The eight centuries of Count Guicciardini celebrated with... An experiment 

Ottosecoli is the name of the new line in the company's history founded in 1199: a laboratory that points to the future. Many times we talk about "combining past and future": an abused, almost cloying expression. But in the case of Count Guicciardini we are faced with a reality of eight centuries that, to "celebrate", launches an experimental laboratory on its wines, with a line that is called * precisely * Ottosecoli.

A project of real innovation, with experiments that try to keep up with – or even to anticipate the times – of world wine choices. Of course, eight centuries of life – the same company underlines how they are "Winemakers since 1199" – cannot be forgotten: Conte Guicciardini, a Tuscan reality with three estates in the Florentine Hills, in Maremma and in the Chianti Classico area, will continue in its production of wines linked to history and tradition.

But now he has chosen to create a new space to look decisively to the future: «Our goal is to be able to follow different paths than in the past, without ever departing from the values that are part of our long tradition and that have allowed us to successfully lead the historic Tenuta del Castello di Poppiano and that have then distinguished, since the respective acquisitions, our work in Massi di Mandorlaia and Belvedere Campòli - explains Count Ferdinando Guicciardini - Regardless of the fashions of the moment, we wanted to deal with the creation of a wine without the addition of sulphites, except those that are formed naturally during fermentation, to understand what challenges we would then have to face both in the cellar and, above all, in the vineyard». The idea, therefore, is to get to the "heart" of Sangiovese, trying to understand its essence.

And it is called E'Ssenza the first wine of this experimental laboratory that is the Ottosecoli line. A name that has a double meaning: the lack of added sulphites but also the search for the true nature of Sangiovese di Toscana, based on an extremely accurate and careful work in the vineyard in order to be able to bring very healthy grapes to the cellar, capable of giving rise to a wine that does not need the protection of added sulphites.

E'Ssenza is obtained from Sangiovese grapes in purity from the vineyards of Castello di Poppiano, which ferment in vats at a controlled temperature for about 14 days and then mature in steel and refine in bottle before marketing.

First vintage 2019: we are faced with a direct wine, in some ways simple and drinkable and with a good balance. No particular complexity is sought, but it is also the will of Count Guicciardini: the essence of Sangiovese, in its frankness and simplicity.

«The first vintage on the market of E'Ssenza, 2019, represented a very important test bench for us and provided us with useful information also for the next harvests» concluded Count Guicciardini. This is the first result of the project: we wait for the next ones.