Poggio al Sole is an organic estate in Località Badia a Passignano in Tavarnelle Val di Pesa, now called Barberino Tavarnelle in the Chianti Classico DOCG region of Tuscany, Italy.

Owner: Giovanni Davaz. A native Swiss. His father was a winemaker. The family estate was at Mayenfeld. Its 8 hectares (mainly Pinot noir) were eventually divided between the two brothers, Giovanni who had studied viticulture and his brother who had studied oenology. As this was too small Giovanni decided to try his luck in Tuscany. In 1969 the Torrini family acquired the estate. They build it up from a disjointed set of plots bought by farmers during the land reforms of the 1950s (the emd of the mezzadria or sharecropping system). The Torrinis turned about 6 hectares of the 32 hectare estate into vineyard, and another 1.5 ha to olives. They also built the house and cellars. In 1990 the Torrini family sold to Giovanni Davaz, who financed it with some joint-venture capital. Davaz had worked with Pinot Noir and so initially had looked in Burgundy for a vineyard but it was too expensive. Then he looked in Piemonte, and finally he went to Tuscany. 1991 was the first real vintage for the Davaz family, with Franco Bernabei consulting.

Vineyards: 2019 25ha.

Organic certification: 2016 Certified fully organic for the first time.

Red wines

Toscana IGT Rosso, Ponente: 2019 One third each of Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon:

Chianti Classico DOCG, Casasilia: 1997 Bottled. | 1998 Bottled. | 1999 Bottled.

Chianti Classico DOCG, Poggio al Sole: 2015 90% Sangiovese, 5% Canaiolo, 5% other grapes. | 2016 90% Sangiovese. 10% Canaiolo and Merlot. Picked by hand. 12m in oak. Plenty of fruit here (2019 Anteprima). | 2017 Picked by hand and machine (lots of raisined grapes). | 2018 Picked by hand.

Chianti Classico DOCG Riserva, Casasilia: 1995 Bottled.

Chianti Classico DOCG Gran Selezione, Casasilia: ‘A selection, not a site-specific wine’, Anteprima 202022.  2015 100% Sangiovese. | 2016 100% Sangiovese. Barrel sample: good fruit and oak, promising (2019 Anteprima).

Seraselva: 1999 Cabernet, Merlot.

Syrah: 2000 Bottled.

Trafiore, Toscano Rosso IGT:100% Canaiolo Nero.

Bibliography

Maureen Ashley MW, ‘Small Wonders’, Decanter October 1993, p.80-81.

Contact

Poggio al Sole

Strada Rignana, 2

50028 Badia A Passignano (FI), Italy

Tel+39 055.8071850

Website: www.poggioalsole.com