozzi.
The University of Florence began investigating the effect of musical sound waves on plants (plants in general, rather than just vines) at around the same time, and Professor Mancuso from the university provided assistence. Trials exposed plants (some in vitro) to sound at a range of frequencies to see to which they respond. It seems that in some cases roots are growing towards the source of the sound. Also, vines are being exposed to pests with music and one to pests with no music to see how they cope. Initial results suggest that music: a) augments both leaf and fruit growth; b) promotes earlier ripening; c) protects against pests. The Professor at the University, Stefano Mancuso, says there could be other reasons but for now the music seems to have a beneficial effect.
The Mozart Vineyard: Amar Bose helped create the ‘Mozart Vineyard’ by providing fifty ‘Bose’ loud speakers for 1.5 hectares of musical Brunello. Bach, Mozart, Vivaldi and Scarlatti are played during the period of vegetative growth, while more symphonic composers such as Beethoven and Mahler are played in the run up to ripening, to inhibit pests.The wine was sold ‘en primeur’ as “Mozart Selection”.
Storage cellar: A storage cellar for bottled wine which is semi-underground has been created. This is cooled from above and on two sides by a swimming pool using local stone from Rapolano. Water from this trickles down on either side like a water fall, creating a the showering effect to keep the wines cool.
Red wines
IGT Toscana Rosso, Frassina Rosso: 2011 Organic. L1210705. 14.5%. Nice simple fruit at Viale Piave 32 on Sunday 01st June 2014.
Sant’Antimo Rosso DOC: 2000 Light, ephemeral and a bit green (Anteprima 2005).
Flauto Magico: 2008 From magnum which Carlo gave me. A bit thin, too much new wood, lacking a bit of fruit, sandy and with a lack of texture (Dec 2016).
Mozart Wine: The aim was that the ‘Mozart Selection’ wine would be sold ‘en primeur’. | 2010 L.148502. Very oaky, warm, with atypically dark, sweet black fruit (Maremma?) in Viale Piave 32 on Thursday 31st March 2016.
Maremma Toscana Rosso DOC 12 Uve: The name means ’12 Grapes’ reflecting the number of different varietes it is made from. These are 25% Sangiovese (two clones), 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cesanese d’Affile, 10% Syrah, 8% Petit Verdot, 6% Marselan, 6% Ancellotta, 5% Alicante Bouschet, 4% Carmenere, 3% Tannat, 3% Canaiolo. | 2004 A bit chocolatey, minty/blackcurrant nose, noticeably high acidity, smoothish fruit but dry tannins at the end and a slightly unclean/murky element in their too, but just about OK when tasted in St Martin Thurs 13 Sept 2007. | 2009 L138002. 13.5% Back label: From 25% ‘Brunello Morellino’ [Sangiovese]. 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. 10% Cesanese. 10% Syrah. 8% Petit Verdot. 6% Merlot. 5% Alicante. 4% CF. 3% Tannat. 3% Canaiolo. Tasted in 32 Viale Piave in spring 2015. OK, a bit sticky/heavy but crowd pleasing. | 2017 14.5% alc. Well put together smooth dark fruit, best vintage of this wine I have tried (Jan 2011).
Rosso di Montalcino DOC, Gea: Gea is the Goddess of the Earth and the name of Carlo’s youngest daughter. 2008 IGT Toscana Rosso, Gea. Certified organic. Hail reduced production of this wine. Described as morbido (soft) by Carlo Cignozzi. Decent weight, nice, milk fat, chocolate tannins with decent length and peppered with plump, almost raisined fruit (Anteprima 2011). | 2010 Rosso di Montalcino DOC L128702. Fullish nose, ripe black fruit and some dusty wood, richish on the palate but a bit simple, if satisfying (14th Jan 2014).
Rosso di Montalcino DOC Il Paradiso di Frassina: 2004 A bit thick and oily (Anteprima 2006).
Brunello di Montalcino DOCG Il Paradiso di Frassina: 2001 Neither classic nor subtle. Quite as acid aggressive and fruit blackcurrant-like and on the sweet side (Anteprima 2006). | 2008 L129302. Labelled as organic wine. OK, bit chunky and fat (Viale Piave, 2014).
Contact
Il Paradiso di Frassina
Località Frassina, 41
53024 Montalcino (SI), Italy
Tel:+39 0577 839031 | Website: www.alparadisodifrassina.it