Avignonesi is a Tuscan producer with a long history, but has really started to thrive since it was taken over in 2009. There has been a huge investment in the estate and winery, and there has been a big move towards being organic, biodynamic and sustainable. They now have 175 hectares in the Montepulciano appellation within Tuscany. Since Virginie Saverys took over the estate, she and her team have focussed on getting life back into the vineyard soils, and use no unnatural intervention.
They make a range of wines, focussing mainly on the Sangiovese grape variety. This particular wine is a representation of the Sangiovese grape in its natural habitat, with no intervention. They have forgone oak and steel use, favouring the more natural clay amphora to age the wine.
Da Di is a Chinese word for earth soil i.e. clay. The wine is stored in 11 different amphora, and is blended together after two months, then aged for a further 3 months. It is organic and fermented with indigenous yeasts. It has a lovely purity, with fresh red fruit flavours, it is medium bodied with a juicy finish. This is food friendly and you could lightly chill it.