Sherbrooke Cellars © Copyright
Cavalli Tenuta Degli Dei
Winery
Tenuta degli Dei has been owned by Tommaso and Roberto Cavalli for well over thirty years. Their winemakers, Gioia Cresti and Carlo Ferrini – Wine Enthusiast’s 2007 winemaker of the year – have worked together since 1998. The estate is located in the village of San Leolino, near Panzano in Chianti, one of the loveliest regions in the Tuscan countryside. Nestled in the famed Conca d’Oro (the “golden basin”), the vineyards benefit from ideal geographic and climatic conditions for viticulture. Their wines also contain juice from grapes grown in vineyards just south of the city of Florence. Both areas receive prime southern sun exposure. Panzano’s soil type is mixed, rich in the marl-based soil known as galestro, and well-drained, allowing the vines to absorb all the minerals in the soil and transfer the characteristics of the terroir to the grapes. Florence’s soil, high in clay, produces grapes rich in tannins and poliphenols.
All grape varieties grown on the estate are of French origin: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Alicante Bouschet. The winemakers are committed to making quality wines and therefore insist on hand-harvesting, as well as a two-step hand-selection process, to insure that only the best grapes are selected for fermentation. Once the grapes are manually removed from the vines, they are transported to the winery in refrigerated vans to preserve their integrity. Upon arrival, the grapes undergo two rounds of manual selection: one round for clusters, and one round for individual berries. Maturation takes place over 18 months in French-oak barrels, after which the wines are bottle-aged for 12 months.
Each vintage of Cavalli Tenuta degli Dei “wears” its own distinctive print from the family’s renowned fashion house on its label as a way of distinguishing between vintages. This practice creates a visual link between the family’s longstanding creative tradition and their enduring passion for wine.
Visit the winery at www.deglidei.it!
Cavalli United States Debut Press Release
Cavalli wines featured in Allure Magazine, December 2012
Wines
Rosso Toscana 2009
The 2009 Tenuta degli Dei boasts gorgeous depth and purity. Sweet red cherries, licorice, mint and flowers are woven together beautifully in this centered, impeccably poised wine. Sweet floral notes reappear on the attractive, polished finish. The flagship Tenuta degli Dei is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc and 15% Petit Verdot.
92 Points, Wine Advocate, June 2012
Violet, black currant and cherry flavors are supported by a firm, vibrant structure. This is saturated and intense, with a lingering aftertaste of candied berry and spice. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2014 through 2021.
90 Points, Wine Spectator, October 15 2012
A wine with lots of cedar, chocolate, plum and toasted oak character. Full and chewy, with velvety tannins. Give it two or three years of bottle age.
91 Points, JamesSuckling.com
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