March 12, 2025 • 37 mins
Known as the "Villa of 100 Chimneys," Tenuta di Artimino, built in 1596, served as the hunting lodge for Count Ferdinando de’ Medici. Acquired in the 1980s by Olympic bicyclist, Giuseppe Olmo, it was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2013. Italy's smallest DOCG Carmignano in Tuscany produces elegant red wines blended with Sangiovese (50% min.) and Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc (20% max.). Annabella Pascale, CEO and granddaughter of Giuseppe Olmo, discusses its history and wines.
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The Connected Table is broadcast live Wednesdays at 2PM ET and Music on W4CY Radio (www.w4cy.com) part of Talk 4 Radio (www.talk4radio.com) on the Talk 4 Media Network (www.talk4media.com).
The Connected Table Podcast is also available on Talk 4 Media (www.talk4media.com), Talk 4 Podcasting (www.talk4podcasting.com), iHeartRadio, Amazon Music, Pandora, Spotify, Audible, and over 100 other podcast outlets.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
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(00:20):
W FOURCY Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Welcome to the Connected Table Live. We're your hosts, Melanie
Young and David Ransom. You're insatiably curious culinary couple. Each
week we bring you the dynamic people who are front
and center and behind the scenes in wine, food, spirits
and hospitality all around the world.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Right, absolutely, yeah.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
We enjoy sharing their story with all of our listeners
who are also around the world, and of course are
many in the United States. So where are we going today, David, Well, back.
Speaker 4 (01:08):
To one of my favorite places, that's for sure, and
I know one of yours as well, Melanie, that we're
going back to Tuscany.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
We were just there for on Toprima in March of
twenty twenty two. We're taking you to a very small
denomination of origin, Carmignano. It's not too far from Florence,
an easy drive, right.
Speaker 5 (01:31):
Yeah, it's not too far.
Speaker 4 (01:32):
It's maybe a half an hour drive out to the
region of Carmigiano, and it's one of the older DOCGs
in Italy and also one of the most unique, but.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Still one of the smallest and probably among the least known.
But there's some very storied estates there. Wine of States.
One of the reasons is that the proximity to Florence
made it a great country escape for the wealthy, like
the Mediciese. And in fact, our guest today is going
to join us from an estate that was the former
(02:05):
hunting lodge of Fernando de Medici. Right, we're joined today
and we had the pleasure of visiting.
Speaker 4 (02:12):
Yes, I've been twice, you've been once, okay, and it's
a lovely place.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
So we're with Annabella Pascale who is with Tanuta the Artemino,
which is an astonishingly beautiful place. We had a wonderful
tour led by Annabella and we just are so happy
to have her join us on the connected table Vanjorno.
Speaker 6 (02:32):
Vanjorno, Hello everyone, Thank you for inviting me.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
Well, thank you for joining us.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
So we kind of set it up, but we'd love
to hear from you first give our listeners a sense
of place. Where is docg Carmignano and specifically where is
Tanuta the artemino in this area.
Speaker 6 (02:54):
Yes, as you as you said, Tascani is full of
DOCGs and docs and it's a it's a region, very
well known for the county, for the Sandravesa grape, and
in our area we had just have two hundred actors
of Carmignano. Leosigi is one of the of the oldest
in Italy and in the world, and one of the smallest.
(03:16):
As you said, but the blend is made by Sandrovese,
Cabernet and Merlot, which are three varieties very well known
and very well produced in Italy. And we have the
pleasure to to keep on the legacy of the Medici
family that created this estate four hundred years ago. And
(03:43):
we have this amazing villa, which is one of the
reasons why all the tourists come for it's a it's
a venue, it's an estate in the middle of the country.
And Tuscan Hills where we have this castle where reorganize
events and weddings. We have a four star hotel, the
village of Artimino, and of course all the vine yards
(04:05):
and on the olive trees. Actors.
Speaker 4 (04:09):
You know, it really is a striking estate, Melanie. I
remember when we first drove up there, I was like,
Oh my gosh, what is this? This is this is
just fabulous. And it was built in fifteen ninety six.
To give you an idea of four hundred years, that's
a long time. We don't have any buildings that on here,
that's for sure, Yeah at all.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
Yeah, the architecture has an incredible heritage to it. I
think you said it was called the Villa of one
hundred chimneys. But the architect himself was very famous in Italy.
What can you tell us about Bernardo ba TALENTI.
Speaker 6 (04:42):
One TALENTI very good pronunciation.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
We're trying.
Speaker 6 (04:48):
Actually it was a very special man, you know, like
nowadays we would call him architect, but back in time
he was used to do a lot of businesses, a
lot of jobs. Actually is very well known because people
thinks he created the gelato, the ice cream as it
is made today. With milk, while by the Roman times
(05:11):
it was just made by ice and water. So it's
very well known for this reason. It was a friend
for the Grand Duke of Tuscan in Ferdinando. They were
hunting together and they decided to build the villa right
in that specific place because of course it was a
perfect place for hunting, but also because there was the
village of a Timino and sam Etruscan ancient architecture with
(05:35):
the facilities of water and the Arno River right behind.
So when Talenti decided to build this villa with lots
of chimneys, one is different from the other. They're all
one of a kind. They are very very tall. They
needed the warmth, They needed a sort of a heat
(05:57):
fire in every room because it was very cold, and
maybe she suffered of a disease called the goat gotta
in Italian, so they really needed to be warm. But
the chimneys outside are just our Philip Stark idea, our
Montalenti idea to make the villain forgetable.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
That it is, and it's I'm curious to this chimney
still work.
Speaker 6 (06:25):
Some of them, yes, some of them. Actually, they're not
one hundred. I have to tell you they're about fifty
but most of them are still working. Yes, as you
may know, this place is a venue for events, so
we use some rooms for these occasions, but some others
(06:46):
are very old and ancient, and so it's better to
keep them closed.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
You know. I think it's interesting that you mentioned the
architect created a certain type of water because in the
United States there's a brand called talenty, So I guess
that's putting the two to do together using part of
his name. Who knew.
Speaker 4 (07:05):
Fun fact And another fun fact is that Artemino is
one of the fifteen palaces built by the Medicchi family
back in the fifteen and early sixteen hundreds. And I
remember walking through the grand hall when we were there, Melanie,
and there's art up around the top of the room
where all the palaces are painted on the walls surrounding
(07:28):
the room.
Speaker 5 (07:28):
It was really great too.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Oh yeah, I remember that. It was quite spectacular. Yeah,
I mean really quite spectacular. And for our listeners, we
had the great pleasure of doing a wine tasting, which
we'll talk about a little bit at dinner in the
wine cellar, which was amazing. But there's another famous man
involved in the history and heritage to Nuto Artemino, and
that's Giuseppe almost talked to us about him, and he
(07:52):
is your ancestor.
Speaker 6 (07:54):
Yes, my grandfather actually talking about the villa and all
the other maybe chivillas, I would say that we are
proud to have become UNESCO Heritage in twenty thirteen. So
the uniqueness of this villas, it's very particular, because you
can make a tour all over Tuscany is in those villas.
