brochure i balzini

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i Ba l z in i

We produce for passion

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“Wine is to the soul what water is to the body”Mario Soldati

The Winery and its PeopleThe Balzini Winery founded by accountant and Italian Wine Association sommelier, Vincenzo D’ Isanto, when he decided to dedicate his free time recovering from his professional labors by producing a special wine whose basic connotation was to be a velvety elegance. He had the land in front of his country home analyzed by an agronomist and planted his first vineyard in 1980. After a couple of years spent tasting the wine with friends, in 1987, with the valuable assistance of Giulio Gambelli, he produced a small quantity of red wine: “I BALZINI White Label” considered excellent for release on the market in 1991 with grapes of Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese.Now our winemaker is Barbara Tamburini and the agronomist is Roberto Lamorgese who doesn’t use chemical products in the vineyard. They want to use only organic substances. The treatments against insects are made every year only with sulphur and copper. The company takes care of the soil, reducing at minimum the mechanical wor-kings in order to not disturb the organisms which live in the soil.Balzini are members of the Comitato Grandi Cru d’Italia, an association of wi-neries selected on the basis of strict criteria of quality and continuity over lime that

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“Wine is to the soul what water is to the body”Mario Soldati

The Winery and its PeopleTerroir , Vineyards and the “Balze”

includes Italy’s most prestigious producers who represent the cultural and qualitative values of the areas with the highest voca-tion for the production of great wines.

The estate is located in Barberino Val d’Elsa in the heart of the Tuscan countrysi-de, on the border between the provinces of Florence and Siena . The property extends over a total of 13 hectares.The name “I Balzini” comes from the small terraces (“balzini,” a diminuti-ve of “balze”) on which the vineyards are planted. The peculiarity of this vineyard also has to do with its microclimate, which is characterized by sharp temperature differences during the day and night in the period when the grapes are maturing. The vineyard benefits from an ideal climate: located at an elevation of 250 m above sea level, it has a southwest exposure with rows oriented in a north-south direction for the maximum exposure to the sun and a homogenous distribution of the light. The welldrained soil of favorable exposure of the vines help the grapes survive adverse climate conditions and achieve a perfect maturation, essential for quality wines rai-sed using the spurred cordon method.

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Vinification

The Wines:

I BALZINI White Label and I BALZINI Black Label are wines destined for a niche market of exacting consumers who demand wines with character that are harmonious, clean and well balanced. These are wines produced with great care: the grapes are picked by hand and only first quality grapes are selected in the vineyard and on the con-veyor. Fermentation takes piace at a con-trolled temperature and the wine is aged in French oak barriques, medium toasted (and without shavings or other expedients for artificial aging), at the 1st, 2nd and 3rd use, to obtain a balanced transfer or tannins that gives the wine a stupendous elevation, wi-thout altering the aroma of the grapes. The wine is then left to rest in glass for at least a year to reach its maximum balance and expression of its best qualities. They are sold in the fourth year from harvesting. I BALZINI Green Label, being a fresh and young product, is refined one year in stainless steel tanks at controlled tempera-ture and sold one year after the harvesting. I BALZINI Red Label is aged 24 months in old barriques (three times used) and refined around 18 months in bottle.

I BALZINI White Label – Igt Colli della Toscana Centrale50% Sangiovese, 50% Cabernet Sauvignon.An intense deep ruby red wine, with a

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Vinification

The Wines:

Chianti imprint ennobled by Cabernet Sau-vignon. A complex, elegant bouquet with the soft notes of red-skinned berries mixed with spicy aromas conferred by the oak casks with overtones of aromatic woods and spices. Soft, balanced and pleasant in the mouth, with a lingering aftertaste, a wine with a fine character with a territorial imprint in harmony with the innovative notes of Cabernet Sauvignon. It arouses the best sensations inspired by a land rich with history and fascination.

