Traveling in a glass of wine: The tactic of the Graf Toggenburg winery is to bring the character of the Chianti region into the bottle with elegant Tuscan vibes by treating nature with respect. You can read here why you should get to know this charming winery and why the five wines are worth every uncorking adventure.
You’re probably familiar with falling in love at first sight. With wine, I occasionally fall in love at first sip. And that’s almost more romantic, because you fall in love with the inner values. Now it has to be said: the bottle of Luogotenente wine by Winery Graf Toggenburg was a real eye-catcher four years ago, even from the label dress code. Now I’ve rekindled the memories and taken a long overdue step: going on a date with the estate’s other wines too.
The Poggio Rozzi vineyard covers an area of around 22 hectares, of which 9 hectares are vineyards. After careful further development, Eberhard Graf Toggenburg now produces a total of five Tuscan wines there in the heart of the Chianti region. Each one carries a piece of family history into the world and honors the strong personalities behind it. Read the interview to find out what characterizes the winery and its idea – and, of course, why you should definitely try the wines.
Count Toggenburg and Poggio Rozzi: respectful treatment of nature
In 2004, Count Eberhard Toggenburg from South Tyrol acquired the Poggio Rozzi wine estate in Tuscany out of love and enthusiasm for this wonderful land. His father, Count Ulrich, runs the estate in South Tyrol and Count Eberhard runs the Poggio Rozzi winery. Both estates follow the sustainable family philosophy. Count Eberhard has always been convinced that the work on the land and soil underlies everything and cannot be valued highly enough. The philosophy: a respectful approach to nature. The estate has been carefully renovated step by step, with great emphasis placed on preserving the culture and tradition of the Chianti region.
Sangiovese plays the leading role for the Toggenburg winery. This grape finds the best conditions in the Chianti region to produce excellent wines with strength and identity. This grape variety is cultivated on around 22 hectares of vineyards, picturesquely surrounded by olive groves, forests, hedges and meadows. A picture-book setting for picture-book wines? A rich ecosystem, a good microclimate and particularly rich soils help here.
Graf Toggenburg Interview, part 1
Exudes charming Tuscan vibes: the Poggio Rozzi winery.
How would you describe Graf Toggenburg wines in 3 words?
Traditional, forward-looking, respectful.
What makes your wine special? How would you describe your signature?
Tuscany away from the mainstream. Traditional Tuscany with a wink. Wines that are easy to drink. Uncomplicated, but not undemanding wines. The wines should have character, but be accessible, elegant, fruity and harmonious. Red wines that avoid the addition of international grape varieties such as Merlot or Cabernet in order to achieve the best possible expression of the terroir in the wines through the use of indigenous grape varieties.
What makes your growing region so special for you?
The very diverse landscape and the continuous alternation of cultivated land such as olive groves, vineyards, pastures, forests and scrubland mean that there is a high level of biodiversity. Deep, loamy-clayey soils make rich, intense wines possible and guarantee the vines a steady supply of water even in dry years. Different orientations and soil types also allow very different characteristics of the different varieties and thus a clear differentiation in the vineyard as to which grapes are suitable for which wine.
Always following your own nose: Count Eberhard Toggenburg has the right nose for quality control.
Picturesquely situated in the midst of olive groves, forests, hedges and meadows, the wines are allowed to grow.
Which wine from the winery should curious newcomers generally start with?
My clear recommendation is the Alano. It is a simple wine in the best sense of the word. A good companion for a wide variety of occasions, which you don’t have to work hard for. Fruity, fresh and juicy, it goes well with a wide variety of dishes and is also wonderful to drink on its own. It has power and structure, but is not overpowering. A good entry-level wine – the Alano clearly demonstrates our approach to wines: straightforward, elegant, full of character but not intrusive.
Imagine your wines are a music album. Which band/artist could you transfer the vibe to and why?
Two Lanes come to mind spontaneously. Their songs also have power, melody, complexity and are suitable as accompaniment to various occasions as well as being heard on their own.
Do you remember your first encounter with wine – the first emotional moment when your love affair with wine began?
It really started for me through my work at Poggio Rozzi. I had enjoyed drinking wine before and was also interested in it, but it only really hit me when I brought in the first harvest at Poggio Rozzi after a year full of new experiences, impressions and challenges. I really started from scratch and then there were the first grapes that we harvested ourselves and were allowed to process into our first wine in the cellar. That was a miracle in itself and it has always been like that for me ever since.
What do you love about your job?
