Stefano di Blasi
Italy
Stefano's Wines
- Italy
- 18Â wines
- 6Â styles
The talent who made Solaia and Tignanello - two of Italy's most iconic (and eye-wateringly expensive) wines
- When iconic winemaker Stefano di Blasi first joined Naked in 2014, we couldn’t believe our luck. He was the genius behind Solaia and Tignanello, two of Italy’s most famous (and expensive) reds at over £100 a pop.
- Stefano’s dream is to make the wines he wants to and, thanks to Angel funding, he is doing just that! Super-premium Tuscan treats have been winging their way into Angel’s baskets for years now, and at a fraction of the price they would be elsewhere!
- Our King of Tuscany has a real talent for bringing elegance into his wines that is appreciated by critics all around the world and, with nearly 180K ratings, it seems Angels are a big fan too..!
Vineyard Location
Stefano di Blasi's Story
Stefano di Blasi's Story
"Ciao Angels!
Stefano here - I'm very pleased to introduce our Tuscan wines to all of you.
I first began work as a winemaker because it is a huge part of the tradition of my land and because wine is my passion - I love the element of creativity and the way you get to deal with nature.
After graduating at the University of Florence in 1995 I started working as winemaker with Antinori in 1997. I've had many experiences worldwide since working as a winemaker, the most important in 2000 in South Australia with Penfolds and Petaluma. I was also responsible for one of the most important research programmes on Sangiovese in Tuscany from 2007-2011 - the 'Consorzio Tuscania'. I've been working freelance since 2008.
I love my job because it is different every day of the year and it is again different year after year. You never get used to it and the experience you gain is never enough - there is always more to learn.
I feel that our respect for the purity of a vineyard is something that makes our wines special. We never try to make a wine similar to another we've made before. So all of them are different, yet they all reflect our vision of the taste. Our wines are elegant, fresh and clean and they reflect the best snapshot we could take in a vintage and in a vineyard.
It is a joy for me when a new vintage starts and also when it ends.. Sorrow when you have to leave a wine you helped make for years, like Tignanello Antinori (1997-2007).
Something I am extremely proud of is being involved in the production of the first Chianti ever made without sulphites: 'Il Puro' Fattoria di Lavacchio. I was in the winemaker team who made the Solaia '97 Antinori, the first Italian wine ever to become number 1 in the top 100 for Winespectator. Also as a winemaker, I've been lucky enough to have the opportunity to attend tastings with some of the greatest winemakers of the world like Jacques Boissenot and John Duval.
I think the vineyard as a producing unit will change a lot in the future. We will all have to change the production model into a more sustainable one, where chemicals will be reduced a lot and animals will have an important role.
There are of course some mistakes you can make when you become too confident with the process, so I have learnt to always double check everything.
I hope you enjoy our wines from Tuscany and please do come back to let us know what you think - we would love to hear from you!"
