“Arillo in Terra Bianca” extends across three important Tuscan regions: Chianti Classico, Maremma, and Val d’Orcia, for a total of approximately 60 hectares of vineyards.
This estate is owned by the Burkard family: Urs and Adriana Burkard. These three estates are located in Radda in Chianti, Tesoro at the foot of Massa Marittima, and Colle Bellezza northeast of Pienza.
These three estates represent the vertices of a symbolic Tuscan triangle of excellence. Wine production, which must be—and is—of the highest quality, is combined with the inspiring ideals of art, architecture, and hospitality.
Urs and Adriana Burkard firmly believe in respecting the earth and celebrating its bounty.
This important project began in 2019 and is based on respect for the land, through organic and minimalist viticulture. The winemaker for the three estates is the talented Vieri Vannoni, while the agronomist is Ruggiero Mazzilli.
The three companies form a triangle The Chianti Classico company producesTerrabianca Chianti Classico VineyardGran Selezione, 100% Sangiovese, medium-textured soil with a high percentage of gravel. Spurred cordon training system, 40-year-old vineyard covering one hectare.
Poggio Croce, Chianti Classico Riserva, 100% Sangiovese, medium-textured soil with a high percentage of gravel. Training system: Guyot, 20-year-old vineyard, area 2.16 hectares.
Chapel,Chianti Classico
100% Sangiovese, medium-textured soil with a high percentage of gravel. Training system: Guyot, 15-year-old vineyard, 6 hectares.
The Il Tesoro estate is located in Maremma in Massa Marittima, exposed to sea breezes.
Bevobianco,D.O.C. Maremma Chardonnay and Viognier, 80% Chardonnay and 20% Viognier.
Soil: Clayey, rich in minerals such as iron and magnesium. Training system: Guyot, 13-year-old vineyard, 3.6 hectares.
Bevorosso,D.O.C. Maremma Merlot. 100% Merlot. Soil: clayey, rich in minerals such as iron and magnesium.
Cultivation: spurred cordon, 20-year-old vineyard, surface area of 3 hectares.
Bevorosa, D.O.C. Maremma Sangiovese rosé, 100% Sangiovese. Soil: clayey, rich in minerals such as iron and magnesium.
Training system: Guyot, 20-year-old vineyard, surface area of 3.6 hectares.
Campaccio, I.G.T. Toscana
Blend: 70% Sangiovese, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot.
Soil: clayey, rich in minerals such as iron and magnesium.
Training system: Guyot and spurred cordon, 20-year-old vineyard, surface area 20 hectares.
Campaccio Collection I.G.T Toscana.
Blend: 40% Sangiovese, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 30% Merlot
Soil: clayey, rich in minerals such as iron and magnesium.
Training system: Guyot and spurred cordon. 20-year-old vineyard, 3 hectares.
Colle Brezza Estatein the Val d’Orcia.
The vineyards are divided into four zones. One zone is planted exclusively with Sangiovese grapes; the soil is medium-textured with a high percentage of gravel. The Guyot training system is used, and the vineyard is 20 years old, covering 1.5 hectares.
The second zone produces Sangiovese, Malvasia, Colorino, Canaiolo, and Ciliegiolo. Soil: Medium texture with a high percentage of gravel. Training system: Guyot, 8-year-old vines, 1.8 hectares.
The third zone produces: Pugnitello, Foglia Tonda, and Mammolo. Medium-textured soil with a high percentage of gravel. Training system: Guyot. The vineyard is 4 years old, covering 0.4 hectares.
The fourth plot is exclusively Sangiovese. The soil is medium-textured, with a high level of gravel. Training system: Guyot. The vineyard is four years old, covering 1.3 hectares.
The Il Tesoro estate produces extra virgin olive oil.
A reserve grappa called “La Bomba” is produced from Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot pomace.
After this brief excursus on the Tuscan triangle, we come to the day of the invitation to a wine tasting lunch from Ursula Thurner, owner of the eponymous PR agency, through her excellent collaborator Paola Repetto. The lunch was held at the Florence restaurant “Borgo San Jacopo,” a restaurant overlooking the Ponte Vecchio.
The chef is the talented Claudio Mengoni, who boasts experience with Andrea Bertoni, Gaetano Trovato, and Riccardo Monco. His cuisine is creative, elegant, and rich in local ingredients.
We had an imperial table with about fifteen people, all journalists except Ursula Thurner, Paola Repetto, Adriana Burkard, and Vieri Vannoni. The lunch service was directed by the excellent Salvatore Biscotti, the restaurant’s head waiter.
At the beginning, with some mise en bouche, we were served two wines from Maremma, the Bevobianco 2023 and the Bevorosa 2024.
At the table, with the “Fassona”—beef tartare, peppers, and salsa verde—we were served a 2022 Chianti Classico Sacello. This was followed by “Ravioli del Plin,” stuffed with Mugello potatoes, duck ragù, and Pienza pecorino fondue,” washed down with a 2021 Chianti Classico Poggio Croce and a 2020 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Terrabianca.
The dish of “Quail, asparagus, spring onions, black truffle and foie gras sauce” and a selection of Italian cheeses were accompanied by IGT Toscana Campaccio 2021 and IGT Toscana Collezione di Campaccio 2020.
Everything was excellent as always, as was the service which was, as always, perfect.
Before moving on to my wine tasting notes, I would like to make some clarifications about tannins for red wines.
Regarding the width of the tannin, it’s important to clarify the following points so it can be understood. I taste the tannin in the wine on the upper gum. The total width of the tannin is 6/6, that is, the entire width of the upper gum. Obviously, if the tannin is less wide, it could be, for example, 5/6, and so on. The width of the tannin is important when its quality is good or high. The wider the tannin, the more worthy of attention the wine is, but the tannin, as I specified, must, in any case, be of good quality.