I BALZINI Black Label – Igt Colli della Toscana Centrale50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Sangiovese, 30% Merlot.A wine of great power and density in the mouth, warm, austere and persuasive, with a ruby red color of excellent concentration, thick and with purple notes. A complex and important aroma, where the violet and iris highlights of the Sangiovese grape, the typical local variety, are well-blended with the sweet, fascinating sensations of Merlot and the power of Cabernet Sauvignon, in a symphony of variegated notes that range from vanilla coffe, dark chocolate, soft fru-its and leather. An excellent texture of swe-et, well-blended tannins arouses pleasant velvety-soft sensations that will transport you well beyond the world of wine. It clo-ses with an excellent aromatic persistence.

I BALZINI Green Label – Igt Colli della Toscana Centrale 80% Sangiovese, 20% Mammolo.

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This wine is distinguished by his fresh and fioral bouquet with typical hints of his grapes. In every aspects, it is a wine very different from the other two products even if it is very easily recognized as following in the footsteps of its two older brothers. The affinity lies within the stylistic inter-pretation owned to this product. The exact same attention to terroir, the same meticou-lus care taken in the vineyard and during the phase of vinification are accompanying this wine originally horn from our desire to produce a “wine ready to drink right now”, a wine that elicits joy and charm. I BALZI-NI Green Label is a wine that exudes youth and temperament, freshness and character. It’s a wine dedicated to those who want to drink well everyday and it is a perfect wine to accompany a meal from start to finish.

I BALZINI Red Label – Igt Colli della Toscana Centrale60% Sangiovese, 40% Cabenet Sauvignon. Intense ruby red and deep color wine. I BALZINI Red Label has a great aromatic complexity. Complex scents of berries and black cherry. Notes of hot spices combin-cd with notes of mint, scents of nutmeg, liquorice and cinnamon stand out. It has a very good structure, complex and powerful tannins, elegant and firm. Good balance and long lasting aromatic taste.

I BALZINI Brown Label – Grappa Riser-vaProduced with dregs from first grape pres-sing, distilled using copper alembies at a

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Iow temperature and aged in wooden casks for 18 months. It has a delicate gilded co-lour with a complex and persistent bouquet. Extremely soft at the taste, it is perfect to be sipped just by itself or accompanicd with an aromatic chocolate with scents of yellowed ripe fruit and with cakes stuffed with dried trait and honey.

I BALZINI Scarlet Label – Extra Wine Gelatin Produced with the historic wine of I BALZINI White Label is a gelatin coming from artigianal cooking, without chemical substances, without dyes and with very red colour. It is an eclectic product with com-bination of cheese, ice-cream and roasted meat.

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Olive OilThe winery has also olive trees just in front of the house. We have different varieties: Frantoio,Moraiolo, Coreggiolo and Leccino (typical Tuscan varieties of olives). The olives are harvested by hand and they brou-ght them in a frantoio nearby to work them with a cold system. The result is an extra vergin oil very intense fruited perfume, re-ach in vegetal notes as artichoke and thistle.

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A wine is excellent not only thanks the ground, but also thanks to the producer’sheart. In the modern agricolture a big effort is requested so the earth can conserve itself at the best for the new generations. More the heart of the producer is bigger more the producer will take care of the environment.Antonella and Vincenzo D’ Isanto “produ-cers for passion” take care of the gobal en-vironment and for this reason they made a photovoltaic system which can give energy for 80% to climatize the cellar, or for exam-ple the choice to reduce of 200 grams the weight of the bottles and accordingly sa-ving energy and decreasing the emissions. Moreover, it is important to remember that with the construction of the new cellar they also took care of the environment and energy saving. The cellar is underground so that it cannot disturb the environmental impact. A roof which collects the rays of the sun permits to have natural light in the cellar. The company decided to abolish the use of polystirene and plastic for the bottles packages and they replaced them with special cardboard boxes in order to guaran-tee the security of the package during the transport.

“I Balzini” for the environment

Olive Oil

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Future plansIt is important for the company to use suppliers who take care of recycling and they are responsible for a correct use of the forests. Antonella and Vincenzo say that we cannot speak about terroir and the quality of the wine if the territory is not loved, secured and respected.

