Trequanda, the Fattoria del Colle

The historic home, centerpiece of Fattoria del Colle

Excellence is at home

Deus ex machina of Fattoria del Colle is Donatella Cinelli Colombini, one foot in Montalcino and the other in Trequanda, primadonna of female enology and imaginative pioneer of wine tourism.

The large estate is a corner of paradise that alternates between noble vineyards and truffle woods, welcoming guests to the rustic cottages that dot it. Impossible to get bored, from tours of the historic winery, amid memories and legends, to the immediate surroundings that offer interests for every age, inclination and leg, from archery to craft stores, to the pine forest with "theme trees": the lie tree, the story tree...

There was a time when Donatella, a forerunner in this as well, went all over Trequanda to be told by the women of the house about the recipes of the local cuisine. The idea was then not only to reintroduce those dishes on the farm, but also to share them in cooking classes requested by anyone who tasted them: a great success, which is repeated today for individuals and small groups under the guidance of Helle Poulsen Tesio, celebrated cookery writer, and Roberta Archetti, house chef.

On the road to Trequanda, the abbey of Monte Oliveto.

Centuries of history

The history of Fattoria del Colle begins with the Etruscans, to whom we owe the first frequentations of the site. Then the tale unravels over the centuries under the sign of Siena, which had a turbulent border here, finally arriving at the unfailing story of a thwarted love: the protagonists are a young noblewoman and a dashing adventurer, with all the rocambolic contours that can be delineated against such an evocative background. And so we come, in topical terms, to the beautiful story of Donatella and her Donne del Vino.

Donatella and the Women of Wine

Donatella has always had the idea of an all-female wine: daughter of Francesca Cinelli Colombini, revered "Lady of Brunello," over the years she has realized the dream of a winery run by women only, from the vineyard to the goblet. This happens at Casato Prime Donne, the winery in Montalcino, where, among other things, an award takes place that highlights the most iconic female profiles of our time, from virologist Ilaria Capua to astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, to name just two of the most recent awardees.