There are always new challenges. No two years are the same and you have to surf each wave with a lot of feeling. Jerky, unsustainable measures throw you off course. A lot of sensitivity, openness and foresight allow us to keep learning and progressing, which means we can get through difficult years like 2023 relatively well.
The credo of Toggenburg wines: Craftsmanship that you can taste in the glass.
Graf Toggenburg “Alano”
A perfect example of a loyal everyday companion: the Alano red wine with a classy Great Dane label.
Alano is a cuvée of Sangiovese, Canaiolo and Colorino. At around 10 euros, it’s the entry point to the Tuscany-Toggenburg soundtrack, and a wine with a woof effect – and not just because of the charming Great Dane label. An animal that is known not only for its strength but also for its gentle, approachable character, which makes it a good match for the classy fruit salad. A symbol, so to speak, of a classic Tuscan red wine, a Sangiovese that impresses with its friendly and uncomplicated character. This Sangiovese Cuvee grows on the cool slopes of the Vigna della Casa, Vigna del Virginio and Vigno del Cipresso vineyards with very different orientations and on diverse soils. The grapes are harvested by hand and processed gently. Fermentation takes place with pure yeasts at a controlled temperature in steel and concrete tanks. The malolactic fermentation takes place partly during fermentation or immediately afterwards. This red wine is refined by a short ageing period of approx. 3 months in barrique and tonneau barrels.
Both the animal and the wine are characterized not only by their strength but also by their gentle, accessible character.
The first puff of the nose immediately transports you to Tuscany, a light spiciness in the distance, taut and fine red fruit, the sun is setting and the Alano is immediately present. Ultra silky, elegant, nonchalantly interwoven dark fruits. Very clean on the tongue. The acidity dances around a bit in butterfly mode, then reminds me of a juicy blackberry and redcurrant spritzer with a pinch of spices. Or in short: super drinky. It becomes juicier and more brisk with every second.
Ultra silky, elegant, nonchalantly interwoven dark fruits – the Alano immediately exudes a Tuscan mood.
In soccer you would say: clear tactics, clear signature – simply offensive forward, the pressing line pushes very high, no defending, into the penalty area and finish. No point in tipping resistance. A wine that sets the tone: A very elegant wine, not loud, rather subtle, but one that scores with details – a lot of Tuscany for the money.
Graf Toggenburg Alano, Price: 9,75 Euro, via www.toggenburg.it/shop
Graf Toggenburg “Idda”
A white wine made from Merlot? With Idda, you can discover the unknown side of a well-known grape variety.
This wine is a sign that you should listen to your gut feeling – and that a little patience pays off. Count Eberhard Toggenburg almost abandoned Merlot or gave up on the variety when he started his wine journey in Poggio Rozzi. But then he discovered the white side of the red variety and dedicated this white wine to a special woman, his ancestor, St. Idda von Toggenburg. A wine that the winery itself describes as unconventional – and wines with rough edges always make me curious. There’s more to discover than in soft, mass-produced wines. I had never heard of a white Merlot before this tasting adventure, and discovering the unknown side of a well-known grape variety is one of those experiences that make up the wine adventure for me.
Idda grows on an east-facing slope, the Vigna del Virginio, as a red Merlot. The soil is mainly clayey-loamy with individual, stony deposits. In combination with the less sun-exposed location, this Tuscan white wine has fresh, fruity notes. But how does this red wine switch to the white dress code? The grapes are carefully harvested by hand, immediately cooled and gently pressed. This produces an almost colorless must from the red Merlot grapes, which ferments slowly in steel tanks at a controlled temperature.
Unconventional, but exciting for precisely that reason: Idda is an elegant, fine glass journey.
Graf Toggenburg Idda: A melting white wine with character, balanced minerality and spice.
What does it taste like? First of all, like a small, yeasty, banana-flavored swarm of butterflies waking up from the morning dew. A very cool aroma, lightly flapping wings from the yellow fruit basket. A bit like peach ice cream from the fridge – unusual, but that’s exactly what makes you curious about the first and next sip.
The first tongue-date is very light and elegant, but already juicy. The almost shy smell is deceptive – a creamy white wine flirts with a good pull in the glass. Idda has character, depth, a slight spiciness and makes me melt away when I pour it into my glass, because it doesn’t fit into any familiar category. Yes, you have to get involved, but I personally want more after every sip of this yellow-fruity, icy, melted fruit salad parfait, with which you can already see yourself right by the pool of the winery. Reminiscent of a fine Chardonnay, really gallant, and for the price a more than fairly priced glass adventure made in Italy.