They're mostly private, so it's nice to see how in
(08:18):
the centuries they've built different villas and different castles. Actually
we call it villa, but wherever in the world you
would call it castle. And the property of our Timino
has always been private. After the Medici family, it was
purchased by a noble Roman family and after the Second
(08:39):
World War it was a bit destroyed, abandoned, and my
grandfather decided to buy it in order to rebuild it
and made their temino special place for events and vacations
and a place to remember. Actually, he was very it
was a talented man. It was very well known in
(09:00):
Italy for its because it was a bicycle racer and
in the thirties, so before the Second World war, and
right after he decided to become a businessman and to
produce bicycles. Our bicycles are still called Olmo, which is
his surname, my mother's surname. And he also made a
(09:25):
lot of businesses and in the eighties fell in love
with the Artimino and decided to buy it. So my
auntie and my aunt started to live there and rebuild
the estate, while me and my cousin when we arrived
and became new CEOs, we decided also to work on
the vine yards and to renovate all our lines and
(09:47):
to make the Carminiano great again. We wanted to We
wanted the word to know this very small but very
famous back in time. The ocgu.
Speaker 4 (09:59):
Well, one thing we have to say that it was
Giesseppe Almost wasn't just famous for making bicycle he was
also famous for riding bicycles.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
Olympia.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
Yeah, he won the Olympics.
Speaker 4 (10:09):
So that's what catapulted him to fame originally, and then
he started making bicycles. I think it's a great story.
And now I have to go look for an almost bike.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
No, we just bought bikes. No, Annabella, would you like
to share some stories about your grandfather. He sounds like
an amazing man.
Speaker 6 (10:26):
Oh yes, he was. Unfortunately died in ninety two when
it was just twelve, so I remember him just as
a grandfather. I've never met the businessman, but I know
and people told me that it was very forward looking,
a hard worker and a very humble person, and that's
(10:46):
his legacy for sure.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
Well when did you become involved in working with Villa Artemino.
Speaker 6 (10:55):
Well, I started, I would say ten years ago. I
was in my third is. I used to organize events
in Milano and I was in marketing and communication, and
that's that was my first step in Artemina. I wanted
to change the website marketing and communication. Of course, I
fell in love with Artemino when I was young, and
(11:16):
even if I come from Milano, I decided to sort
of change my life and start to work for this project.
I really wanted to do something also, not only for
our villa and the famous hotel and resort, but we
wanted to work more harder on our lines and let
(11:37):
those this Carminiano and our Caian to be known.
Speaker 2 (11:39):
Also, just to kind of take you back were there
always find Arminius.
Speaker 6 (11:44):
We rebuild some because of every every four or five years.
You have to work on the whole production and see
how the weather is changing. The climate is not any
more the same, so we always have to work on
our terroar and our locations. But Artimino was a country state,
(12:04):
and of course there were already vine yards, they were
drinking wine. We know that Katerina de Medici, that she
was a queen of France because she get married with
the King of France, brought the cabernet from the first
time in Italy in this area, and CARMINIANDIOCG has been
produced since that time, so back in one thousand, seven hundreds.
Speaker 3 (12:26):
Well that's you know.
Speaker 4 (12:27):
That's another fascinating thing about Carmeniano is that it really
was planted to Cabinet long before any other region, exactly
in Italy.
Speaker 6 (12:35):
Yeah, you know, Santra Visi grape is the signature of Tuscany.
But in this era, cabernet has been produced since five
hundred years, so for us it's not an international grape anymore.
I mean, it's part of the blend, and it's been
part of the blend since forever.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
Is there a DOOCG guideline on what percentage of cabernet
can be used.
Speaker 6 (13:02):
Yes, Actually there's a percentage that you can you can choose,
and you can pick depends on your winemaker and your
vineyards and what you want to do with your wine.
In our case, our Carmignanos are mostly Sandoveses or seventy percent.
You can pick from fifty to seventy, so it depends
(13:22):
which is the wine you want to make. For us,
it was important to give longevity and the acidt and
the tannins of the sandoves most of all, but we
want also the sign of the Cabernet to make this
blend recognizable above all the others.
Speaker 4 (13:42):
And another thing about Carmigniano is that the blend actually
has to have caberne, right, It's not an option you
have to have at least I think ten percent. Is
it anabella of cabinate in your blend.
Speaker 2 (13:53):
Yeah, And that's a bit distinguishing factor within Tuscany where
San Giovesi is so predominant everywhere else and Cabernet is
like a second citizen, so really really a big distinguishing factor.
You talked about some of the changes you made when
you came Tonuto Artemino in marketing and really getting the
(14:18):
estate and the building ready to host major events and such.
What were some other changes that were done have been
done that you really want to point out?
Speaker 6 (14:30):
So many I know recount like for theturistic parts such
as the villa, hotel, the restaurant and the village. We
changed a lot of things because we wanted a higher
level of clients, so we wanted the place to be
four five or five stars, so services and facilities needed
(14:53):
to be always more and better. We built a spa
a wellness center a couple of years ago, actually it
was four years ago, but with the covid era like
two years of cut down, so I don't even remember them.
But from this year on we started a joint venture
with the international group Milia. They're started from a Spanish family.
(15:19):
They have hotels, resort and all different kind of affiliations,
and Artemino became a member of Melia Collection, which is
their top level of resort. So we think we're going
to make great things with them. And concerning our wines,
(15:40):
we're finally seeing the results of our hard work such
as awards and scores. But Artimino is famous for its
mediicivi la still so we are still working on all
the other arguments.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
Let's talk about the wines, because we had one seated
guide that tasting with It was actually a vertical of
two of your signature wines with your winemaker, which we'd
like you talk to first of us. Let's talk about
your winemaker.
Speaker 6 (16:14):
Yes, Filipopolti is a Tuscan winemaker, so for him, Sandravesi
is very very important, and we've been working together for
eight years now. Somallo our reserva state Reserva fifteen was
(16:34):
the first of his reserva, you know, the wine aged
and every year we're discovering some new flavors and some
new particularities of our sandovesis, so we're still working on it.
And Artemino is in a state of seven hundred actors,
(16:55):
so we're producers of Carmignano, your CG and on the
other side of the hill Anti Docg. So Sando Vise
is always the main character of our wines. Our soil
is famous for the Pietra Serna. It's a great sandstone rock.
(17:17):
It is famous because it's been there for twenty two
million years. It was also used to build the villa. Actually,
so terroir as a very important role, actually a leading
role in our in our state because these stones and
this good drainage gives a greater body to our wines
(17:40):
and a great longevity.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
So we're just looking at our notes, tasting notes from
our visit with.
Speaker 5 (17:52):
You.
Speaker 2 (17:52):
We tasted Griomarollo. We tasted twenty seventeen, sixty and fifteen
and it's a blended Sangio basi Cabernet Sauvignon Merlau in Serra,
so that's your reservoir. And then we did a pogli
arca which is Sangio basic Cabernet Merloau no serra, and
(18:16):
we did four vantages of that wine. What is the
difference between Obviously one has serra, but are they both
the ocg or they.
