Pienza, Toscana

Tuscany. Yes, it should conjure idyllic images of rolling hills, black cypress trees lining white gravel roads, hilltop villages and indeed, some of Italy's most "prestigious" wines (Brunello, Chianti, Vino Nobile). For this, Tuscany has become of course a global tourist destination. A place that for many of us in the Natural Wine World have looked at and said, "bah, that's all overblown, overpriced, glossy magazine, Parker wine", and for a long time (since the 80's or so) that has mostly been true. There have always been exceptions, but Tuscany has never been the epicenter of the alternative wine movement that's been occurring in Italy (or Europe as a whole).

Like many places with deep winemaking histories (Piedmont, Bordeaux, Burgundy) the ingrained traditions, cost of land and local culture often make it less conducive to breaking the mold, and in Tuscany the mold is made of ancient stone and clay, which is very difficult to break.

With that bit of cultural context in mind we'd like to introduce you to perhaps the next great (natural) winemaker in Tuscany: Matteo Gori. "Natural" is in parenthesis there, only because, as we hope you'll come to understand, the wines that Matteo Gori makes are through-and-through natural (biodynamic agriculture, native yeast ferments, no chemical corrections, little or zero added sulfites) yet, in our opinion, they go beyond that and join the level of "great wines" from places like Montalcino, Montepulciano, Radda, Saumur etc. Truly a new level has been achieved here.

Over a decade ago, at the ripe age of 26, Matteo Gori embarked on his new winemaking journey with a vision for a totally different lifestyle. Matteo comes from northern Tuscany, in Prato just outside Florence. It's a busy satellite city filled with the usual chaos of the modern world, but Matteo and his now wife Benedetta were seeking something different, a slower pace and something they could build together. They picked up and left and found themselves in the Val d'Orcia, a UNESCO World Heritage area that spans from the village of Pienza to the looming volcano of Monte Amiata. Matteo found a sizable property (over 20 hectares of mixed agricultural space) that was inhabited by some elderly contadino's looking for a way to pass along the farm to its next steward. Matteo bet the farm on it, taking out a sizable government loan to purchase the land with the intent to restore and improve it into a fully functioning farm over the next decade. Well, nearly a decade later Matteo and Benedetta have just released their first vintage of wine and we're extremely proud and excited to be working with them!

Casa Gori has some 5 hectares of land under vine. With additional lands dedicated to olives, grains (he has a micro-brewery on the property and makes beers from local ancient grains they grow), woodlands and grazing space for his beloved sheep (Pecorino di Pienza!), cows, goats and chickens. In addition they have gardens grown around the property and even a tiny Food Truck/Aperitivo Corner for visitors to check out (well worth a visit!).

Grape varieties are what you would expect from Tuscany for the most part: a combination of Trebbiano, Malvasia, Colorino, Ciliegiolo, and of course, Sangiovese, but also a small amount of Cabernet Franc (used for a wine dedicated to Matteo's dad).

Vinification is a combination of being quite traditional while using practical, natural methods. Destemmed fruit, fermentation in small stainless steel tanks, aging in a combination of cement tanks, ceramic egg and old, "exhausted" oak barrels. The underground cellar extends deep into the limestone/clay subsoil creating a wonderfully clean and balanced environment to vinify and age the wines. It was the biggest investment on the property but the wines showcase how special of a cellar it is.

These wines aren't on the value shelf. We know that. These wines shouldn’t be. These wines ARE something special, something that can remind everyone that the concept of natural wine isn’t an aesthetic (“funky”, thirst wines etc etc) as many would have you believe. Rather, they can be wines that stand alone, tell a true story and inspire and challenge us. These are the epic wines of Casa Gori.