Our farm

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Future plans

Our farm

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WelcomePassion for cooking and the desire to welcome lovers of I BALZINI brought An-tonella and Diana D’ Isanto (both passioned of cooking) to organize special moments for the guests. Infact, during wine tastings there is the possibility to taste wine together with typical Tuscan delicacies which they love to prepare. From this year we have news: a recipes book prepared directly by Antonella and Diana and dishes prepared with the wine. The love for the table brought Antonella to launch a project “The art of the Table”: a nice educational about the art to welcome guests where a chef and a maitre suggest mise en place, combinations food and wine, suggestions how to prepare the table. These events could be organized in the winery or in wonderful locations nearby.

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I Balzini white label

TASTING NOTES:

Visual examination: Intense ruby red with big a concentration.Nose: complex scents of berries and black cherry. Notes of hot spices combined with refined hints of tobacco and violet.Taste: full body and warm. Complex and powerful tannins, characterized by a growing softness. Very long after taste ab-solutely coherent with olfactory notes.Technical details Name of the wine: I BALZINI White Label Soil :Pliocene origin, sedimentary structure alter-nated by yellow sand and clay. Considera-ble presence of sea fossils.Microclimate:Temperate – warm: from middle to intense

Welcome

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rain precipitation, cold winter whereas summers are slightly warm or warm with sunsets particularly sunny due to a specific exposure to west.Exposure:South – West with vine rows facing North-SouthGrowing technic:Cordone speronato with a very careful pruning of the vines. Grape selection and lessening of the grapes during maturation with a second selection during the harvest. Manual harvest using small boxes to avoid damages to the grapes during the transport from the vineyard to the cellar. Final grape selection in the cellar using a special belt conveyor.Grapes:Sangiovese 50%, Cabernet Sauvignon 50%.Vinification:Maceration at 28° – 30°C for at least 10-12 days and complete malolaptic fermentation.Refining:In French oak barriques for about 12 mon-ths and final ageing in bottle for 18 months.Advice:Wine with a long life which could be aged for 15-20 years. We suggest to taste the wine at 16° - 18° C using a big goblet for Chianti Classico.Accompaniments:Excellent with barbecue, red meet cooked in oven and middle seasoned cheese.Special characteristicsIntense wine, elegant and representative of the territory.

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I Balzini red label

ASTING NOTES:

Visual examination: Intense ruby red and deep.Nose: Of a great aromatic complexity. Complex scents of berries and black cherry. Notes of hot spices combined with notes of mint, scents of nutmeg, liquorice and cinna-mon stand outTaste: very good structure, complex and powerful tannins, elegant and firm. Good balance and long lasting aromatic taste.Name of the wine: I BALZINI Red LabelSoil:Pliocene origin, sedimentary structure alter-nated by yellow sand and clay. Considera-ble presence of sea fossils.Microclimate:Temperate – warm: from middle to intense

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rain precipitation, cold winter whereas summers are slightly warm or warm with sunsets particularly sunny due to a specific exposure to west.Exposure:South – West with vine rows facing North-SouthGrowing technic:Cordone speronato with a very careful pruning of the vines .Manual harvest using small boxes to avoid damages tothe grapes during the transport from the vineyard to the cellar. Final grape selection in the cellar using a special belt conveyor.Grapes:Sangiovese , Cabernet SauvignonVinification:Maceration at 28° – 30°C for at least 10-12 days and complete malolaptic fermentation.Refining:In fourth year barriques for around 24 months then refining for around 18 months in bottle.Advice:Wine with a long life which could be aged for more than 10 years. We suggest to taste the wine at 16° - 18° C using a big goblet for Chianti Classico.Accompaniments:Excellent with barbecue, red meet cooked in oven and middle seasoned cheese.

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I Balzini green label

Visual examination: Bright vermilion red Nose: Hints of violet flowers thanks to the particular grape blend ensuring evident and traditional territorial character Taste: Soft, full-bodied and vivacious with elegant freshnessName of the wine: I BALZINI Green LabelSoil: Rich in loose shale originating from the main rock (commonly known as “albe-rese”)Microclimate:Temperate-warm: average to high rainfall, cold winters and moderate-warm to warm summers with particularly sunny evenings tank to west-facing exposureExposure: South – West with vine rows facing North-South.Growing method:The land is cultivated in alternation with

