Livernano Toscana 2003

Livernano is a truly ancient place. It was first inhabited by Etruscans, whose culture reached its high point in Tuscany over 2,500 years ago. The hamlet was later occupied by the Romans who gave it its name. Long after the cessation of Roman rule, Livernano served as a fortified border post during the interminable wars of the two great medieval city states in Tuscany, Siena and Florence. The hamlet regained new life in 1990 when the complete restoration of the entire estate was begun. Today, Livernano is once again a working farm, producing fine wines, excellent olive oil, honey, vegetables and fruits. On 38 acres, new vineyards were planted with nine different grape varieties. Livernano's wines have garnered much attention and praise from the critics and represent a range of wine styles, both classic and contemporary.

Livernano began its renewal in 1990, when a huge restoration of the entire estate was completed. Entrepreneurs and Broadway producers Bob Cuillo and his Austrian wife, Gudrun, purchased the estate in 2002, and promptly set about modernizing and restoring Livernano to its former glory. Under their guidance, the wines are made from specially cloned vines that are personally and carefully selected to meet their high standards. With a very "hands-on" approach to their wines, Gudrun and Bob personally work the land and always participate in the harvest, handpicking and hand sorting the grapes. Their dreams of creating a world class wine was realized when Livernano received four Tre Bicchieri awards in four years from Gambero Rosso