Duemani, Cabernet Franc 2010

Biodynamically farmed. Fermented and aged for 18 months in 80 percent new oak.

Luca d'Attoma is a highly respected Tuscan wine consultant, employers have included Azienda Agricola Le Macchiole in Bolgheri and Tua Rita, who, along with wife Elena Celli, eventually realised a dream to produce his own wine. Luca and Elena are the Duemani 'two hands' that run the estate. They first identified a wonderful site in the north Bolgheri hills in the mid nineties. The purchase 7 ha of land and set about preparing the soils for Biodynamic viticulture. This took seven years. The first vines were planted in 2001 and already, by the 2008 vintage, they have started to make some outstanding wines. The structure of the soil here is remarkable for its predominance of clay and stone – the resulting low soil fertility leading to greater character and complexity in the vines fruit. After an examination of the property and its unique position in the contour of a west-facing amphitheatre there emerged the sites of three distinct vineyards. The vineyard at the highest altitude and with the richest soil is the site of their Cabernet Franc vines. Another lower vineyard continues with the same varietal and then evolves into rows of Merlot vines. The third and smallest vineyard, notably stony and arid, is the 'heart' of the estate and is planted to 7000 vines of alberello-trained Syrah. From the very beginning Duemani have followed the principles of biodynamic farming and since the 2004 harvest their estate's production.