Podcast 005 | About the Power Place Rignana, Hedgehogs, and Sangiovese - A Chat with Cosimo Gericke

June 22

Cosimo Gericke from Fattoria di Rignana winery

For today's podcast episode, I'm visiting the Fattoria e Villa di Rignana winery in Panzano in Chianti, and Cosimo Gericke, the owner, is right here with me.

The Story of Fattoria e Villa di Rignana

Fattoria e Villa di Rignana has been in Cosimo Gericke's family since 1965. His father's family originally came from Germany and moved to Italy in the 1920s. Cosimo's grandfather was in charge of the German Academy in Rome back then. But his father always dreamed of living in the countryside and owning a winery. In the mid-60s, the old agricultural system in Tuscany changed; workers and owners used to split the harvest 50/50. Back then, many workers moved to Florence to settle down – it was a famous rural exodus. Around that time, Cosimo's father bought the Rignana winery and set up a wonderful foundation.

Cosimo took over Rignana in 1999. He's a dad to two grown-up kids and a super keen hunter. Even though he grew up in Italy, he speaks perfect German, all thanks to his German ancestors. This is great for German guests who visit the winery today! He also taught his children German to help them feel connected to their roots.

The Sangiovese Grape

During our chat, Cosimo and I clink glasses with a Sangiovese Bianco – it's a Sangiovese from the old vineyard. They harvest it a bit earlier to keep the alcohol content down. This helps preserve the grape's beautiful aroma, just like a white wine, even though it comes from red grapes. So, the Sangiovese is picked early, then destemmed right away and pressed very, very gently, so it doesn't get any color from the skins. That's how it ends up white, even though the grape itself is red. I absolutely love the floral scent of white Sangiovese – sometimes Sangiovese can be a bit subtle in its aroma, but in white wine, it really comes alive!

The Rignana Power Spot

For me, Rignana is a total power spot. It's tucked away at the very northwestern tip of Panzano. To get there, you drive along a gravel road, and once you arrive, a valley opens up with incredible distant views. I always feel a really special energy here that's hard to put into words – a mix of peace and life that just feels so good. Even though Cosimo has lived and worked here for years, he still feels this unique power and energy. Whether he's in a bad mood or feeling some aches, after just a few steps in his vineyards, all the negativity just melts away. This special energy was probably what his father felt back in 1965 when he bought the winery. And guests who visit the winery also love this unique place where you can truly just breathe.

But Rignana isn't just a winery – it also has an agriturismo and a cute little chapel that's just perfect for weddings. It's truly a dream spot to tie the knot! Plus, Rignana is home to the Cantinetta di Rignana, a restaurant where you can savor classic Tuscan dishes, have a great time, laugh, and just enjoy your day.

The Wines of Fattoria di Rignana

Rignana spans about 120 hectares in total. Around 14 hectares are vineyards, and they have about 1,000 olive trees. The rest is forests and fields. In those 14 hectares of vineyards, they cultivate Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc grapes. Sangiovese makes up a big chunk, about 70-75% of what's grown at Rignana.

Rignana's wines and olive oil are all organically certified. Their selection features three wines with the Chianti Classico designation: the Chianti Classico 'Annata', as it's called in Italy. While 'Annata' isn't actually printed on the bottle, it refers to the current basic Chianti Classico – a wonderfully fruity one! You'll also find the Chianti Classico Riserva, the Chianti Classico Gran Selezione, and the 'Il Riccio'. 'Il Riccio' started as a pure Merlot, then a bit of Cabernet Franc was added, and since the 2016 vintage, it's been a pure Cabernet Franc.

The lineup is completed with three summer wines: a pure Canaiolo in the classic straw bottle, a fruity and fresh Rosato, and last but not least, the Sangiovese Bianco (that's the white Sangiovese!). Oh, and don't forget Rignana's amazing olive oil!

The Range

You can buy all the wines directly on-site at their 'Vendita diretta', and you even get to taste them!

The Hedgehog: Rignana's Signature

You'll find a hedgehog on every bottle of Rignana wine, by the way. And as you walk around the winery, you'll constantly spot hedgehog figures, pictures, and paintings. This symbol comes from the Ricci family, who owned Rignana for a long time.

In the century, there was a saint, “Santa Caterina di Ricci,” and “Scipione die Ricci,” who was the Bishop of Pistoia from 1780 to 1791. Back then, Scipione tried to reform the church with Leopold II of Habsburg from Austria, who ruled Tuscany. The church didn't like that one bit, so they sent Scipione to Rignana, to the Ricci family's estate, where he spent his final years and was later buried in the chapel.

And because “Ricci” is the plural of “Riccio” (which means hedgehog), Cosimo's family made the hedgehog the symbol of Rignana. So, if you see a hedgehog on the bottle, you can be sure it's Rignana wine!

Il Riccio - The Hedgehog

The hedgehog is Rignana's symbol. You'll find this animal symbol on every bottle and all over Rignana.

Sangiovese - the “big player” at Rignana

Sangiovese is a really interesting grape, but it's not easy to grow. It needs just the right soil, the perfect spot, and you can't produce too much or too little. So, all in all, it's a bit of a fussy grape!

After fermentation, Sangiovese has a really high and intense acidity, but during the biological fermentation, that acidity slowly mellows out. So, Sangiovese just needs a lot of time – both as a plant and later in the cellar and bottle. Rignana's 100% Sangiovese has to stay in wood for at least 30 months. But when you open a bottle after 10-15 years and the wine still 'has so much to tell,' as I like to say, then all the hard work with this grape totally pays off!

Cabernet Franc has some things in common with Sangiovese. It ripens around the same time and, as an aromatic Cabernet, it pairs really well with Sangiovese. So, it's a wonderful match between Sangiovese and Cabernet Franc. You don't often find a pure Cabernet Franc in Chianti – but Cosimo loves to experiment! Years ago, he was with a friend in the Bolgheri vineyards, where grapes ripen a bit faster. That's where Cosimo first tried Cabernet Franc and really liked it. So, he decided to plant his first hectare of this grape in Rignana. Unlike Sangiovese, Cabernet Franc takes quite a while to get its roots deep into the soil. Only then can it truly shine.

Fattoria di Rignana Rosato Toscana IGT

Chilled just right, Rosato is guaranteed to be a perfect companion for an aperitif or even with your meal.

The Colorful World of Sangiovese

Sangiovese is, and always will be, Cosimo's big love. You can tell because he makes three different Sangiovese wines, all in different colors! A red, a rosé, and a white. Cosimo's dad actually started making the Rosato. To make his red wine a bit more concentrated, the grapes are destemmed and put into tanks. After about 24 hours, the fresh juice is drawn off the grape skins. This method is called "Saignee," which is French for "to bleed."

Nowadays, the Rosato is pressed and made right after harvest at really low temperatures to keep its lovely freshness. It ferments super slowly at about 15 degrees and doesn't get any extra yeast. The white Bianco and Rosato grapes are harvested earlier than the red wine grapes, almost at the same time. The very best grapes go into the red wines. Both the Rosato and the white wine are 100% Sangiovese – while the Riserva is blended with 10% Cabernet Franc, and the Canaiolo we mentioned earlier makes up 15% in the Chianti Classico.