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grass and cordon-trained and spur-pruned vines with few spurs and very limited bud load. Bunch selection with thinning out du-ring growth and final selection on picking; during the harvest, the bunches are hand-picked,placed in small racks and then taken to the cellars. The grape bunches undergo further grading on the conveyor belt prior to pressing.Grapes:Sangiovese and MammoloVinification:Maceration at 25°C for 8 days. Complete malolactic fermentation.Refinement:One year in stainless steel tanks at con-troller temperature only during Spring and Summer, in since the wine benefits from thermal excursions in Winter.Suggestions:This red wine is best enjoyed young; serve in “tulip” glasses.Pairings:Ideal with first courses, carpaccio of tunna, codfish, fish stew, pizza. It can also be ser-ved at a low temperature to exalt its scents.Distinguishing featuresA fresh and fragrant wine, very full-bodied, with a distinct territorial character. The bot-tle is closed with an elegant glass cap.

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I Balzini black label

Visual examination: intense and deep ruby colour with purple notes.Nose: intense and elegant notes of berries, harmoniously balanced with refined hints of chocolate, leather and spices like vanilla end coffee.Taste: Complex, warm and pleasantly tannic, well balanced with balanced acidity. Wondeful fruity after taste.Technical details Name of the wine I BALZINI Black LabelSoil:Pliocene origin, sedimentary structure alter-nated by yellow sand and clay. Considera-ble presence of sea fossils.Microclimate:Temperate – warm: from middle to intense rain precipitation, cold winter whereas summers are slightly warm or warm with sunsets particularly sunny due to a specific

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exposure to west.Exposure:South – West with vine rows facing North-SouthGrowing technic:Cordone speronato with a very careful pruning of the vines. Grape selection and lessening of the grapes during maturation with a second selection during the harvest. Manual harvest using small boxes to avoid damages to the grapes during the transport from the vineyard to the cellar. Final grape selection in the cellar using a special belt conveyor.Grapes:Cabernet Sauvignon , Sangiovese and Merlot .Vinification:Maceration at 28 – 30°C for about 20 days and complete Malolaptic fermentation.Refining:In French oak barriques for 12 – 16 months and final ageing in bottle for 18 months.Advice:Wine with a long life which could be aged for 15-20 years. We suggest to taste the wine at 16° - 18° C using a big goblet for big wines.Accompaniments:We suggest important dishes with red meet and games like wild boar. This wine goes well with seasoned cheese served also with honey or gelatine.Special characteristics:Wine with unforgettable and touching per-fumes, excellent as wine for meditation or to accompany a pleasant conversation.

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GUIDES and AWARDS I BALZINI Black Label

Vintage 2007 * Bronze Medal at Challenge International du Vin 2011 * Diploma of Merit IX Selection by Tu-scany region at the Selection of Tuscan Wines- year 2010 * The best wine of Val D’Elsa’s area from AIS Val D’Elsa (Boccaccesca Award)* Merano International WineFestival 2010- Selection “high quality final wine tasting”.

Vintage 2006* Diploma of Honourable Mention at the 18th Vinitaly’s International Wine Challen-ge in Verona 2010 Vintage 2005* Diploma of Honourable Mention I BALZINI Black Label for 43tth Vinitaly’s International Wine Challenge 2009* Gold Medal at Challenge International du Vin de Bordeaux 2009* Silver Medal at the International Wine &

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Spirits Challenge London 2009 * Bronze Medal at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2009* Gold Medal at the Royal Wine Challenge of Belgrade 2009* Silver Medal at the AWC Wien 2009

Vintage 2004 * Bronze Medal I BALZINI Black Label at Decanter World Wine Awards 2008 * Silver Medal I BALZINI Black Label at the AWC Wien 2008

Vintage 2003* Gold Medal I BALZINI Black Label at the AWC Wien 2007 Vintage 2002* Silver Medal I BALZINI White Label and Black Label at the Concurso Mundial de Vinhos 2006 in Portugal * Silver Medal (Best in class) I BALZINI Black Label al International Wine and Spi-rit Competition * Silver Medal I BALZINI Black Label at the AWC Vienna 2006, International Wine Challenge * Diploma of Merit for I BALZINI Black Label given by the Tuscany region at the Selection of the Tuscan wines . * The best wine of Val D’Elsa’s area from AIS Val D’Elsa

