On one of my tasting trips to The Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan I had the chance to enjoy a couple of Italian wines from Fattoria La Fiorita, a wine estate in Montalcino, Tuscany specializing in the Sangiovese varietal.  Founded in the early 1990’s, it was partially owned by Natalie Oliveros in 2011, and fully owned by her since 2014.  Since her takeover, she has shifted the winery to organic viticulture with certification and in 2019 she completed a new winery and cellar.  The estate is nine-hectares in size and has four separate vineyards: La Fiorita, Pian Bossolino, Giardinello and Poggio al Sale; each with its own identity and terroir.  Natalie Oliveros came to wine making naturally in the basement, in northern New York State with her Calabrese Nonna.  She had planned to be in show business, and she did, as a star in the American Adult Film Industry using the name of Savanna Samson.  She began that career in the early 2000’s and at the same time she was introduced to Fattoria La Fiorita, and she began with a collaboration of Italian wines called “Sogno” (Italian for dreams).  She eventually left the film industry for the other, and hasn’t looked back.  The rest as they say is history.

We started with Fattoria La Fiorita Rosso di Montalcino DOC 2018.   The wine is pure Sangiovese and the fruit is harvested from three of their different vineyards with differing terroirs: Poggio al Sole with Tufo and clay (a rarely encountered limestone soil over a clay bedrock), Giardinello which has sandy clay, and Poggio d’Arna which is a clay loam.  The Initial Fermentation and Maceration for eighteen days using indigenous yeasts in Concrete tanks; each parcel has its own concrete tank.  The wine is then aged for twelve months in French Oak, followed by two months in Stainless Steel, and a minimum of two additional months in the bottle before being released; and 18,000 bottles were produced.  A nice garnet-red colored wine offering notes of black cherries, raspberries, sweet tobacco, and spices.  On the palate great tones of cherries, Star Anise, cloves, sous bois, all blended together with velvety tannins and a nice medium finish with some terroir.

We then had the Fattoria La Fiorita Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2018.  The wine is pure Sangiovese and the fruit is harvested from three vineyards with differing terroirs: Collosorbo with calcareous gray and red clay, Pian Bossolino with classic clay schist soil, and Giardinello with sandy clay loam.  Initial Fermentation and Maceration is for thirty days with indigenous yeasts in Slavonian Oak casks.  This was followed by thirty-six months in French Oak, followed by two months in Concrete vats before bottling and an additional eight months in the bottle before release; with 22,000 bottles made.  This deep garnet wine offered notes of black cherries, strawberries, florals, spices, sous bois, and cedar.  On the palate there were tones of red and black fruits, savory blend of pepper, rosemary, with soft tannins, ending with a nice medium finish of fruit, spices, and terroir.