90 points Wine Enthusiast: “What a nice surprise! Here is a rich Chianti with a dark, impenetrable appearance and elegant aromas of spice, bursting red cherry and blueberry preserves. The wine is chewy and soft with loads of pulpy fruit on the close. Pair it with steak or mixed grilled meats. (Nov 2009)”

Chianti DOCG: Grapes sourced entirely from within the Chianti region. Chianti must be a minimum of 75% Sangiovese.

The Da Vinci Chianti is deep crimson in color with aromas of cherries and red fruit balanced by soft, round tannins.

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Winemaker’s Notes:

The color is an intense glossy garnet, with orange reflections. The bouquet is ethereal, with hints of violets, blackberry jam, licorice and cloves. The palate is dry and austere with lengthy tannins. The wine ends with a long concentrated finish accompanied by a lingering hint of almonds.

Spectator Rating:

“Very ripe fruit aromas, with sultanas and prunes. Dried flowers too. Full-bodied, with seamless, yet chewy tannins and a long finish. Lasts a long time, always great. Best after 2012.”

93 Points
Wine Spectator

The nebbiolo grapes used to produce the classical Barolo come from family vineyards around the village of Serralunga d’ Alba. This Barolo is produced through careful blending of grapes from different vineyards. Pio believes that the union of grapes from different vineyards makes their Barolo unique.

The grapes from Serralunga give a full body, the ones from Castiglion Falletto offer an ethereal and tempting nose, and those from Monforte provide class and a refined nature. This produces a unique and inimitable wine. The grapes are soft pressed and fermented at 25 to 26 degrees, in contact with the skins for 20 to 25 days. There is a long maturation in Slovenian oak, well beyond the terms imposed by the D.O.C.

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Vineyard Notes: The fruit for Layer Cake Primitivo aka Zinfandel comes from head-trained old vines and is harvested in early September. This is truly remarkable plant material in very old vineyards; some dating to Roman times. The soils in Manduria are red iron-rich clays with large calcareous rocks, shells and coral from ancient sea beds. We’re talking ancient, gnarled baskets hugging the ground and rocks around them, ancient chariots buried underneath, lost civilization stuff.

Primitivo, aka Zinfandel: DNA analysis shows Primitivo is genetically identical to Zinfandel. Carole Meredith of UC Davis, the most important genetic academic in the world of wine, has confirmed Primitivo & Zinfandel have identical DNA. Primitivo and Zinfandel, however, have not been officially defined as synonymous by the TTB. We presented Dr. Meredith’s findings with the Layer Cake Primitivo label and received the first-ever Certificate of Label Approval with Primitivo and Zinfandel used as synonyms on the label, yet the TTB has still not posted them as interchangeable in the regulations.

Tasting Notes: A balance of elegance and power; inky black fruit, spice and white pepper, jammy black cherries, plums, blackberry fruit, truffles, tar, and espresso. Warm and rich in the mouth with a creamy texture; the ripe fruit is well supported by the deep structure of the wine. Sit back and travel through time…Relax on a hot summer evening, the fountain in the background, church-bells in the distance.

Wine Facts:

•100% Pure Old Vine Primitivo from Salento, the “Heel of the Boot” of Italy; specifically the area of Manduria.
•The grapes are from within the Manduria Denominazione di Origine Controllata, but the DOC labeling requires 14% alcohol. We found the wine to have better balance below 14%; therefore it falls into IGT Puglia for area designation.
•Fermented in stainless to preserve the fruit character, then more concentrated lots see three to four months in two year old French barrique to soften the tannins.
• Alc. 13.5% by volume

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