Dolce Toscolo

Neil and Maria Empson created this label to pay tribute to all things Tuscan, honoring the extraordinary region even in its name, which means Tuscan boy in the local dialect. Franco Bernabei styles the wine, along with Neil, using grapes from the finest vineyards in the region. The soil and microclimates are intriguingly diverse – from compact, very fine-textured limestone at approx. 400-450 meters (1,310 to 1,480 feet) above sea level, to rocky, calcareous clay areas with similar altitudes; and even clayey/siliceous/ calcareous soil at 250-300 meters (820-984 feet) above sea level. Neil is thus able to handpick the best selections according to harvest conditions in the individual vineyards, maintaining consistent quality with each vintage.
Made from two-thirds Trebbiano and one-third Malvasia, partly from sun-dried grapes. Fermentation is a slow process but the results yield a particularly fragrant, elegant wine. It ages for a minimum of eighteen months in small oak barrels known as caratelli, which are 100 liters in size, and in Slavonian oak casks. Aromatic, delicate and well balanced, it is not excessively sweet, so it can be enjoyed as a dessert wine or with flavorful blue-veined cheeses.