Donatella Cinelli Colombini is a legendary pioneer in the world of wine. With a long history in Tuscany - her great-grandfather, Giovanni Colombini was one of the founders of the Consorzio del Brunello - Donatella has worked tirelessly not only to craft incredible wine but also to champion the role of women working in the wine industry.
Donatella Cinelli Colombini owns two wineries, one in Montalcino and one in Trequanda in the Chianti and DOC Orcia regions. Casato Prime Donne in Montalcino is a property of 40 hectares of which 16 hectares include Sangiovese vineyards and the winery and cellar. All of the people who work at Donatella's properties, including the head winemaker, Valérie Lavigne, are women, which is a unique situation in Italy and a beacon of progress for women in the wine industry globally. Donatella is also president of the Italian association "le Donne del Vino", (Women of Wine) and president of the Consorzio del Vino Orcia. Donatella's daughter, Violante, works with her as the head of marketing for their estates.
In the vineyard, Donatella Cinelli Colombini has been cultivating her grapes using sustainable and organic practices for many years and received official organic certification in 2018. In addition, she has recently made some recent upgrades at the winery including the use of cement tanks for fermentation. Instead of barriques in the cellar, Donatella Cinelli Colombini chooses to age her Brunello for at least two years in 500-litre tonneaux and then decants the wine into casks of 15 hl for further refinement. Finally the wine rests in bottle, which is essential for developing aromatic fullness. The distinctive element of Donatella's wines is their undeniable elegance and purity: beautiful harmonies that are made to last throughout time.