Speaker 6 (18:25):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely, they're both Carmianos. As I told you,
we all started this vertical tasting with the twenty fifteen
because of the signature of our wine maker, Filippo. These
two wines are our best expression of tar and blend
(18:45):
for Jilaca ages one year in Oca Baras for the
San Dievisi and Cabernet Savignon and merlo ages in Barique,
and then they spent another year in bottle. So it's
a wine that has tannins, that has the sandoves acidity,
but also very It's very fresh, drinkable, but you can
(19:09):
feel berries and spices aromas. There's sort of a vanilla
sensation I hope you might remember, because of course you
start to feel the aging, but the fruit is still there.
So it's a wine you can age for years in
your cellar, but you also can drink with some meat
(19:31):
or some game right away. Grumallo, of course is our
best expression of the terroir. It's the best expression of
our carminianodio CG. Because we had a bit of syra,
because we want to help the spices to come out,
(19:52):
the spices that come from the aging in oak barrels
and in barrique or carbonem Merlo is very vivid ruby,
vivid ruby red, because there's this maturation process that can
really be felt and seen. It's very intense. It's harmonic,
(20:13):
sophisticated as a wide and complex range of aromas. But
you have some red, berrious fruits, but you start alse
to fill tobacco leather, which is very typical of carmiano
and clothes. It's a full bodied wine. We're very happy
(20:33):
because we get good scores and an important Italian award
that is called Trebikieri by Gambro Rosso. So we hope
to get better every year.
Speaker 4 (20:46):
Well, I have to say i've been. I've been to
Artemino twice now, once in twenty nineteen and then we
came again this year and Melanie and I were there,
and I love the wines and I love the way
they age because to do verticals like especially the pajul
Arca really really shows the aging potential of these wines.
And then of course the grim Morello just takes on
(21:07):
this velvety character and beautiful softness to it as it ages.
Speaker 5 (21:11):
And I think the Sirah has.
Speaker 2 (21:12):
Something to do, safinitely has a lot to do. Sja
screams velvet. Now these are your two two of the
wines in your fifteen ninety six collection. Right right right.
Speaker 6 (21:28):
Ninety six collection is the date when the villa started
to be built, as you may mentioned, and it was
built in only four years, so can you imagine what
we do now in four years and they created this
huge castle, so it's amazing. Of course, the villa, it's
part of our logo. So we wanted the family of
(21:51):
Carmignano Yosig that is a wine invented by the Medischi
family by Cosimo the third in seventeen sixteen, three hundred
years ago. We wanted the Maybishi family to be part
of it, so we have it in this number and
we have it in the logo.
Speaker 2 (22:11):
I think it's a really great branding. Canabella thank you
as a branding person, because we're just looking at a
sheet here about the project and basically each of the
different labels tells a story of Artemino.
Speaker 6 (22:30):
That's right, Thank you for noticing.
Speaker 2 (22:33):
Yeah, I thought that was really because for us, every
bottle of wine tells a story, and we like to
tell stories. But what I love is, you know you've
got Serbiaggio's there was the right hand man of for
Nando de Medici, and I thought that was interesting. And
then our tumus the antique ancient name, right, what does
(22:54):
that mean?
Speaker 6 (22:56):
Artmino?
Speaker 2 (22:58):
Yeah, but our two is there is it? Does it
mean anything?
Speaker 6 (23:02):
No? No, I mean the the Etruscans gave the name
to the village millions of years ago and it was
called Artumeis so then later Chroni was changed into Artino
in the Middle Age.
Speaker 2 (23:17):
Very interesting. Now we also, I don't know if this
is something that a regular visitor gets to experience. So
do tell we also had a really nice dinner catered
like a It was like a Gnaching dinner in the
wine cellar. It was quite elegant and there was some
(23:38):
terrific food. Is that something that is a private event
type experience?
Speaker 6 (23:43):
Yeah, sort of. I mean, of course we did great
things for you guys.
Speaker 3 (23:48):
You mean that's not a daily currency, but of.
Speaker 6 (23:52):
Course, I mean private events can set up the place
however they like. But we are organize every day every
afternoon a wine tasting, a tour of the villa, a
wine tasting for whom wants to make a reservation. We
have a lot of Americans that come through Airbnb experiences,
(24:14):
so they they find us and then they reach us
with a car or with a train, and we organize
the visit of the villa or maybe the picnic in
an amazing point of view area with the somelier with
some nice food, or they can also have private tastings.
(24:37):
So the private tasting, you can do it mostly wherever
you want, at the time you want. And then the
thing that we are very happy finally to have is
the vertical tasting. The one you had and so we
are really pushing on that experience because it's one of
the best that can really show what sandraves and what
(24:59):
coming on can do.
Speaker 2 (25:00):
Aging we agree. I think vertical tastings are some of
the most enjoyable. I also like blind taste, anything that
just really tests your palate and that you're thinking, it's
a very thoughtful way to taste wine.
Speaker 6 (25:14):
I didn't mention a couple of restaurants in our Tomino
and so for us, of course for every Italian, but
mostly for Tuscan, food is very very important and the
pairing with the wine with food and wine is very important.
So the whole experience need to have some food and
(25:34):
some wine.
Speaker 2 (25:37):
So when we were there, was that was was that
a catered outside cater Do you have in house cooks?
Speaker 6 (25:44):
We have you now, the team, Yes we have.
Speaker 2 (25:48):
They did a great job.
Speaker 5 (25:50):
And the chef has been there for a long time.
Speaker 2 (25:52):
The chef has twice.
Speaker 6 (25:54):
She's very nice, Yes, Mikaela.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
Yes exactly, Kayla, thank you for sharing that.
Speaker 4 (26:01):
And you know what I love about Artimino as well.
And here's something that a lot of people probably.
Speaker 3 (26:04):
Don't get to see.
Speaker 4 (26:05):
But in the kitchen, uh, there's a rotisserie designed by
Leonardo da Vinci.
Speaker 2 (26:11):
Stop really, I think I saw that, but I didn't
know it was designed by because we were in the kitchen.
I mean it was a very intimate experience.
Speaker 6 (26:18):
Yeah, it's very In the room right next where we
had hard ninner, there was this rotessery by Leonardo da Vinci.
And we read some stories about the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Ferdinando,
the one who was living in the villa by then,
by back in time, that his son was very good
(26:41):
in math and asked Galileo Galilei to help him out
for homeschooling be better in math. Can you imagine to
have Galileo Galilei helping you get some tutor.
Speaker 3 (26:54):
That's a heck of a tutor.
Speaker 2 (26:55):
That'd be like asking, you know, Bill Gates to help
you with your technology.
Speaker 6 (26:59):
Wasn't that's it? That's it?
Speaker 2 (27:06):
Well, I had no idea that Leonardo da Vinci designed wrotisseries.
That's kind of like a fun food facts pretty much.
Speaker 6 (27:11):
Actually, Da Vinci did mostly everything. He was able to
do everything.