Graf Toggenburg Idda, Price: 13,50 Euro, via www.toggenburg.it/shop
Graf Toggenburg Interview, Teil 2
Wine magic: The exceptional red wine Eccellenza tastes truly mesmerizing.
What makes a red wine so fascinating?
What makes red wine so fascinating is that there is no such thing as THE red wine. Even wines made from the same region and the same grapes always bear the signature of the vineyard in which they were grown and the people who carefully accompanied them in their transformation into wine. In the end, it is a product that is 90% pure passion and only 10% an alcoholic beverage.
How do I approach the Eccellenza? How do I enjoy the wine properly?
Eccellenza is the ideal wine to round off a successful day. It is best enjoyed on its own after a nice meal. The Italian expression “vino da meditazione” sums it up perfectly. Ideally, the bottle should be opened 2 hours beforehand. If you plan to finish the bottle the same evening, you can also use a decanter. Otherwise, Eccellenza can also be enjoyed over several evenings. It opens up new worlds of taste with every taste. On the nose we have: Cherries, blackberries, dates, prunes, figs. Dark chocolate, cocoa, caramel, sage, valerian. On the palate: subtle sweetness, plum, caramel, chocolate, present tannins, fine tannins, fresh acidity. This is one of the things that keeps the Eccellenza fresh and not too pasty despite its complexity and concentration. We achieve this balance through the unique combination of Sangiovese, Canaiolo and Sagrantino grapes, which we dry for 1-2 months.
Which of your wines would go well with a father-son evening?
Ulrico. From the name and its history alone. I dedicated the wine to my father Ulrich Toggenburg. An elegant, harmonious, single-varietal Sangiovese that offers the typical Sangiovese virtues but without exaggerated rough edges.
And which one for a romantic dinner?
Idda for the aperitif, Ulrico for the main course and a glass of Eccellenza to round it off. What could possibly go wrong…
One of my favorite red wines: the Luogotenente.
Graf Toggenburg “Ulrico”
Tuscany wine that reflects on tradition but dares to look to the modern age: the Ulrico red wine from Graf Toggenburg.
In 2004, Ulrich Count Toggenburg, father of Count Eberhard, discovered and acquired the Poggio Rozzi vineyard. The pure Sangiovese Ulrico is a tribute to him and the awareness of maintaining the family tradition, but never closing oneself off to the future and new challenges. Here, too, to start with: for around 18 euros, you are uncorking a finely crafted pleasure vacation in Tuscany that is more than worth the price.
The grapes for the Ulrico come from the higher vineyards of the estate. The Vigna del Poggino and the higher parts of the Vigna della Casa and the Vigna del Cimitero produce varied and rich grapes on sometimes very different soils. These grapes are harvested by hand and then processed extremely gently. Fermentation takes place at a controlled temperature in steel or concrete tanks. The malolactic fermentation takes place partly during fermentation or immediately afterwards. The Chianti DOCG is refined by ageing for at least 8 months in tonneau barrels. After bottling, the wine also matures for at least one year in the bottle.
The label with character also keeps its promises inside.
Ulrico – a red wine with a lot of character that wants to be discovered, but at the same time comes across as lively and easy-going.
The first breath of Ulrico immediately transports me to a pool, the hilly Tuscan landscape builds up in front of me, the sun tickles my forehead and an elegant red sports car with a box of dark fruit in the passenger seat cruises past me, a small mist of spice shaker coming from the exhaust. The aroma: balanced, fine, clear structure, inviting. Then the first sip – and you are pressed into the imaginary driver’s seat. Wow. Like fine cherry, redcurrant and blackberry juice, juicy with a tang, but very cool and elegant, reminding me of the gently sloshing water in a pool with rays of sunshine shining on it. You want to dive deeper and deeper into this red seduction.
In the second sip, the glass journey becomes broader, deeper, more comprehensive, thaws, reveals more. Slightly jammy on the palate, spice also wants to join the dance floor, vanilla, strawberry, raspberry jump around the DJ booth – puts you in a good mood without being too heavy. In short: a red wine with a lot of character that wants to be discovered, but at the same time comes across as lively and easy-going. A wine without airs and graces that doesn’t shout loudly, but delivers first, and counters with a quick wit.
Graf Toggenburg Ulrico, Price: 17,90 Euro, via www.toggenburg.it/shop
Graf Toggenburg “Luogotenente”
Perfectly patterned on all levels: the Luogotenente from Graf Toggenburg is a red wine infatuation that lingers in the memory.
