Villa Cilnia is an estate in Arezzo, a town in the eponymous province in the Tuscany region of Italy. It produces Chianti Colli Aretini DOCG red wines. Other wines are bottled under the Toscana IGT.
Owner: Maria and Raffaele Gallucci since 1994.
Contact: Vega Buzi. Met at Gianna Neri’s in 2019. Into organics.
Background: The villa lies in the suburbs of Arezzo, along a drive lined with cherry trees. The property (Cignano) was thought to have belonged to and been the residence of Gaius Cilnius Maecenas. The current winery is built around a construction dating from the fourteen century. From 1974 Giovanni Bianchi made this a pioneering estate in the Aretini with wines based on international varieties. In 1991 Giovanni Bianchi sold the estate to a German company. In 1994 the German company sold it to Luigi Segala’s brother-in-law, Raffaele Gallucci and his wife Maria. Gallucci is in the health sector: rehabilitaion centres for people with handicaps (see below). From 1998 Luigi Segala (former admin manager for Hoover; smoker; a bit hang-dog) and his wife Orietta Gustand began managing the estate.
Staff Oen: Franco Bernabei.
Vineyards: 21ha of Chianti Colli Aretini DOCG. Overlooks the Bagnoro valley. Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon and Merlot. 250-300 meters. Calcareous soil drained with marl and clay. Said by Ashley to be steep or “breath-robbing” at the top, but in fact the bulk of the vines are lower down on flat ground. In 205 there were 10 hectares of vines. The best Sangiovese comes from 300 metres. Giovanni Bianchi trained the vines to rectangular metal frames which can rotate to catch more sun. He calls it a vigneto girevole or rotatable vineyard. Winery The winery is at 200 metres at the winery and is carved out of the hillside with “rough-hewn tufa walls,” (Ashley, M: 10/1993). Bianchi’s office is said to have a copper-lined ceiling. Olives 4ha. Agritourism Villa Cilnia Relais and Spa; La Toile Wellness & Spa; Mecenate Restaurant.
Sparkling wines
Le Bizze: No longer made.
Predicato del Muschio: No longer made.
White wines
Poggio Garbato Bianco IGT: 80% Chardonnay and 20% Muller-Thurgau. No longer made.
Campo del Sasso Bianco IGT: Mainly Chardonnay (85%) plus the juice of Malvasia Nera. No longer made.
Mecenate, Toscano Bianco IGT: Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Hand picked.
Pink wines
Poggio Cicaleto: No longer made.
Red wines
Cign’Oro, Toscana Rosso IGT: 1998 Debut. 50% Sangiovese, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot.
Ross’oro, Toscana Rosso IGT: 2001 Debut. 95% Sangiovese. Light, soft red fruit, light, metallic end (Visit 2005).
Vocato, Toscana Rosso IGT: 2000 80% Sangiovese, 20% Cabernet. 12m in oak. Chocolate again, sweet red fruit and what feels like added tannin (Visit 2005).
Chianti Colli Arentini DOCG: 2002 Some Cabernet Sauvignon. Crisp, clean, red fruit, bit like a mini-Fèlsina, chocolate too (Visit 2005).
Chianti Colli Arentini DOCG Riserva: 1997 Produced.
A.MA.TO. GIULIO: 2018 Rosso Toscano. 13.5%. Lotto LO219L. 13.5%. Decent dark crunchy modern fruit (tasted Nov 2019).
Le Vignacce: No longer made.
Sweet wines
Sassolato: No longer made.
Contact
Villa Cilnia
Loc. Montoncello, 27
I-52100 Pieve al Bagnoro (AR), Italy
Tel+39 0575.365017 | Website www.villacilnia.com
Bibliography
Visit 11th March 2005.