Speaker 5 (27:17):
He was a very curious man.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
I think that's fascinating. I don't have to go back
and do my reading up on him. Versus the agony
in the Ecstasy.
Speaker 4 (27:25):
Well, just don't try to read it any of his notes, Melanie,
because they're all in Latin and written backwards because he
was left handed.
Speaker 2 (27:31):
Oh that's true, that's true. That's very interesting. Yeah, Annabella,
David writes backwards.
Speaker 6 (27:41):
Ah, so because he was inspired by.
Speaker 2 (27:43):
Leonardo da Vinci. Can you imagine.
Speaker 4 (27:44):
Yeah, Annabella, it's a funny story because I was in
art class in high school and we were learning about
Leonardo and I found out that he wrote backwards and
in Latin. I didn't do the Latin part, but I decided,
because I'm left handed too, to try to learn how
to write backwards, and I mastered it.
Speaker 2 (27:59):
He did it. It's it's kind of crazy. We have
to talk about your sweet wine because it's a very
special wine to the area, the Pernice, and we had
it with of course Cantucci, which is what you do
in Tuscany at the end of the meal. Talk to
us about it.
Speaker 6 (28:17):
Well, vin Santo is a very famous sweet wine. It's
of course only from Tuscany and ok, Dipernice. Just few
producers make it because it's made fifty by red grapes
(28:40):
and they are dried in our vinsantaya a special place
on the ceiling of our cellar on cane trelise for
five or six months, and once the grapes are dried,
they are pressed and they stay. They get sorn in
(29:00):
small barrels called the caraatello, which is a very very
small barrel, the one that may be pirates, only used
for at least four years, so we ate it for
five years. Now we are selling the twenty eleven. It's
amazing because it has a golden number color. It has
(29:21):
this flavor with dried figs, almonds, toasted walnuts, and apricots, aromas. Honey, right, sure, honey.
So the smell is like a sweet wine, but when
you have it in your mouth, the sweetness is totally
(29:44):
balanced by the fair acidity, so we can call it wine.
It's not a sweet wine. It's a wine. Actually. You
can have it with cheese, you can have it with risotto,
you can try it with a lot of food, not
only with our famous Cantucci biskits.
Speaker 2 (29:59):
It's very true and it's a very special wine and
not terribly available in the United States because it's limited
supply and production. But we were so lucky to taste it.
We really were, So we want to know. Tell our
listeners who your US importer is currently.
Speaker 6 (30:19):
Well, we have different because we work on different states.
We have Sienna Imports that has been working for us
in California for more than ten years. They also have
been Santo. We work in Colorado, we work in Texas
in Florida. On our website you can find all the
(30:42):
informations about that.
Speaker 2 (30:44):
And this is a good time to say what your
website is, Annabella.
Speaker 6 (30:48):
Oh, yes, thank you. Our website is Wwwrtminowines dot com.
This website is specifically dedicated to our wines, Arthur R
the e shop, and of course some informations about the
villa and our touristic estate. Otherwise, there's the website Artimino
(31:12):
dot com that explains the whole estate. There's wine, but
it's also the historic call and touristic part.
Speaker 2 (31:21):
So what is your idea of the perfect time spent
in Carmeniano if you visit and have an extended stay
at the Artimino.
Speaker 6 (31:32):
Well, as I said, I come from Milanso. From the city,
I started to fall in love with the oldest season
in the countryside because in every season you have different
colors of leaves. Of vineyards, of the color of the sky.
I mean, there are amazing colors and layers and layers
(31:52):
of hills and mountains. It's really amazing at the Tuscan landscape.
I would say, of course it's a good season for
wine lovers because we are we have the harvest. There's
a people full of passion working all day long, so
(32:14):
it's the best moment to enjoy that that moment. Otherwise,
I would say May or June because it's not very hot.
You can enjoy the pool, you can enjoy trekking, walking horses, bicycles,
you can go to Florence. July in August generally are
(32:37):
months more for relaxed in vacation when you don't have
to move. You just want to relax at the pool
or have a nice blast of rose at the pool bar.
Speaker 5 (32:49):
That sounds like a plan, Melanie.
Speaker 6 (32:51):
Yes, So for every season there's a good moment to
drink one of our wines or taste over hook plates.
Speaker 2 (32:59):
Absolutely, and you know, I think that it's a wonderful experience.
It's kind of interesting you mentioned that you're part of
Airbnb Experiences. I made a little notation to do research there,
and of course Malia Hotels, which is a great group.
So you're doing all the right things to get the
word out. As CEO of the company, What do you
(33:21):
see you'd like to do in the future, Annabella.
Speaker 6 (33:25):
Well, we have to absolutely recover from what happened during
these two years. For the tourism it's been very very bad.
Exportation of why has been very very very bad. So
we have to get back to twenty nineteen. But now
we are in twenty two, so I guess we're running,
(33:49):
running to go back where we are and try to
tell the world what we have become in these years.
We try not to stop our ideas, our developments, so
with this experience with Melia, I guess for our clients
would be amazing. And also our wines. We used the
(34:14):
year of COVID twenty and twenty one to age more
some of our wines like PODi Laka that you tried
in Podilaca seventeen in Groumalelo fifteen. So from that moment
on we we realized it was better to age like
not for just six months, but for a year in
a bottle. So we we sell bottles even with more
(34:41):
more a big time after. So I guess we had
a lesson even from that terrible moment, and we keep
on renovating everything. So it's work ongoing.
Speaker 2 (34:57):
Well, longer, aging great partnership and collaborations and constantly moving forward.
Who knows, maybe you have a bike race in your
future or a bike tour in your future to go
back to the heritage of Giuseppe.
Speaker 6 (35:10):
That's right, that's you.
Speaker 2 (35:15):
I see a bicycle tour group in your future. That's
my tip. I also want to point out that you
were a mom. We just heard your baby, so we
should probably you go. I know, it's a lot to juggle.
Speaker 5 (35:26):
Another result of COVID break.
Speaker 2 (35:27):
Yes, and a positive result.
Speaker 4 (35:32):
I remember when I was when I was When I
was first there, Melanie, I asked an Annabella had just
gotten engaged, and I said, so did you end up
getting married? When we saw her in twenty twenty two,
I said you did you have the wedding? And she goes, oh, yes,
and I had a baby too, very very busy.
Speaker 6 (35:48):
It wasn't so bad for my private life.
Speaker 3 (35:50):
There you go.
Speaker 2 (35:52):
Well, we really appreciate your taking the time to join
us on the Connected table. Annabella Pascali. It's been really
great to talk to you, and we really enjoyed our
visit to Tanuta the Artemino. It was quite beautiful and
we encourage all of our listeners to put Tanuta to
Artemino on their tuscan itinerary and Carmeniano, which is just
(36:16):
a delightful place to visit and easy to get to.
Speaker 5 (36:19):
Very easy to get to.
Speaker 2 (36:21):
Yeah, just outside of Florence. You can hire a car
you'ret there. So thank you again for joining us.
