You may have noticed a type of wine increasingly in stores and restaurants in the last few years, in particular, that seems new and strange to you: orange wine. These wines are actually part of a very old tradition of wine-making that has been revitalised in recent years and basically involves the macerating of white wines with their skins and the treating of white grapes as one would red ones. While white wine is usually made by pressing the grapes, separating the juice from the skins, and then fermenting this juice, orange wine (or, sometimes, called amber, ramato, macerated, or skin-contact wines) is made by allowing both the skins and juice to ferment together.
Ranging from a golden hue to a richer, redder colour, orange wines have the complex flavour profile and tannins of a red wine but are similarly refreshing to white wine. It is a type of flavour that some find strange at first but it is worth familiarising oneself with as it is a perfect summer drink to enjoy while visiting a vineyard or to pair with a wide variety of meals and foods while dining in the region. And, while the region is not the first that comes to mind in Italy when thinking of orange wine, those who have found a villa with pool in Tuscany or a Tuscany villa will find that many wineries throughout Tuscany are producing wonderful orange wines.
In particular, if you have found a villa with pool in Pisa or a luxury villa in Florence and you’re after a wonderful orange wine experience, it is well worth heading to Cosimo Maria Masini in San Miniato. Located in the Pisan hills, close to the famous truffle hotspot that is the town of San Miniato, this winery is positioned about halfway between the two major cities of Florence and Pisa, and is just one more foodie gem to visit in the area if you’re on a gastronomic tour of Tuscany. A seriously pretty winery that is committed to biodynamic practices, Cosimo Maria Masini is helmed by winemaker Francesco de Filippis who makes perfect use of famous grape varieties from the region to produce their own orange wine, the Daphné.
Made with eighty percent Trebbiano grapes and twenty percent Malvasia Bianca grapes, this orange wine is left largely untouched, with no selected yeasts or other chemicals added and the final product remaining unfiltered. Complex and golden-hued, this incredible orange wine has subtle notes of herbs and pears and pairs perfectly with San Miniato’s most famous product: the rare and precious white truffle. They also have noted that it goes remarkably well with many Asian cuisines and, especially, Thai flavours and Indian curries.
So, though orange wines in Italy originated in the region of Friuli to the extreme north-east of the country, this perfect summer wine is also available in some wonderful wineries dotted all around Tuscany with the best of Tuscan ingredients and methods infused into every drop. In fact, the brilliant Tuscan white grape varieties, such as Trebbiano or Malvasia Bianca, which would usually be made into quite simple white wines that don’t match the heights and firm reputation of the reds of the region, are perfect for orange wines and get a real chance to shine in this type of wine. Tuscany, therefore, is primed to produce some truly spectacular orange wines and, if you have found a luxury villa in Pisa or a villa with pool in Florence, then one of the best places to try a Tuscan orange while also sampling lots of other incredible culinary delights from the surrounding area (most of which pair beautifully with this adaptable and nuanced type of wine) has to be Cosimo Maria Masini.
In addition to the winery’s wonderful orange wine, however, you will also find that there are plenty of other reasons to plan an outing to Cosimo Maria Masini. There are eight other wines produced at the winery to try including: Annick, an IGT Toscana Bianco; Sincero, Sanforte, Nicole, and Cosimo, all IGT Toscana Rosso wines; Matilde, an IGT Toscana Rosato; Fedardo, a vinsanto; and their DOCG Chianti. Some of these wines can be sampled by joining one of the tour and tasting packages in which visitors are guided through the winery, the vinsantaia, cellar, around Villa La Selva, to admire the views over San Miniato and the scenic gardens, and then through a tasting of their wines and oils. There are two different options of these guided tastings and tours: the €25 package in which you will taste five wines paired with local cured meats and cheeses and a home-made dessert and the €35 option that includes the five wines and a light lunch of cured meats, cheeses, home-made pasta, and dessert. Other options include cooking lessons or dinner or lunch in the beautiful Villa La Selva on the estate - which is quite the historic gem and was once home to the Buonaparte family - and joining a traditional truffle hunt through the lovely woods of the area with experts and their truffle dogs and then appetisers or lunch afterwards paired with their wines. Pricing and availability for all of these packages varies so be sure to check out the Experiences section of their website and email them at hospitality@cosimomariamasini.it for more information or to book. Booking in advance is necessary.
So, if you have found a Tuscany villa and you are looking for an incredible winery experience then be sure to keep this gem in mind!
