There we were in Chianti, at a little cooking class. We had finished the class portion and were enjoying a nice meal of our hard work when we mentioned to a fellow student how we were planning on heading to Montalcino next, and he absolutely insisted we have a Brunello once we got there! Later that night at dinner, we were browsing the wine list and chose, without any prior experience, Casanova di Neri's 2017 Brunello di Montalcino. It was possibly one of the best wines we'd ever had and absolutely made the meal. Fast forward a few days, and we're driving through Montalcino on our way back from Pienza and by total luck we drive right past the Casanova di Neri winery itself! We naturally doubled back onto the beautiful property. We walked into the tasting room just as Simona, our eventual pourer for the afternoon, was wrapping up with another group. What transpired was one of the most memorable parts of our trip. Simona wove a lovely tapestry of the history of the winery, helping us intimately understand not only its roots but the personalities and ambitions of its founding family. We tasted: - 2017 Brunello di Montalcino (our favorite) - 2017 Brunello di Montalcino Tenuto Nuova - 2015 Brunello di Montalcino Cerretalto The pours were fairly generous, but not as generous as the service. With such a celebrated winery, you'd generally expect that they don't treat every guest like family, but Simona wasn't your typical pourer. When she brought up their vaunted 2018 Pietradonice after regaling us with a story of the vineyard that produced, an onyx quarry that most others thought would not be suitable, she slyly offered us a taste when our eyes lit up, even though it was not part of the tasting menu. Our experience at Casanova di Neri was pretty magical, and while the wine was terrific, a lot of credit needs to go to Simona herself.

My wife and I booked the private grand cru wine tasting and it was my top 1-2 things we did our entire week long trip to Tuscany. The tour was fabulous and we happened to be there on the first day of the harvest. We met the entire family all going through the grapes at the dividing machine, Giacomo the owner greeted my wife and I personally. We had a quick chat and he offered us to taste grapes that had just been brought in. After our tour we had a private room overlooking the vineyard with cheese and bread to pair with our wine. It was a special experience I will not soon forget and hope to return one day. The 2016 Brunello Cerretalto was one of the best wines I've tasted in my life.

As a white wine drinker, I have to say that Casanova di Neri offered exceptional quality of wine with thorough details provided by the staff. We were lucky to have Simona as our tasting expert. She was kind, clever, and even helped us navigate resturant options for the next few days. My husband purchased a case of a variety of Brunello blends. He's the red drinker. We arrived by car, and word of advice, the tasting area is the first building (structure) upon entry through the gates. We accidentally arrived at the hotel or rental villas. The development of the smell and taste were quite unique. I am excited for the shipment to arrive in a few months! Thank you Simona for your courtesy and hospitality!!