Our Wines
Our selection of wines combines the elegance of excellent grape varieties with the potential of the extraordinary territory of Panzano in Chianti.
Our production areas are Panzano in Chianti and Florence: two different terroirs with diverse soil types but having some characteristics in common such as the south-facing exposure. Thanks to hand-picking and hand-processing techniques, we are able to select only the best grapes. The perfect balance between tradition and modernity is the pillar of our success.
The territory of Panzano
Panzano’s soil type is medium mix, rich in marl and well-drained allowing the vines to absorb the soil’s minerals and transfer the terroir’s characteristics to the wine.
The territory of Florence
Florence is a territory rich in traditions, Florence is where we embarked on our most ambitious challenge: creating a modern vineyard focused on quality, the key word of our whole activity. Qualities of the soil are also responsible for the wine’s quality: Florence’s soil, with such a high clay content, produces grapes rich in tannins and polyphenols.
Merlot
Merlot is a red wine grape whose name derives from the French word for blackbird, due to the blackbird’s fondness for its berries. It was brought from the Gironde region, in Southwest France, in particular from the Bordeaux area. The earliest recorded mention of Merlot dates back to the eighteenth century: around the mid-1700s it was also planted in Italy, especially in the Tuscany, Friuli and Veneto regions. The Merlot leaf is pentagonal and three-lobed. The berries are medium-sized, rounded, blue-black colored and relatively thick-skinned. Merlot thrives in hilly, cool, moist soil. The two main vine training techniques used are Cordon and Guyot which provide shade to the bunches and prevent the acidity from dropping precipitously.
Cabernet Sauvignon
Originated in the Bordeaux area, Cabernet Sauvignon is the world’s most well-known grape variety for the production of quality, long-lasting wines. It adapts easily to different climates and wine-making techniques by maintaining its identity while bearing the stamp of the place where it is produced. It has a medium-sized leaf, medium to small and compact bunches, round and thick-skinned berries, blue-black colored with purple nuances. Cabernet Sauvignon gives deeply colored wines, rich in tannins and aromas and having potential for aging. It is a well-structured grape variety which benefits from oak aging and features a complex, captivating bouquet over time.
Cabernet Franc
A medium-big sized grape variety, Cabernet Franc originated from France, in particular from the Gironde region. The best results are obtained through long maceration which gives a full-bodied, robust and very harmonious wine that develops beautifully over time.
Petit Verdot
Of southern French origin, Petit Verdot is a mid to late-ripening variety that thrives in hot climates from which it probably derives the name Verdot. Petit Verdot gives a highly tannic and deeply colored wine and profits from blending with other grape types in the production of long-lasting wines.
Alicante Bouschet
The product of a crossing between Petit Bouschet and Alicante, Alicante Bouschet is a hybrid, early-ripening grape variety with low sugar content.
Sangiovese
Sangiovese is the most important and oldest grape variety in Italy. His name has latin origins, “Sanguis lovis” meaning “the blood of Jupiter”. The Etruscans already cultivated a variant of this grape variety. The homeland of Sangiovese is Tuscany, where the famous Chianti Classico is produced on the homonymous territory.
THE HARVEST
Harvest is done manually. The grapes produced in Florence are transported to the winery in Panzano in refrigerated vans so as to preserve their quality and characteristics.
THE SELECTION
After hand-picking, the grapes are placed on two vibrating surfaces where two selection stages are carried out, one for the clusters and one for the berries. We wish to make maximum use of grapes by selecting the best ones, with respect for tradition and an eye to the future.
The Winery
Wine cellars are located within the Pieve of San Leolino, a magnificent example of Tuscan Romanesque style dating back to the 9th century A.D.
THE FERMENTATION ROOM
Our wine cellars cover two floors: the fermentation room is on the upper floor, it has been completely renovated in 2004 and its trabeated ceilings, typical of the Chianti area’s countryside houses, have been restored to their original splendor. Appreciation and respect for local architecture is our way to enhance the care and attention for the grapes.
THE BARREL CELLAR
The area below the fermentation room has been carefully restored as well: this cellar houses the French oak barrels in which the wine’s maturation process is completed.
THE PARISH CHURCH OF SAN LEOLINO
Along the church’s facade runs a Renaissance-style portico supported on sandstone columns dating back to the fifteenth century Tuscan order when the church was under the patronage of the Florentine hospital of Santa Maria Nuova. The interior houses thirteenth and fifteenth century works of art by Meliore and Mariotto di Nardo, and two glazed earthenware tabernacles attributed to the Della Robbia family.
Tommaso Cavalli is personally involved in the production of his wines, taking advantage of the valuable enological expertise of Carlo Ferrini and of the agronomic skill of Gioia Cresti. A winning team confirming the growing passion and strong ambition of quality after twenty years of the Tenuta Degli Dei project.
Gioia Cresti
Gioia Cresti graduated with a degree in Viticulture and Enology in 1989 in Siena. That summer, she started working with Progetto Agricoltura, an enological and agronomic consulting firm providing assistance to a number of wineries: Badia a Coltibuono, Castello di Volpaia, Castellare di Castellina, Argiano, Col d’ Orcia etc. She also attended several university-level courses at the University of Bordeaux from 1990 to 1992. She has been collaborating with Dr. Carlo Ferrini since 1998.
Carlo Ferrini
Carlo Ferrini, born in Florence in 1954, graduated with a degree in agricultural sciences in 1978 with a final dissertation on the microbiology of alcoholic fermentation processes. Appointed “Accademico della Vite e del Vino” in 1991, he was awarded winemaker of the year in 2000 by the wine magazine Gambero Rosso and by AIS, the Italian Association of Sommeliers. In 2007, he was made winemaker of the year by “Wine Enthusiast”.
Grappa
Tenuta Degli Dei
The first edition of Grappa Tenuta degli Dei was born from the noblest of fresh wine pomace, gently pressed in order to preserve the full fragrance of the Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot grapes that yield it. Following the 2009 harvest we sent this precious pomace to the Valdotaine Distillery, entrusting them with the responsibility of transforming the refined aromas, superb balance, and self-confident flavors of our pomace into this product. After distillation, the grappa remained in steel for 6 months, and then matured in the same oak barrels that were earlier used for Tenuta degli Dei’s Cavalli. This grappa stands out for its distinctive notes of hazelnut, black pepper, and elderflower, enriched with smooth hints of vanilla and tobacco leaf. With its 43% alcohol, it is emphatic on the palate, its complex flavors fully echoing the generous aromas. A long-lingering finish conveys luscious notes of blossoms, toasty oak, and honey. Grappa Degli Dei is available beginning in October, in just half-liter (0.50l) bottles, each in its own wooden box.
Foho Fiorentino
FOHO fiorentino is a spicy oil born from a fermentation of fresh habanero chili peppers in extra virgin olive oil. This is a natural fermentation that takes about a month. Then there is a 6-month refining and decanting period that happens in our cellar before bottling. The result is a 100% natural aromatic condiment, with its unique flavor can exhilarate any dish.