Let’s now move on to describing the wines we tasted.
WHITE SOIL ARILLO
HELD THE TREASURE
BEVOBIANCO, 2023 vintage
D.O.C. MAREMMA CHARDONNAY AND VIOGNER
(Blend: 80% Chardonnay and 20% Viognier)
Straw yellow color.
Pleasant olfactory approach with aromas of pineapple, floral, mineral and green banana peel.
On the palate, it’s medium-bodied and not perfectly balanced; in fact, the alcohol somewhat overwhelms the freshness felt on the sides of the tongue. Its aromatic persistence is long and intense. Perhaps it will improve with time in the bottle.
(88/100)
WHITE SOIL ARILLO
HELD THE TREASURE
BEVOROSA, 2024 vintage
D.O.C. MAREMMA SANGIOVESE ROSÉ
(Blend: 100% Sangiovese)
Pale pink color
On the nose it gives off aromas of green banana peel, floral, mineral and iodine.
On the palate it has a medium-sufficient body and is savoury and mineral.
A well-balanced wine with freshness dominating the alcohol content. Its flavorful finish is quite long.
(89/100)
WHITE SOIL ARILLO
TERRABIANCA ESTATE
SACELLO, 2022 vintage
CHIANTI CLASSICO D.O.C.G.
(Blend: 100% Sangiovese)
Vinification in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. Post-fermentation maceration on the skins for 7-10 days. Aging: in stainless steel and then 6-8 months in non-vitrified concrete vats.
It shines through in the glass in a ruby red colour with a garnet rim.
Olfactory register with aromas of cherry, mint, eucalyptus, cotton starch, hints of peanut, black pepper, nutmeg, finishing with hints of wine-soaked tow.
On the palate, it has a medium-bodied, delicate finish. Despite the wine’s good freshness, a slight alcoholic tang is felt both in the throat and on the upper gums. The tannins are sweet, fairly broad (5/6–), initially silky, then lightly burning the upper gums.
Long but not very long and its taste persistence.
(89/100)
WHITE SOIL ARILLO
TERRABIANCA ESTATE
POGGIO CROCE, 2021 vintage
CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA D.O.C.G.
(Blend: 100% Sangiovese)
Vinification in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. Post-fermentation maceration on the skins for 10-15 days. Aged in stainless steel and then for 12 months in large European oak barrels.
Beautiful ruby red.
Nose punctuated by aromas of cherry, mint, eucalyptus, light hazelnut, intense nutmeg, finishing with puffs of sea water (it is similar to the white inner part of the watermelon rind).
The palate is satisfied by a medium body and a good balance with the pleasant freshness that envelops the alcoholic mass.
The tannins are sweet, quite broad (5/6) and velvety. Its intense aromatic persistence is long.
(92/100)
ARILLO IN TERRA BIANCA ESTATE
TERRABIANCA, vintage 2020
CHIANTI CLASSICO GRAN SELEZIONE D.O.C.G.
(Blend: 100% Sangiovese)
Vinification in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks on the skins for 15-20 days. Aged in stainless steel and then for 20 months in 5-hl French oak tonneaux, some new and some used, followed by 12 months of bottle aging.
Ruby red dress.
The olfactory encounter reveals aromas of cherry, mint, eucalyptus, hints of violet soap, sea water, raspberry, peony, episperm (the sweet skin of boiled chestnuts), finishing with whispers of star anise.
On the palate it is pleasant and displays a medium body, delicate yet decisive. A well-balanced wine with a freshness that doesn’t even hint at the alcohol content!
The tannins are sweet, quite broad (5/6++) and velvety.
Its taste is long and persistent.
(94–/100)
WHITE SOIL ARILLO
HELD THE TREASURE
CAMPACCIO, vintage 2021
I.G.T. TOSCANA ROSSO
(Blend: 40% Sangiovese, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot)
Vinification in steel at controlled temperature.
Controlled maceration, post-fermentation on the skins for approximately 7-10 days.
Aged in steel tanks on fine lees, then in French oak barriques, first and second passage for 12 months followed by 12 months in bottle.
Olfactory range with an intense scent of rust followed by notes of red rose, dried porcini mushroom, light hints of mint (it is the candy cane and mint of village festivals), cherry, eucalyptus, string of licorice, peeled tomatoes, finishing with pinches of fresh plum.
On the palate, it has a medium body and flavors of plum and blueberry. The alcohol-freshness balance is perfectly balanced. The tannins are sweet and broad (6/6–), initially silky, then slightly drying the upper palate. Its flavor is long and persistent.
(92/100)
WHITE SOIL ARILLO
HELD THE TREASURE
CAMPACCIO COLLECTION, vintage 2020
I.G.T. TOSCANA ROSSO
(Blend: 40% Sangiovese, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot)
Vinification in stainless steel at a controlled temperature, post-fermentation on the skins for approximately 7-10 days. Aged in stainless steel tanks on fine lees, then in new and used French oak barriques for 20 months, followed by 12 months in bottle. Production: approximately 5,000 bottles per year.
Intense ruby red dress with garnet edge.
From the olfactory casket rise scents of ironing spray starch, strawberry, mint, eucalyptus, vanilla, violet, ending with pleasant memories of peeled tomatoes.
On the palate it reveals a pleasant medium body and an excellent balance between alcohol and freshness.
The tannins are sweet, thick, broad (6/6–) initially velvety and then drying the upper gum a little.
Long and its aromatic persistence is intense.
(94/100)
I confess that I was unfamiliar with this wonderful winery, nor with the winemaker Arillo Vieri Vannoni, whom I greatly appreciated listening to him speak and, above all, tasting the wines he produces. I thank Ursula and Paola for introducing me to this wonderful winery.