Speaker 6 (36:27):
Thank you, Thank you to both of you for coming
and for these lovely words and this time you gave
us because not only we want this estate and the
Medici legacy be known, but also our wines there are
such a small denomination that it's really hard for us
to be known. So thank you for this time you
you gave us.
Speaker 2 (36:49):
It is our pleasure and for all of our listeners,
we hope you will seek out these wines and consider
a visit. And what is our message to everybody for
thank you for joining us on the Connected Table this
edition and our message.
Speaker 5 (37:05):
Is stay insatiently curious.
Speaker 2 (37:08):
Thank you
The topics and opinions expressed in the following show are
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(00:20):
W FOURCY Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Welcome to the Connected Table Live. We're your hosts, Melanie
Young and David Ransom. You're insatiably curious culinary couple. Each
week we bring you the dynamic people who are front
and center and behind the scenes in wine, food, spirits
and hospitality all around the world.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Right, absolutely, yeah.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
We enjoy sharing their story with all of our listeners
who are also around the world, and of course are
many in the United States. So where are we going today, David, Well, back.
Speaker 4 (01:08):
To one of my favorite places, that's for sure, and
I know one of yours as well, Melanie, that we're
going back to Tuscany.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
We were just there for on Toprima in March of
twenty twenty two. We're taking you to a very small
denomination of origin, Carmignano. It's not too far from Florence,
an easy drive, right.
Speaker 5 (01:31):
Yeah, it's not too far.
Speaker 4 (01:32):
It's maybe a half an hour drive out to the
region of Carmigiano, and it's one of the older DOCGs
in Italy and also one of the most unique, but.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Still one of the smallest and probably among the least known.
But there's some very storied estates there. Wine of States.
One of the reasons is that the proximity to Florence
made it a great country escape for the wealthy, like
the Mediciese. And in fact, our guest today is going
to join us from an estate that was the former
(02:05):
hunting lodge of Fernando de Medici. Right, we're joined today
and we had the pleasure of visiting.
Speaker 4 (02:12):
Yes, I've been twice, you've been once, okay, and it's
a lovely place.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
So we're with Annabella Pascale who is with Tanuta the Artemino,
which is an astonishingly beautiful place. We had a wonderful
tour led by Annabella and we just are so happy
to have her join us on the connected table Vanjorno.
Speaker 6 (02:32):
Vanjorno, Hello everyone, Thank you for inviting me.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
Well, thank you for joining us.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
So we kind of set it up, but we'd love
to hear from you first give our listeners a sense
of place. Where is docg Carmignano and specifically where is
Tanuta the artemino in this area.
Speaker 6 (02:54):
Yes, as you as you said, Tascani is full of
DOCGs and docs and it's a it's a region, very
well known for the county, for the Sandravesa grape, and
in our area we had just have two hundred actors
of Carmignano. Leosigi is one of the of the oldest
in Italy and in the world, and one of the smallest.
(03:16):
As you said, but the blend is made by Sandrovese,
Cabernet and Merlot, which are three varieties very well known
and very well produced in Italy. And we have the
pleasure to to keep on the legacy of the Medici
family that created this estate four hundred years ago. And
(03:43):
we have this amazing villa, which is one of the
reasons why all the tourists come for it's a it's
a venue, it's an estate in the middle of the country.
And Tuscan Hills where we have this castle where reorganize
events and weddings. We have a four star hotel, the
village of Artimino, and of course all the vine yards
(04:05):
and on the olive trees. Actors.
Speaker 4 (04:09):
You know, it really is a striking estate, Melanie. I
remember when we first drove up there, I was like,
Oh my gosh, what is this? This is this is
just fabulous. And it was built in fifteen ninety six.
To give you an idea of four hundred years, that's
a long time. We don't have any buildings that on here,
that's for sure, Yeah at all.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
Yeah, the architecture has an incredible heritage to it. I
think you said it was called the Villa of one
hundred chimneys. But the architect himself was very famous in Italy.
What can you tell us about Bernardo ba TALENTI.
Speaker 6 (04:42):
One TALENTI very good pronunciation.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
We're trying.
Speaker 6 (04:48):
Actually it was a very special man, you know, like
nowadays we would call him architect, but back in time
he was used to do a lot of businesses, a
lot of jobs. Actually is very well known because people
thinks he created the gelato, the ice cream as it
is made today. With milk, while by the Roman times
(05:11):
it was just made by ice and water. So it's
very well known for this reason. It was a friend
for the Grand Duke of Tuscan in Ferdinando. They were
hunting together and they decided to build the villa right
in that specific place because of course it was a
perfect place for hunting, but also because there was the
village of a Timino and sam Etruscan ancient architecture with
(05:35):
the facilities of water and the Arno River right behind.
So when Talenti decided to build this villa with lots
of chimneys, one is different from the other. They're all
one of a kind. They are very very tall. They
needed the warmth, They needed a sort of a heat
(05:57):
fire in every room because it was very cold, and
maybe she suffered of a disease called the goat gotta
in Italian, so they really needed to be warm. But
the chimneys outside are just our Philip Stark idea, our
Montalenti idea to make the villain forgetable.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
That it is, and it's I'm curious to this chimney
still work.
Speaker 6 (06:25):
Some of them, yes, some of them. Actually, they're not
one hundred. I have to tell you they're about fifty
but most of them are still working. Yes, as you
may know, this place is a venue for events, so
we use some rooms for these occasions, but some others
(06:46):
are very old and ancient, and so it's better to
keep them closed.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
You know. I think it's interesting that you mentioned the
architect created a certain type of water because in the
United States there's a brand called talenty, So I guess
that's putting the two to do together using part of
his name. Who knew.
Speaker 4 (07:05):
Fun fact And another fun fact is that Artemino is
one of the fifteen palaces built by the Medicchi family
back in the fifteen and early sixteen hundreds. And I
remember walking through the grand hall when we were there, Melanie,
and there's art up around the top of the room
where all the palaces are painted on the walls surrounding
(07:28):
the room.
Speaker 5 (07:28):
It was really great too.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Oh yeah, I remember that. It was quite spectacular. Yeah,
I mean really quite spectacular. And for our listeners, we
had the great pleasure of doing a wine tasting, which
we'll talk about a little bit at dinner in the
wine cellar, which was amazing. But there's another famous man
involved in the history and heritage to Nuto Artemino, and
that's Giuseppe almost talked to us about him, and he
(07:52):
is your ancestor.
Speaker 6 (07:54):
Yes, my grandfather actually talking about the villa and all
the other maybe chivillas, I would say that we are
proud to have become UNESCO Heritage in twenty thirteen. So
the uniqueness of this villas, it's very particular, because you
can make a tour all over Tuscany is in those villas.
