Castellani Villa Puccini 2019

Alfredo Castellani began bottling and selling his own wine in Montecalvoli, in the Tuscan hinterland between Pisa and Florence, in the late nineteenth century — his work as a winemaker preceding any branded operation. In 1903 the family formalised the business as Castellani Spa, headquartered in Pontedera near Pisa. Alfredo's sons Duilio and Mario led the company's mid-twentieth-century expansion, broadening the production base across multiple Tuscan estates. Duilio's eldest son Giorgio added export distribution from the 1970s, building the international footprint that now reaches 42 countries.

Castellani produces wine from five main Tuscan estates — the most prominent is the 100+-hectare Chianti Classico holding near the medieval town of Radda — plus contracted production from other Italian regions. The company-owned Villa Puccini brand, which sits within the Castellani portfolio, derives its name from the property that was once home to opera composer Giacomo Puccini (La Bohème, Madama Butterfly). The wine range covers Chianti Classico (Riserva and standard), Tuscan IGT blends, the Villa Puccini blends, and a roster of secondary Italian-region wines distributed under the broader corporate umbrella.

Bistecca, slow-braised beef, venison and aged hard cheeses; a cellar-list Toscana IGT for laying down 3-8 years.