Villa Loggio is an estate winery in the Cortona DOC of Tuscany.

Owner: German-owned it seems.

Background: The villa (1676) is surrounded by a wide park, vineyards, olive trees and pines, and hosts a beautiful swimming pool. The classic modern designed interior challenges the historic monument and offers our guests a wonderful experience of being at the heart of a winery in Tuscany.

White wines

Toscana Bianco, Alpena: Alpena, also known as La Bellaria, is the Tuscan spirit of flowers, springtime, love, fate, and death. She is most likely a continuation of the myth of Alpan: a minor Etruscan goddess. Alpan was a member of the Lasa, or winged handmaids, who serve Turan, the Etruscan goddess of love. She, like Alpena, represented springtime, flowers and love, as well as rainbows, light and air. | 2012 100% Sauvignon Blanc.

Toscana Bianco, Losna: Losna is the Etruscan goddess associated with the moon, the oceans, and tides. Losna is most famously depicted on the back of an ancient mirror found in Praeneste (modern day Palestrina) with the boy Amukes, whose name means “eternal” in Etruscan, and Polokes, who was associated in Etruscan legend of the Morning Star. The combination of the sun, the moon, and eternity depicted on the mirror point to its use as a magical object. Losna is the Etruscan version of the Latin Luna and the Roman Diana. We have given the name Losna to a white wine blend made from some or all of the following: Chardonnay, Viognier.

Toscana Bianco, Tanaquil (Chardonnay): Tanaquil, wife of Lucius Tarquinius Priscus, is among the most influential women in Etruscan and Roman history. Like her husband, she was born to a noble family of wealth and importance and lived in the Etruscan town of Tarquinii. Tanaquil was very popular in her time. She had a talent for spinning and weaving, but she was better known for her skills in prophecy and augury. Through these talents, she played a fundamental role in the destiny of her husband. Being a woman of ambition, she encouraged Lucius to move to Rome in pursuit of success and opportunity to distinguish himself. While on the road to Rome, an eagle flew off with Lucius’ hat, and then returned it to his head. Tanaquil interpreted this as a sign that the gods wanted him to become a king. It appears that her prophecy held true as, in 616 BC, Lucius Tarquinius Priscus became the 5th king of Rome.

Red wines

Toscana Rosso, Lucius (Syrah) | Lucius Tarquinius Priscus was born in the powerful Etruscan town of Tarquinii. Rich and famous in his hometown, he sought public office, but, because his father was an immigrant, it was prohibited. He decided to move to Rome with his equally ambitious wife, Tanaquil, so that he might have more opportunity. There he achieved his ambitions when he became the fifth King of Rome. As king, Lucius reigned from 616 BC to 579 BC during which time he was passionate about public development of his city. He oversaw the construction of many of the great works of Rome including the Circus Maximus, Rome’s first chariot racing stadium, and the Cloaca Maxima, one of the world’s first sewage systems. Purportedly, King Lucius’s original Etruscan name was either Lauchme or Lucumo, but he change his name to Lucius once in Rome.

Toscana Rosso, Aplu (Pinot Nero): Aplu, often associated with the Greek god Apollo, is the Etruscan god of light and weather. The famous statue of Apollo of Veii was discovered during the excavation of the EtruscanTemple of Aplu. The master sculptor of the statue gives his name to another of our wines: our Vulca.

Toscana Rosso, Curtun: Curtun, the Etruscan name for modern-day Cortona, was given to the city after the Etruscans conquered and enlarged it. Probably due to the  city’s history as an Etruscan cultural and artistic center, it was here that the Tabula Cortonensis was discovered. This 2200 year old bronze tablet is inscribed with the third longest known inscription in the Etruscan language. The tablet gives valuable insight into the lives of the Etruscans who lived in Curtun and helps modern linguists to understand the Etruscan language. | 2009 56% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Alicante. £15-29.99. Smoky oak, some bacon plus attractive red cherry classy balance of oak and fruit but perhaps a bit too much alcohol. 16 Points. Bronze at DWWA 2nd May 2013.

Toscana Rosso, Arruns (Cabernet): Arruns is an Etruscan name that appears in many old legends and histories. Well-renowned people named Arruns include the son of Porsena, the famous king of Clusium (modern day Chiusi); the son of the last Etruscan king of Rome, Tarquinius Superbus; and an Etruscan warrior allied with Aeneas in Virgil’s Aeneid. The original Etruscan spelling was Arnth; however, the Latin translation Arruns is the most common spelling in the ancient sources. We have assigned the name Arruns to a red wine blend made from at least 85% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes of the finest quality with a remainder of predominantly Alicante Bouchet grapes.

Toscana Rosso, Vulca (Merlot): Vulca is the only Etruscan artist known by name. He lived and worked as a master sculptor in his native town of Veii, a town about 20 km from Rome, in the 6th century BC. Amidst the body of work attributed to Vulca are the famous Apollo of Veii and the statue of Jupiter commissioned by King Lucius Tarquinius Priscus of Rome for the Temple of Jupiter located on Capitoline Hill in the “Eternal City.” | 2007 91% Merlot, 9% Alicante. £8-14.99. TCA on first bottle. Second bottle has rich Christmas pudding, thick, good example of Tuscan Merlot (read that both ways). 16 Points. Bronze at DWWA 2nd May 2013.

Toscana Rosso, Thefarie: The Etruscan cognate of Tiberius is Thefarie, and an alternative interpretation of the name’s origin is that the Latin praenomen was borrowed from Etruscan, or from the Etruscan name of the river. | 2005 65% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Syrah. £15-29.99. Ripe, deep, roasted meat, dry muscular tannins then some sweet fruit. 14 Points. No medal at DWWA 2nd May 2013.

Cortona DOC Syrah, Tina:

Sweet wines

Cortona DOC Vinsanto, Villa Loggio

Contact

Villa Loggio

Localita il Loggio, 24

Cignano, I-52044 Cortona (AR), Italy

Tel+39 392.8538 666