They're mostly private, so it's nice to see how in
(08:18):
the centuries they've built different villas and different castles. Actually
we call it villa, but wherever in the world you
would call it castle. And the property of our Timino
has always been private. After the Medici family, it was
purchased by a noble Roman family and after the Second
(08:39):
World War it was a bit destroyed, abandoned, and my
grandfather decided to buy it in order to rebuild it
and made their temino special place for events and vacations
and a place to remember. Actually, he was very it
was a talented man. It was very well known in
(09:00):
Italy for its because it was a bicycle racer and
in the thirties, so before the Second World war, and
right after he decided to become a businessman and to
produce bicycles. Our bicycles are still called Olmo, which is
his surname, my mother's surname. And he also made a
(09:25):
lot of businesses and in the eighties fell in love
with the Artimino and decided to buy it. So my
auntie and my aunt started to live there and rebuild
the estate, while me and my cousin when we arrived
and became new CEOs, we decided also to work on
the vine yards and to renovate all our lines and
(09:47):
to make the Carminiano great again. We wanted to We
wanted the word to know this very small but very
famous back in time. The ocgu.
Speaker 4 (09:59):
Well, one thing we have to say that it was
Giesseppe Almost wasn't just famous for making bicycle he was
also famous for riding bicycles.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
Olympia.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
Yeah, he won the Olympics.
Speaker 4 (10:09):
So that's what catapulted him to fame originally, and then
he started making bicycles. I think it's a great story.
And now I have to go look for an almost bike.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
No, we just bought bikes. No, Annabella, would you like
to share some stories about your grandfather. He sounds like
an amazing man.
Speaker 6 (10:26):
Oh yes, he was. Unfortunately died in ninety two when
it was just twelve, so I remember him just as
a grandfather. I've never met the businessman, but I know
and people told me that it was very forward looking,
a hard worker and a very humble person, and that's
(10:46):
his legacy for sure.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
Well when did you become involved in working with Villa Artemino.
Speaker 6 (10:55):
Well, I started, I would say ten years ago. I
was in my third is. I used to organize events
in Milano and I was in marketing and communication, and
that's that was my first step in Artemina. I wanted
to change the website marketing and communication. Of course, I
fell in love with Artemino when I was young, and
(11:16):
even if I come from Milano, I decided to sort
of change my life and start to work for this project.
I really wanted to do something also, not only for
our villa and the famous hotel and resort, but we
wanted to work more harder on our lines and let
(11:37):
those this Carminiano and our Caian to be known.
Speaker 2 (11:39):
Also, just to kind of take you back were there
always find Arminius.
Speaker 6 (11:44):
We rebuild some because of every every four or five years.
You have to work on the whole production and see
how the weather is changing. The climate is not any
more the same, so we always have to work on
our terroar and our locations. But Artimino was a country state,
(12:04):
and of course there were already vine yards, they were
drinking wine. We know that Katerina de Medici, that she
was a queen of France because she get married with
the King of France, brought the cabernet from the first
time in Italy in this area, and CARMINIANDIOCG has been
produced since that time, so back in one thousand, seven hundreds.
Speaker 3 (12:26):
Well that's you know.
Speaker 4 (12:27):
That's another fascinating thing about Carmeniano is that it really
was planted to Cabinet long before any other region, exactly
in Italy.
Speaker 6 (12:35):
Yeah, you know, Santra Visi grape is the signature of Tuscany.
But in this era, cabernet has been produced since five
hundred years, so for us it's not an international grape anymore.
I mean, it's part of the blend, and it's been
part of the blend since forever.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
Is there a DOOCG guideline on what percentage of cabernet
can be used.
Speaker 6 (13:02):
Yes, Actually there's a percentage that you can you can choose,
and you can pick depends on your winemaker and your
vineyards and what you want to do with your wine.
In our case, our Carmignanos are mostly Sandoveses or seventy percent.
You can pick from fifty to seventy, so it depends
(13:22):
which is the wine you want to make. For us,
it was important to give longevity and the acidt and
the tannins of the sandoves most of all, but we
want also the sign of the Cabernet to make this
blend recognizable above all the others.
Speaker 4 (13:42):
And another thing about Carmigniano is that the blend actually
has to have caberne, right, It's not an option you
have to have at least I think ten percent. Is
it anabella of cabinate in your blend.
Speaker 2 (13:53):
Yeah, And that's a bit distinguishing factor within Tuscany where
San Giovesi is so predominant everywhere else and Cabernet is
like a second citizen, so really really a big distinguishing factor.
You talked about some of the changes you made when
you came Tonuto Artemino in marketing and really getting the
(14:18):
estate and the building ready to host major events and such.
What were some other changes that were done have been
done that you really want to point out?
Speaker 6 (14:30):
So many I know recount like for theturistic parts such
as the villa, hotel, the restaurant and the village. We
changed a lot of things because we wanted a higher
level of clients, so we wanted the place to be
four five or five stars, so services and facilities needed
(14:53):
to be always more and better. We built a spa
a wellness center a couple of years ago, actually it
was four years ago, but with the covid era like
two years of cut down, so I don't even remember them.
But from this year on we started a joint venture
with the international group Milia. They're started from a Spanish family.
(15:19):
They have hotels, resort and all different kind of affiliations,
and Artemino became a member of Melia Collection, which is
their top level of resort. So we think we're going
to make great things with them. And concerning our wines,
(15:40):
we're finally seeing the results of our hard work such
as awards and scores. But Artimino is famous for its
mediicivi la still so we are still working on all
the other arguments.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
Let's talk about the wines, because we had one seated
guide that tasting with It was actually a vertical of
two of your signature wines with your winemaker, which we'd
like you talk to first of us. Let's talk about
your winemaker.
Speaker 6 (16:14):
Yes, Filipopolti is a Tuscan winemaker, so for him, Sandravesi
is very very important, and we've been working together for
eight years now. Somallo our reserva state Reserva fifteen was
(16:34):
the first of his reserva, you know, the wine aged
and every year we're discovering some new flavors and some
new particularities of our sandovesis, so we're still working on it.
And Artemino is in a state of seven hundred actors,
(16:55):
so we're producers of Carmignano, your CG and on the
other side of the hill Anti Docg. So Sando Vise
is always the main character of our wines. Our soil
is famous for the Pietra Serna. It's a great sandstone rock.
(17:17):
It is famous because it's been there for twenty two
million years. It was also used to build the villa. Actually,
so terroir as a very important role, actually a leading
role in our in our state because these stones and
this good drainage gives a greater body to our wines
(17:40):
and a great longevity.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
So we're just looking at our notes, tasting notes from
our visit with.
Speaker 5 (17:52):
You.
Speaker 2 (17:52):
We tasted Griomarollo. We tasted twenty seventeen, sixty and fifteen
and it's a blended Sangio basi Cabernet Sauvignon Merlau in Serra,
so that's your reservoir. And then we did a pogli
arca which is Sangio basic Cabernet Merloau no serra, and
(18:16):
we did four vantages of that wine. What is the
difference between Obviously one has serra, but are they both
the ocg or they.
Speaker 6 (18:25):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely, they're both Carmianos. As I told you,
we all started this vertical tasting with the twenty fifteen
because of the signature of our wine maker, Filippo. These
two wines are our best expression of tar and blend
(18:45):
for Jilaca ages one year in Oca Baras for the
San Dievisi and Cabernet Savignon and merlo ages in Barique,
and then they spent another year in bottle. So it's
a wine that has tannins, that has the sandoves acidity,
but also very It's very fresh, drinkable, but you can
(19:09):
feel berries and spices aromas. There's sort of a vanilla
sensation I hope you might remember, because of course you
start to feel the aging, but the fruit is still there.
