Taste Tuscany with Guido Carissimo

How did you get started in wine?

I started to make wine in Tuscany in 2011 but my family has been making wine in Puglia for four generation. I helped in running the family farm in my youth but after decided to make something else. After studying and working around the world, returning to Italy I then moved to Tuscany and the “wine making disease” came back. It was love at first sight with this beautiful valley. I wanted also to make something different from past history and aimed at making fine wine with very limited impact on the environment.

Describe your best wine and food pairing.

We would point on the most intricated wine of ours: Gaudio (Gran Selezione) and Tespero (Syrah). The first one has a rich and complex bouquet that maximizes its performance if it is paired to a “Bistecca alla Fiorentina” a 2 inches thick sirloin steak from Chianina beef cooked on a flaming charcoal. You should take it outside the fridge 2-3 hours before cooking and, after oiling its surface, grill it 5-6 minutes on each side. The meat should be salted only after cooking. Tespero (100% Syrah) has a very particular bouquet that can reach its best pairing with either a piece of dark chocolate “Peposo di Impruneta” a stew meat that need 2-3 hours cooking with red wine, tomato and black pepper.

What is the biggest challenge when making wine on your estate?

We have two major challenges: fighting against plant diseases without using chemical products and fighting against animals. The first battle is now under control as we are using natural products that guarantee a very good defence. At a significant higher cost than traditional operation. The second is an often-losing battle against roe dear who eats the upper part of our grapes during the hot summer period and wild boar who devour the lower part. For us is very difficult to fence the vineyards as we are in a hilly area with a complicated dirt road network.