Stefano Amerighi has dedicated himself to revitalizing a small, often overlooked corner of Tuscany, in the tiny village of Poggiobello di Farneta, which lies in the commune of Cortona; there, he has been crafting Sangiovese and Syrah-based wines that have captured the hearts of wine aficionados the world over. Two such enthusiasts were Yoan Tavares and Basile Passe, founders of the small but mighty Le Vin des Potes line – translating to ‘wine of companions’ – representing winemakers who reflect their more naturalistic and authentic approach to winemaking. After a string of initial hits and a lot of buzz, they now have 11 collaborations under their belt, and are well on their way to establishing their portfolio in the natural wine world. Each cuvée features one unique winemaker and they all must use organic or Demeter certified grapes and reflect the identity of the local terroir. Vin des Potes is a tribute to the know-how of passionate men and women who honor their local traditions and craft terroir-driven wine. Putting all biases aside, Amerighi is undoubtedly one of their brightest stars.
Stefano’s ‘La Botte Secrete’ (‘the secret barrel’) was made in collaboration with sommelier friends Basile Passe and Yoan Tavares, creators of Le Vin des Potes. Working on clay and limestone soil in the hills of Cortona, Tuscany, Stefano crafted this 100% Sangiovese from youthful vines in his sun-drenched vineyard, a plot 310 meters above the sea with a south-west orientation. Grapes are harvested in two stages at the beginning of October, resulting in different levels of maturity; after destemming, the grapes are partly left whole and partly crushed by foot and then placed, by hand, in small concrete pits without the use of pumps. Fermentation takes place spontaneously using only native yeasts and sulfur is kept to a minimum. The wine then sees aging for 20 months in both wood and concrete tanks before going to bottle, resulting in a punchy, herbaceous, spicy Sangiovese with loads of crunchy red fruit on the palate and hints of fennel on the nose. Silky and savory, ‘La Botte Secrete’ is a somewhat atypical Sangio, both finer, fresher, and just a lot more fun than many of its Tuscan compatriots. 3600 bottles produced.