So it's a wine you can age for years in
your cellar, but you also can drink with some meat
(19:31):
or some game right away. Grumallo, of course is our
best expression of the terroir. It's the best expression of
our carminianodio CG. Because we had a bit of syra,
because we want to help the spices to come out,
(19:52):
the spices that come from the aging in oak barrels
and in barrique or carbonem Merlo is very vivid ruby,
vivid ruby red, because there's this maturation process that can
really be felt and seen. It's very intense. It's harmonic,
(20:13):
sophisticated as a wide and complex range of aromas. But
you have some red, berrious fruits, but you start alse
to fill tobacco leather, which is very typical of carmiano
and clothes. It's a full bodied wine. We're very happy
(20:33):
because we get good scores and an important Italian award
that is called Trebikieri by Gambro Rosso. So we hope
to get better every year.
Speaker 4 (20:46):
Well, I have to say i've been. I've been to
Artemino twice now, once in twenty nineteen and then we
came again this year and Melanie and I were there,
and I love the wines and I love the way
they age because to do verticals like especially the pajul
Arca really really shows the aging potential of these wines.
And then of course the grim Morello just takes on
(21:07):
this velvety character and beautiful softness to it as it ages.
Speaker 5 (21:11):
And I think the Sirah has.
Speaker 2 (21:12):
Something to do, safinitely has a lot to do. Sja
screams velvet. Now these are your two two of the
wines in your fifteen ninety six collection. Right right right.
Speaker 6 (21:28):
Ninety six collection is the date when the villa started
to be built, as you may mentioned, and it was
built in only four years, so can you imagine what
we do now in four years and they created this
huge castle, so it's amazing. Of course, the villa, it's
part of our logo. So we wanted the family of
(21:51):
Carmignano Yosig that is a wine invented by the Medischi
family by Cosimo the third in seventeen sixteen, three hundred
years ago. We wanted the Maybishi family to be part
of it, so we have it in this number and
we have it in the logo.
Speaker 2 (22:11):
I think it's a really great branding. Canabella thank you
as a branding person, because we're just looking at a
sheet here about the project and basically each of the
different labels tells a story of Artemino.
Speaker 6 (22:30):
That's right, Thank you for noticing.
Speaker 2 (22:33):
Yeah, I thought that was really because for us, every
bottle of wine tells a story, and we like to
tell stories. But what I love is, you know you've
got Serbiaggio's there was the right hand man of for
Nando de Medici, and I thought that was interesting. And
then our tumus the antique ancient name, right, what does
(22:54):
that mean?
Speaker 6 (22:56):
Artmino?
Speaker 2 (22:58):
Yeah, but our two is there is it? Does it
mean anything?
Speaker 6 (23:02):
No? No, I mean the the Etruscans gave the name
to the village millions of years ago and it was
called Artumeis so then later Chroni was changed into Artino
in the Middle Age.
Speaker 2 (23:17):
Very interesting. Now we also, I don't know if this
is something that a regular visitor gets to experience. So
do tell we also had a really nice dinner catered
like a It was like a Gnaching dinner in the
wine cellar. It was quite elegant and there was some
(23:38):
terrific food. Is that something that is a private event
type experience?
Speaker 6 (23:43):
Yeah, sort of. I mean, of course we did great
things for you guys.
Speaker 3 (23:48):
You mean that's not a daily currency, but of.
Speaker 6 (23:52):
Course, I mean private events can set up the place
however they like. But we are organize every day every
afternoon a wine tasting, a tour of the villa, a
wine tasting for whom wants to make a reservation. We
have a lot of Americans that come through Airbnb experiences,
(24:14):
so they they find us and then they reach us
with a car or with a train, and we organize
the visit of the villa or maybe the picnic in
an amazing point of view area with the somelier with
some nice food, or they can also have private tastings.
(24:37):
So the private tasting, you can do it mostly wherever
you want, at the time you want. And then the
thing that we are very happy finally to have is
the vertical tasting. The one you had and so we
are really pushing on that experience because it's one of
the best that can really show what sandraves and what
(24:59):
coming on can do.
Speaker 2 (25:00):
Aging we agree. I think vertical tastings are some of
the most enjoyable. I also like blind taste, anything that
just really tests your palate and that you're thinking, it's
a very thoughtful way to taste wine.
Speaker 6 (25:14):
I didn't mention a couple of restaurants in our Tomino
and so for us, of course for every Italian, but
mostly for Tuscan, food is very very important and the
pairing with the wine with food and wine is very important.
So the whole experience need to have some food and
(25:34):
some wine.
Speaker 2 (25:37):
So when we were there, was that was was that
a catered outside cater Do you have in house cooks?
Speaker 6 (25:44):
We have you now, the team, Yes we have.
Speaker 2 (25:48):
They did a great job.
Speaker 5 (25:50):
And the chef has been there for a long time.
Speaker 2 (25:52):
The chef has twice.
Speaker 6 (25:54):
She's very nice, Yes, Mikaela.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
Yes exactly, Kayla, thank you for sharing that.
Speaker 4 (26:01):
And you know what I love about Artimino as well.
And here's something that a lot of people probably.
Speaker 3 (26:04):
Don't get to see.
Speaker 4 (26:05):
But in the kitchen, uh, there's a rotisserie designed by
Leonardo da Vinci.
Speaker 2 (26:11):
Stop really, I think I saw that, but I didn't
know it was designed by because we were in the kitchen.
I mean it was a very intimate experience.
Speaker 6 (26:18):
Yeah, it's very In the room right next where we
had hard ninner, there was this rotessery by Leonardo da Vinci.
And we read some stories about the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Ferdinando,
the one who was living in the villa by then,
by back in time, that his son was very good
(26:41):
in math and asked Galileo Galilei to help him out
for homeschooling be better in math. Can you imagine to
have Galileo Galilei helping you get some tutor.
Speaker 3 (26:54):
That's a heck of a tutor.
Speaker 2 (26:55):
That'd be like asking, you know, Bill Gates to help
you with your technology.
Speaker 6 (26:59):
Wasn't that's it? That's it?
Speaker 2 (27:06):
Well, I had no idea that Leonardo da Vinci designed wrotisseries.
That's kind of like a fun food facts pretty much.
Speaker 6 (27:11):
Actually, Da Vinci did mostly everything. He was able to
do everything.
Speaker 5 (27:17):
He was a very curious man.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
I think that's fascinating. I don't have to go back
and do my reading up on him. Versus the agony
in the Ecstasy.
Speaker 4 (27:25):
Well, just don't try to read it any of his notes, Melanie,
because they're all in Latin and written backwards because he
was left handed.
Speaker 2 (27:31):
Oh that's true, that's true. That's very interesting. Yeah, Annabella,
David writes backwards.
Speaker 6 (27:41):
Ah, so because he was inspired by.
