Winemaker Notes
Critical Acclaim
All Vintages
Carlo Ferrini is one of Italy’s best-known winemakers, boasting a professional career spanning more than 30 years throughout the peninsula, from Trentino in the north to Sicily in the south, and “wine offspring” that are among Italy’s most prestigious labels. In 2002, with the purchase of his first plot of land, Ferrini launched a new adventure, and a fresh challenge, but one that was really the fulfilment of a long-held passion.
The history of Giodo in Montalcino begins in 2002, when Carlo Ferrini, after years of research, finally identified his first hectare to purchase in the prestigious Brunello denomination; today, his winery, lying midway between Sant’Angelo in Colle and Sant’Antimo, relies on six hectares of vineyard. With respect to aspect, elevation, and soil types, the location is perfect for viticulture. A majestic row of cypresses beckons visitors to this near-hidden, magical spot, while the vines dedicated to Brunello di Montalcino and to IGT Toscana enjoy a breath-taking panoramic view out over the sinuous hills of Montalcino as far as the massif of Monte Amiata. The final artistic touch is the picturesque grove of olive trees that yield the Giodo Toscano IGP olive oil.
A large, geographically and climatically diverse island, just off the toe of Italy, Sicily has long been recognized for its fortified Marsala wines. But it is also a wonderful source of diverse, high quality red and white wines. Steadily increasing in popularity over the past few decades, Italy’s fourth largest wine-producing region is finally receiving the accolades it deserves and shining in today's global market.
Though most think of the climate here as simply hot and dry, variations on this sun-drenched island range from cool Mediterranean along the coastlines to more extreme in its inland zones. Of particular note are the various microclimates of Europe's largest volcano, Mount Etna, where vineyards grow on drastically steep hillsides and varying aspects to the Ionian Sea. The more noteworthy red and white Sicilian wines that come from the volcanic soils of Mount Etna include Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio (reds) and Carricante (whites). All share a racy streak of minerality and, at their best, bear resemblance to their respective red and white Burgundies.
Nero d’Avola is the most widely planted red variety, and is great either as single varietal bottling or in blends with other indigenous varieties or even with international ones. For example, Nero d'Avola is blended with the lighter and floral, Frappato grape, to create the elegant, Cerasuolo di Vittoria, one of the more traditional and respected Sicilian wines of the island.
Grillo and Inzolia, the grapes of Marsala, are also used to produce aromatic, crisp dry Sicilian white. Pantelleria, a subtropical island belonging to the province of Sicily, specializes in Moscato di Pantelleria, made from the variety locally known as Zibibbo.
Extending across the variable volcanic soils of the slopes of Mt. Etna at some of the highest vineyard altitudes in all of Europe—up to 3,300 feet—Nerello Mascalese is one of Sicily’s most noble red varieties. It makes a beautifully aromatic, firm, cellar-worthy but pale-hued red often comparable to a fine Burgundy or Barbaresco. Somm Secret—Nerello Mascalese takes its name from the black color of its grapes, nerello, and the Mascali plain between Mt. Etna and the coast where it is believed to have originated.