Lately, a little spark of hope is creeping into my heart: Corona restrictions in Austria, Germany, and Italy are slowly being eased or lifted step by step. And now it even looks like the border between Austria and Italy might open up this summer! So, even if I couldn't sit down face-to-face with Emilia and Giovanni d’Orsi from the Casaloste winery this time, I'm really hoping to see my beloved Panzano and all my friends again soon. But until that happens, I'll have to satisfy my longing with phone calls, video calls, and all that, and I'll keep sharing my chats with you under #ChiantiClassicoLonging.

Fattoria Casaloste: The Organic Pioneers of Panzano in Chianti

Casaloste's motto, "La piccola fattoria dei grandi vini" – meaning "the small farm of great wines" – really hits the nail on the head for this estate. Emilia and Giovanni Battista d'Orsi own the 19 hectares of land nestled in the hills of Panzano in Chianti. Emilia and Giovanni, who's actually a trained agronomist and oenologist, originally hail from Naples. But one visit to Chianti Classico, they stumbled upon Casaloste and completely fell for this special spot.

So, they bought the winery, moved to Panzano, and from then on, poured all their passion into making organic wines and setting up their small but charming agriturismo. The result? They produce around 60,000 bottles of super high-quality wine every year, and you can enjoy perfect holidays at this classic Tuscan estate – think a pool under olive trees and a warm, family vibe!

Giovanni d'Orsi was actually the very first person in Panzano in Chianti to farm Casaloste organically.

Casaloste: Finding the Bright Side During Corona

Since Emilia and Giovanni both come from Naples, their families live there too, over a four-hour drive away. Even in "normal times," that's quite a trek, but during Corona, it felt almost impossible to bridge. So, they had to get creative. Emilia shares: "My mom is 86 and lives near Naples. Last Christmas, when we celebrated together, my siblings and I gave her a smartphone. That was actually the last time I saw her 'in person.' Mom was a bit surprised by our gift," Emilia chuckles, "But sometimes, without even knowing it, you do the right thing." And she was right! Thanks to that smart Christmas gift, Emilia could stay in touch with her mom during the tough Corona lockdown. Despite some initial struggles, the spry 86-year-old learned how to use new tech like touchscreens and video calls. "We often laughed until we cried trying to video call my mom because something just wouldn't work," Emilia remembers. "But in the end, it did, and it brought us a little closer, even with the physical distance."

The d'Orsi Family in Panzano in Chianti

Emilia and Giovanni have three kids. Vincenzo lives in Florence and sometimes enjoys the perks of "Hotel Mama" (you know, staying at home!). Federico was studying in Paris when the lockdown started and managed to snag one of the very last flights back home. And their daughter, Maria Giovanna, who usually lives and works in London, also grabbed her computer and came home on one of the last flights. She's been working from Casaloste ever since. "It's such a huge relief to have the kids close by and know they're safe," Emilia says, clearly happy.

Thankfully, the number of new daily Corona infections has now settled down in Tuscany, too, with just a few cases. Just like in Austria and Germany, Tuscany is now allowing some regional relaxations. For example, restaurants have been able to open their doors and welcome guests again for a few days. But some are choosing not to open because it just doesn't make financial sense. And unlike Austria, Italy doesn't offer any government support for businesses. What kind of scars – or even deep wounds – COVID-19 will leave on the Italian and wider European economy, we'll just have to wait and see.

Casaloste - a little bit of Naples right in the middle of Panzano in Chianti

70 Days of Lockdown in Italy

I can still vividly remember meeting Emilia back in February – before all the Corona craziness even began – at the Chianti Classico Collection. We tasted the Chianti Classico 2017 together, and for me, it was definitely one of the highlights of the whole fair. (But more on that later! Spoiler alert: The Casaloste wines are already on their way to me!)

At the end of February – just as things were starting to get serious in Lombardy – Emilia traveled to her importers in the USA. Back then, the virus wasn't really a big deal there – just something far off in China and a tiny bit in Italy. But by March 11th, only five days after Emilia flew back from the US, frantic, panicked scenes from Chicago airport were all over the TV. Emilia remembers: "It was all so surreal. I didn't even recognize the place where I'd been just five days earlier, where everything felt totally normal."

And now, after 70 days of strict lockdown in Italy, her business partners in L.A., New York, and Chicago are telling her about some pretty dramatic situations that you don't hear about in Europe and wouldn't even want to imagine, she says. "Of course, those 70 days in Italy without family, without friends, without really being allowed to leave the house – that's a time that will definitely leave scars. But a scar is better than the deep wounds that are forming in the USA right now. And when you think about a whole human life, 70 days is just a blink."

70 days of lockdown also meant 70 days with no visitors for direct sales.

Getting Back to Life

At least the market in Panzano finally happened again on Saturday, and Mimmo even set up his tables in the marketplace so people could enjoy an aperitivo. Plus, outside the supermarkets, you "only" have to queue for about fifteen minutes now instead of a whole hour to get your groceries. And since Italians are finally allowed to leave their homes again, lots of folks are heading to the beaches.

Out of this situation, a new trend has popped up: the "trikini" – that's a three-piece bikini with a bottom, a top, and a matching face mask. Why? Because wearing a mask is a must on the beaches. So, "normal" isn't quite here yet – but at least it's another small step towards getting back to life.

Many years ago, Giovanni and Emilia both fell head over heels for the Casaloste estate.

The Fruits of Their Labor: The New Chianti Classico Vintage

After my chat with Emilia about the lockdown and how the family was doing, I also talked a bit with Giovanni about Casaloste's new Chianti Classico vintage. You see, the 2017 Chianti Classico at Casaloste was actually made under some "tough" conditions: frost in May that caused a lot of damage, a dry and hot summer, and rain during harvest. Basically, all things that aren't usually great for wine quality. So, after the fantastic 2015 and 2016 vintages, everyone was worried this would be a "down year." But despite all those fears, the 2017 Chianti Classico turned out absolutely gorgeous – even fantastic! Giovanni himself says, "It's become an elegant, harmonious, and very, very approachable wine." And I totally agreed; I was immediately impressed and loved it.

Find all Casaloste wines

And as I said: Casaloste's Chianti Classico – plus some other Casaloste wines I already carry – have been (re)ordered and are on their way! I'm really looking forward to opening and enjoying a bottle again soon.

Giovanni and Emilia are hopeful that despite the overall crisis, at least things are looking good for a successful 2020 vintage. And who knows? Maybe the wine made in this challenging year will be a little comfort for the wounds left by those 70 days of lockdown. Sure, it's just a drop in the ocean – but an excellent one!

For tourism, we'll just have to wait and see what summer and autumn bring. Maybe there'll even be a slightly different version of Vino al Vino – we'll just have to wait and see. And I'll definitely keep you in the loop if anything new pops up.