A STORY OF CONTUCCI WINES / ITALY
If you are a red lover, then you should have heard about Tuscany Region from Italy. There you can find Chianti, Vino Noble di Montepulciano, Brunello di Montalcino, Supertuscan and many other famous red wines of velvety dreams. Among them, there is a producer called CONTUCCI where I found their winery at a silent, influential mountain town called Montepulciano surrounded by classical music notes coming from Palazzo Ricci, Art and Music school. Contucci is not only known with their savory wines but also friendly people. Andrea Contucci as owner and sales manager of Contucci Winery & Wineyards answered my discursive questions…
Could you please give us a brief summary of Contucci Winery & Vineyards?
Owned by the CONTUCCI family the eleventh century (40 generations), the farm covers an area of 170 hectares, of which 22.5vineyards, 7 occupied by olive groves, and 141 by arable and woodland. All agronomic and oenological decisions are direct responsibilityof the owners. Contucci wines are produced from the fermentation of the best grapes from vineyards owned by the family, placed in the best areas of the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG region, whose vines are between 10 and 45 years. Annual production about 110,000 bottles.
How is the distribution of Contucci Wines throughout the world? What kind of places have you preferred to deliver your wine? How can we reach you?
The 50% ofContucci wines are sold inItaly(in Tuscany 25%).
The two main export countries and which, at the moment, are giving more signs of growthfor the future are the United States and China.Wines Contucci are also present in England, France, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Switzerland, Austria, Czech Republic,Estonia, Poland and Japan.
Contucci wines can also be found on the company website www.contuccci.it
If I ask you how you do define your wines in an artistic approach, what would be your words?
Our Vino Nobile has accompanied the joys, the successes, the important moments of the Contuccis… but also the difficult times … of more than 1000 years of family tradition… so it’s part of our family (like a brother or a father), but also a tangible sign of our history andthe most successful proof of the passion that our family have for this wonderful land of Montepulciano.
What about scientific approach? Have you been following the latest developments in wine chemistry, chemical&food engineering? Or do you prefer to stay as traditional?
We try to keep up with the times to follow the most important developments in winemaking techniques; but we believe that to bring in the glass, a great sensory quality, but at the same time elegance, finesse and authenticity, we must never forget what tradition has taught us; in Montepulciano we have other 2500 years of experience in making wine, so the tradition has an important role, obviously alwayscombined with the right innovations.
What differs Italian wines from the others?
In Italy we have the largest grape varieties in the world, each region has dozens of native varieties, which allow a rainbow ofwinesto suit everypalate.
The quality level is very high, especially in the regionsinmost wine growing, among them is certainly Tuscany. And thanks to the very special (unique) position of our Country, many of our most important wines, with a world-class, are absolutely isnot replicable.
Wine is a culture itself and also gives inspiration to many arts. As I saw that there are some paintings on the Contucci Winery’s walls evoking melancholia. So what kind of influences do you find in your life as a producer and a consumer?
In our family have always been artists, also very important (painters, sculptors, musicians); today we have an example, my sister Eleonora is a professional opera singer (a soprano), who sang at La Scala in Milan and in many theatersof Italy and the World.
So even, I grew up in an environment that favored the study of the arts and the appreciation of beauty. In me the passion for wine andthe love of beauty have grown together.
Have you heard about Turkish wines, wineries? How is your impression about Turkey in terms of wine culture?
I do not know the Turkish wines, I’m sorry, but I would be very curious and interested to try some.I can’t evengive an opinion on the wine culture in Turkey, I have never been to your beautiful country (I hope to come soon), and I have not had the opportunity to read or talk about this topic, so I am unable to give you this answer.
Zeynep Çolakoğlu