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# 62 • JUNE 12 , 2015
I'm picky when it comes to
entry level, inexpensive chiantis. Sometimes you just don’t
want to spend a lot of money,
but you want a decent quality
Chianti. I recently discovered
the Donna Laura Ali Sangiovese di Toscana I.G.T. wine at a
local wine shops wine tasting
and retailing for $11.99 was a
value for this chianti. The Donna Laura winery is located in
the Castelnuovo Berardenga
town within the Chianti Classico region in Tuscany.
This is one of the top towns in
this region for Chianti Classico
production along with Radda,
Gaiole, Greve, Castellina in
Chianti and Panzano. It's located in the southeastern part of
the Chianti Classico zone. This
winery produces about half
a million bottles a year and is
owned by Lia Tolaini-Banville.
Some of the grapes that they
use in producing wines for the
Donna Laura brand originate
from the grapes produced on
the Tolaini estate.
to further study art and spend
more time with them. As Lia
grew older and had a family
of her own their connection
remained strong until unfortunately the aunt passed away.
In 2004 Lia started the brand
Donna Laura wines named
Lia Tolaini-Banville's appre- after her aunt her drew about
ciation of wine drew from her her passion for Italy and where
first introduction to Italy and her family was from.
her Aunt Laura on a visit with
her father when she was 6 to
Lucca in Tuscany. Over the years Lia fell in love with Italy, as
many of us do, and returned
for summers enjoying the time
and culture and spending time
with her relatives.
After graduating from college
she traveled to Florence, Italy
44 | WE THE ITALIANS
www.wetheitalians.com
One of the three wines produced under the Donna Laura
brand that I tasted includes the
wine, Ali, meaning “wings” and
named after Lia's daughter.
It's produced with 100% sangiovese. Ruby in color, it was a
smooth, medium bodied wine
with juicy ripe cherry and raspberry with soft tannins.