Today’s Women in Wine is Tiziana Pecci from Celestino Pecci. We initially met through email before the pandemic but finally met at Vinitaly and while I have not personally visited the winery, I have worked for her many times at events over the course of the last few years that I feel like we know each other. She is the force behind the winery, continuing on in the tradition that her father started. She is smart, gutsy, and resilient and very direct and Tuscan. Speaking with her always brings me back to how much I love this part of Italy and how familiar it all feels to me, having lived there for many years in the first part of my life in Italy.

The winery is located in about five kilometers from the center of Montalcino and right near the amazing Abbey of Sant’Antimo, one of my favorite sites in all of Italy – which is a big statement.

The winery is named for Tiziana’s father Celestino who grew up on this land. His parents wanted him not to work the land but he bucked the family desires and stayed. The winery was started in 1968, hard years in the countryside when everyone wanted to leave and move to the city. Yet Celestino persisted, stayed, and his dream paid off.

Celestino together with his wife started a family. Today the winery is run by Tiziana with Celestino looking on to help as well.

The Celestino Pecci wines are all lovely. Their Brunellos are incredible expressions of the Sangiovese grape. They are traditional in terms of style but have a freshness that was unexpected. The altitude of the vineyards is 350 meters above sea level, the exposition in South/South West, and the soils are what they call medio-impasto or mixed with some clay. Everything is hand harvested. The wine spends 36-40 months in 10 to 35 hl botti or larger oak barrels. It also spends 6 months in the bottle before release.

I recently had her Rosso di Montalcino DOCG 2020. On the nose it’s all dusty cherry, bramble, tobacco, and a hint of spice. On the palate, it’s got all those same flavors, good acidity, silky tannins, and great freshness. The wine is very balanced and a perfect complement to any meal. I would have this be my house wine if I could. When I offer it to be at tastings, it is always a favorite. I tell people it’s a great Tuesday night wine or a Friday night pizza and pasta wine. I actually think it’s perfect any night of the week.