Speaker 2 (27:43):
Leonardo da Vinci. Can you imagine.
Speaker 4 (27:44):
Yeah, Annabella, it's a funny story because I was in
art class in high school and we were learning about
Leonardo and I found out that he wrote backwards and
in Latin. I didn't do the Latin part, but I decided,
because I'm left handed too, to try to learn how
to write backwards, and I mastered it.
Speaker 2 (27:59):
He did it. It's it's kind of crazy. We have
to talk about your sweet wine because it's a very
special wine to the area, the Pernice, and we had
it with of course Cantucci, which is what you do
in Tuscany at the end of the meal. Talk to
us about it.
Speaker 6 (28:17):
Well, vin Santo is a very famous sweet wine. It's
of course only from Tuscany and ok, Dipernice. Just few
producers make it because it's made fifty by red grapes
(28:40):
and they are dried in our vinsantaya a special place
on the ceiling of our cellar on cane trelise for
five or six months, and once the grapes are dried,
they are pressed and they stay. They get sorn in
(29:00):
small barrels called the caraatello, which is a very very
small barrel, the one that may be pirates, only used
for at least four years, so we ate it for
five years. Now we are selling the twenty eleven. It's
amazing because it has a golden number color. It has
(29:21):
this flavor with dried figs, almonds, toasted walnuts, and apricots, aromas. Honey, right, sure, honey.
So the smell is like a sweet wine, but when
you have it in your mouth, the sweetness is totally
(29:44):
balanced by the fair acidity, so we can call it wine.
It's not a sweet wine. It's a wine. Actually. You
can have it with cheese, you can have it with risotto,
you can try it with a lot of food, not
only with our famous Cantucci biskits.
Speaker 2 (29:59):
It's very true and it's a very special wine and
not terribly available in the United States because it's limited
supply and production. But we were so lucky to taste it.
We really were, So we want to know. Tell our
listeners who your US importer is currently.
Speaker 6 (30:19):
Well, we have different because we work on different states.
We have Sienna Imports that has been working for us
in California for more than ten years. They also have
been Santo. We work in Colorado, we work in Texas
in Florida. On our website you can find all the
(30:42):
informations about that.
Speaker 2 (30:44):
And this is a good time to say what your
website is, Annabella.
Speaker 6 (30:48):
Oh, yes, thank you. Our website is Wwwrtminowines dot com.
This website is specifically dedicated to our wines, Arthur R
the e shop, and of course some informations about the
villa and our touristic estate. Otherwise, there's the website Artimino
(31:12):
dot com that explains the whole estate. There's wine, but
it's also the historic call and touristic part.
Speaker 2 (31:21):
So what is your idea of the perfect time spent
in Carmeniano if you visit and have an extended stay
at the Artimino.
Speaker 6 (31:32):
Well, as I said, I come from Milanso. From the city,
I started to fall in love with the oldest season
in the countryside because in every season you have different
colors of leaves. Of vineyards, of the color of the sky.
I mean, there are amazing colors and layers and layers
(31:52):
of hills and mountains. It's really amazing at the Tuscan landscape.
I would say, of course it's a good season for
wine lovers because we are we have the harvest. There's
a people full of passion working all day long, so
(32:14):
it's the best moment to enjoy that that moment. Otherwise,
I would say May or June because it's not very hot.
You can enjoy the pool, you can enjoy trekking, walking horses, bicycles,
you can go to Florence. July in August generally are
(32:37):
months more for relaxed in vacation when you don't have
to move. You just want to relax at the pool
or have a nice blast of rose at the pool bar.
Speaker 5 (32:49):
That sounds like a plan, Melanie.
Speaker 6 (32:51):
Yes, So for every season there's a good moment to
drink one of our wines or taste over hook plates.
Speaker 2 (32:59):
Absolutely, and you know, I think that it's a wonderful experience.
It's kind of interesting you mentioned that you're part of
Airbnb Experiences. I made a little notation to do research there,
and of course Malia Hotels, which is a great group.
So you're doing all the right things to get the
word out. As CEO of the company, What do you
(33:21):
see you'd like to do in the future, Annabella.
Speaker 6 (33:25):
Well, we have to absolutely recover from what happened during
these two years. For the tourism it's been very very bad.
Exportation of why has been very very very bad. So
we have to get back to twenty nineteen. But now
we are in twenty two, so I guess we're running,
(33:49):
running to go back where we are and try to
tell the world what we have become in these years.
We try not to stop our ideas, our developments, so
with this experience with Melia, I guess for our clients
would be amazing. And also our wines. We used the
(34:14):
year of COVID twenty and twenty one to age more
some of our wines like PODi Laka that you tried
in Podilaca seventeen in Groumalelo fifteen. So from that moment
on we we realized it was better to age like
not for just six months, but for a year in
a bottle. So we we sell bottles even with more
(34:41):
more a big time after. So I guess we had
a lesson even from that terrible moment, and we keep
on renovating everything. So it's work ongoing.
Speaker 2 (34:57):
Well, longer, aging great partnership and collaborations and constantly moving forward.
Who knows, maybe you have a bike race in your
future or a bike tour in your future to go
back to the heritage of Giuseppe.
Speaker 6 (35:10):
That's right, that's you.
Speaker 2 (35:15):
I see a bicycle tour group in your future. That's
my tip. I also want to point out that you
were a mom. We just heard your baby, so we
should probably you go. I know, it's a lot to juggle.
Speaker 5 (35:26):
Another result of COVID break.
Speaker 2 (35:27):
Yes, and a positive result.
Speaker 4 (35:32):
I remember when I was when I was When I
was first there, Melanie, I asked an Annabella had just
gotten engaged, and I said, so did you end up
getting married? When we saw her in twenty twenty two,
I said you did you have the wedding? And she goes, oh, yes,
and I had a baby too, very very busy.
Speaker 6 (35:48):
It wasn't so bad for my private life.
Speaker 3 (35:50):
There you go.
Speaker 2 (35:52):
Well, we really appreciate your taking the time to join
us on the Connected table. Annabella Pascali. It's been really
great to talk to you, and we really enjoyed our
visit to Tanuta the Artemino. It was quite beautiful and
we encourage all of our listeners to put Tanuta to
Artemino on their tuscan itinerary and Carmeniano, which is just
(36:16):
a delightful place to visit and easy to get to.
Speaker 5 (36:19):
Very easy to get to.
Speaker 2 (36:21):
Yeah, just outside of Florence. You can hire a car
you'ret there. So thank you again for joining us.
Speaker 6 (36:27):
Thank you, Thank you to both of you for coming
and for these lovely words and this time you gave
us because not only we want this estate and the
Medici legacy be known, but also our wines there are
such a small denomination that it's really hard for us
to be known. So thank you for this time you
you gave us.
Speaker 2 (36:49):
It is our pleasure and for all of our listeners,
we hope you will seek out these wines and consider
a visit. And what is our message to everybody for
thank you for joining us on the Connected Table this
edition and our message.
Speaker 5 (37:05):
Is stay insatiently curious.
Speaker 2 (37:08):
Thank you
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