PACINA
Founded: 1920
Region: Toscana - Castelnuovo Berardenga/Siena/Italy
Wine Maker: Stefano Borsa, Giovanna Tiezzi
Vines Area: 10 ha
Annual Production: around 45,000 bottles
Pacina is an incredible place, with a diverse range of plants, flowers and animals, many fields of woodlands stretching across Chianti, that has always respected nature and its diversity. They grow various crops like grapes, olives, grains and greens, fruits with respect for the soil, and harvest truffles in November. They are alternately cultivated and left fallow in order to maintain the richness and diversity of the natural ecosystems and the flora and fauna they contain. These various crops give strength, energy and character to this place, instead of the frail homogeneity that comes with monoculture.
Giovanna Tietzi's grandfater purchased this estate in 1920, and she has taken over a 60 hectare estate. The place is a convent that was built in the 10th century, has been active for over 1000 years producing food and wine for those that live there. Giovanna and her husband Stefano dedicate all of their time and energy to preserving the place. They have never used chemicals in their vineyards because the vines have never needed it, the soils have teemed
with life for hundred’s of years. Giovanna says giving chemicals to their vineyards would be like giving a child antibiotics who didn’t need them. They work their vines organically encouraging a vibrant ecosystem and make wine in a very traditional way with long maceration and minimal intervention.
Although Pacina has been approved by the DOCGs to label their wines as such, they label them simply as Toscana IGT. For Stefano and Giovanna the Chianti DOCG have lost their meaning, with many wines expressing heavily extracted cooked fruit, sweet new oak and high levels of alcohol. They are making true Terroir wines that don’t fit into this group. They are selling the wine inside the bottle, not a DOCG label and cork.
Pacina is a heart-warming place whoever can enjoy breathtaking scenery while drinking their wine together as if we're like a family or old friends there.