The beginnings of the Dal Cero winery go back to 1934 when Francesca's grandfather Augusto Dal Cero planted vines at his 15 hectares vineyards in Roncà, Veneto, in north-east Italy. The vineyards flourished and years later when his sons -Giuseppe and Dario - visited Tuscany in 1981, they fell in love with the region. "Seeing the potentiality of Tuscany with its world famous wines they bought 6 hectares of vineyards and produced fine wines. We now have 45 hectares of vineyards in Tuscany".

The Dal Cero winery produces ten wines of which three- Corte Giacobbe Soave DOP (a white wine produced from Garganega grapes), Sangiovese Rosato IGP Toscana (a rosé produced from Sangiovese grapes) and Selverello Sangiovese IGP Toscana (an unoaked red produced from Sangiovese grapes) are being imported into India by Kiara Wines.

Left: The third generation of the Dal Cero family
In the course of the evening Francesca shared information on the wines as they were served along with an offering of a choice of fine cheeses, delicious vegetarian and non-vegetarian appetizers, grapes and nuts. "As Roncà has volcanic stones mixed with its soil the minerality of the soil can be tasted in the Corte Giacobbe. The area has cold winters and hot summers that make for good flavours, good acidity and helps in preserving the wines. On the other hand, Tuscany has a warmer climate which is perfect for red wines that the region specializes in. For producing the Sangiovese Rosata the skin is left with the juice for just 24 hours for colour extraction, where as for the Selverello the skin and juice are left in contact for three weeks", explained Francesca

She added that the three wines had been specially selected for the Indian market as they are young, fresh, fruity and easy drinking wines that will appeal to wine drinkers in India. "Though wine is not part of Indian tradition, I feel Indians are becoming more interested in wines and will be more passionate about wines in the future. It is always a pleasure to have a nice glass of wine with a good meal!"

Tasting Notes:

* Corte Giacobbe Soave DOP

A brilliant straw-yellow colour with gold hues. On the nose it offers delicate scents of flowers and fruits, clearly identifiable pear and apple. In the mouth is fresh and well balanced with a finishing of almonds, typical of the wine, and a long and persistent aftertaste. Pleasant as an aperitif, it is particularly suited with pasta, white meat, fish and vegetables. Serving temperature: 10 - 12 ° C.

* Sangiovese Rosato IGP Toscana

A bright and vivid pink colour, on the nose is captivating with sweet and intense scents of strawberry and raspberry. On the palate it is pleasantly fruity and rich with distinct notes of ripe mixed berries and a refreshing finishing note of gooseberry and red currant. It goes well with the entire meal. Perfect with assorted cold meats and salami. Serving temperature: 10 - 12 ° C

* Selverello Sangiovese IGP Toscana

A brilliant ruby red colour, with a bouquet of red fruit, particularly cherry and raspberry, and spicy hints. Delicate, balanced and lightly bodied. The result is a light and fresh red wine which pairs with meat, games and cheeses. Serving temperature: 18°C