Vintage 2001* Gold Medal I BALZINI Black Label at the Concorso Mundial de Bruxelles * Bronze Medal at the 3° Decanter World wine awards Black Label 2001 * Selection High Quality Final Wine ta-

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sting- Merano International Wine Festival 2005

Vintage 2000 * Gold Medal at the International Wine Challenge 2004 for I BALZINI Black Label * Silver Medal at the Fair of Trencin * Merano International WINE FESTIVAL 2004 - Selection “high quality final wine tasting” * Diploma of Merit given by the Tuscany region at the Selection of the Tuscany wi-nes year 2004

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GUIDES and AWARDS I BALZINI White Label

Vintage 2007 * Gold Medal at the Challenge Internatio-nal du Vin 2011 * Diploma of Honourable Mention at the 19th Vinitaly’s International Wine in Vero-na 2011 * Diploma of Honourable Mention IX Se-lection by Tuscany at the Selection region of Tuscan Wines- year 2010 * Merano International WineFestival 2010- Selection “high quality final wine tasting”.

Vintage 2006* Silver Medal I BALZINI White Label at the Premium Wine Challenge di Prowein 2010 (3 stelle***) * Diploma of Honourable Mention at the 18th Vinitaly’s International Wine in Vero-na 2010 * recommended by Decanter World Wine Awards 2010

Vintage 2005* Bronze Medal at the Challenge Interna-

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tional du Vin de Bordeaux 2009 * Gold Medal at the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles 2009 * Silver Medal at the International Wine & Spirits Competition London 2009 * Bronze Medal at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2009 * Silver Medal at the Royal Wine Challen-ge of Belgrade 2009 * Silver Medal World Wine Selection of Canada 2009 * Silver Medal at the AWC Wien 2009 Vintage 2004 * Silver Medal I BALZINI White Label at the Concorso Mundial de Bruxelles 2008 * Silver Medal I BALZINI White Label at Decanter World Wine Awards 2008 * Bronze Medal I BALZINI White Label at the International Wine & Spirit Competi-tion London 2008 * Silver Medal I BALZINI White Label at the AWC Wien 2008 Vintage 2003 * Silver Medal I BALZINI White Label at the AWC Wien 2007 * Silver Medal I BALZINI White Label at the challenge international du vin a Bordeaux * Bronze Medal I BALZINI White Label at The International Wine & Spirit Competi-tion

Vintage 2002* Gold Medal I BALZINI White Label at the Concorso Mundial de Bruxelles 2006 * Gold Medal I BALZINI White Label at the AWC Vienna 2006, International Wine Challenge 2006.

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* Silver Medal I BALZINI White Label at the Concurso Mundial de Vinhos 2006 in Portugal * Silver Medal I BALZINI White Label at the Korea Wine Challenge 2006 * Silver Medal (Best in class) I BALZINI White Label al International Wine and Spi-rit Competition * I BALZINI White Label Diploma of Honourable Mention at the 14th Vinitaly’s International Wine in Verona* I BALZINI White Label Diploma of Ho-nourable Mention VII Selection by Tuscany region of Tuscan Wines

Vintage 2001 * Gold Medal l at the Concorso Mundial de Bruxelles * Diploma of Honourable Mention at the 13th Vinitaly’s International Wine Compe-tition in Verona* Diploma of Merit given by the Tuscany region at the Selection of the Tuscan wines year 2005 * Merano International Wine Festival 2005 - Selection “high quality final wine tasting”.* Bronze Medal at the 3° Decanter World wine awards White Label 2001

Vintage 2000 * Gold Medal at the International Wine Challenge 2004 for I BALZINI White Label * Diploma of Merit given by the Tuscany region at the Selection of the Tuscany wi-nes year 2004

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* Merano International WINE FESTIVAL 2004 - Selection “high quality final wine tasting”. Vintage 1998 Gold Medal at the Vinitaly ‘s International Wine in Verona

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I Balzini Agrarian SocietyPastine Area,19

50021 Barberino Val D’Elsa (FI) TEL +390558075503

[email protected]