For this red wine, Count von Toggenburg has brought the spice shaker into the cellar with courage and called the Trentino Teroldego into the recall for the Fogliatonda and Sangiovese grape variety duet. Sounds like a catchy tune? It is. The love for autochthonous varieties is paying off. The grapes for this wine insider tip come from the three vineyards Vigna del Cimitero, Vigna del Poggio and Vigna del Poggino. All three are hillside vineyards with a predominantly clayey-loamy soil, with a small proportion of stones in places. In other words: very rich soils that form a perfect basis for full-bodied, round wines. The maceration time is approx. 14 days. The malolactic fermentation occurs partly during fermentation or immediately afterwards. The magic number for ageing is six: after six months in wooden barrels, the wine is aged for a further six months in steel tanks to harmonize it and then bottled for a further six months – perfect for wine lovers who don’t want to be completely overwhelmed by the melancholy of red wines.
The grapes for this wine insider tip come from the three vineyards Vigna del Cimitero, Vigna del Poggio and Vigna del Poggino.
Graf Toggenburg Luogotenente is a flowing, smooth red wine with a fine spiciness that constantly accompanies you on your journey like a gentle catchy tune.
“Luogotenente” stands for an imperial and royal governor, as Georg Otto Ritter von Toggenburg, the great-great-grandfather of Eberhard Graf Toggenburg, interpreted it with character and vision 170 years ago. According to the winemaker, the wine is supposed to embody restrained elegance, and that’s exactly what I can subscribe to. As I drink it, I can picture myself cruising through Tuscany in a Maserati. Typically discreet, all-black look for the car and outfit, everything elegantly adjusted, the power where it’s needed, the soundtrack of the dark berry band on the playlist. This red wine is just as flowing and smooth, with a fine spiciness that constantly accompanies you on your journey like a gentle catchy tune. The most striking feature, however, is the beautiful acidity, which clings to the back of the molar and animates every turn, making you want to take the next sip – no matter what comes next, the main thing is that a second bottle is waiting behind the next fork in the road, even if it comes at a price, of course. But if you give the Luogotenente enough time to breathe, you will discover another facet of the red wine’s character with every sip. Always elegant, always gallant, always charming. Craftsmanship can have its price.
Graf Toggenburg Luogotenente, Price: 27,50 Euro, via www.toggenburg.it/shop
Graf Toggenburg “Eccellenza”
Dress code: pure elegance. After around a month of drying in small crates, the grapes for the Eccellenza are hand-picked once again and then sent to the cellar for vinification.
The Count Toggenburg Eccellenza wine is the winery’s signature or exceptional wine and is dedicated to Count Friedrich Toggenburg, the governor of Tyrol and Vorarlberg and the last interior minister of the Danube monarchy at the end of the 19th century, who was usually addressed as “Your Excellency”. I can confirm that this grape soundtrack of Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Colorino, Sagrantino and Fogliatonda is also extremely excellent in terms of craftsmanship.
The autochthonous Tuscan grapes for the Eccellenza grow to a large extent in the Vigna del Poggino and the Vigna del Sasso. The former sits at the top of the hill at 330 meters above sea level and has a very rich, clayey and loamy soil. The latter is a steeper site with loose soil and a high proportion of rounded stones from fluvial deposits. Only the best grapes are used for the Eccellenza, which are left to dry for a month in small boxes in a protected room. During this time, the berries naturally release water and thus concentrate all their ingredients. Once they have reached the right degree of dryness, all the grapes are sorted again by hand and crushed. Fermentation then takes place slowly in concrete tanks with correspondingly long maceration. The wine is then aged on the fine lees for at least one year in barrique and tonneau barrels. One third of the wooden barrels are always new. The Eccellenza is then bottled and rests in the bottle for another year to round off.
For all its complexity, the Graf Toggenburg Eccellenza retains a magical, captivating lightness.
If you want to enjoy and discover the Eccellenza, there’s one thing you shouldn’t have: Time pressure. This is not a red wine for a quick snack. And yes: at around 45 euros, this is also a budget that beginners need to save up for. However, I would only recommend this wine if you have already uncorked a certain amount of basic curiosity on your own wine journey. And before embarking on a glass adventure, the Eccellenza should do what I did as an excited student before a presentation: take a deep breath. With this Tuscan tango, it really is like this: the more air the red wine gets, the more it opens up its character. And at the very end, when all the flavors are together, you feel like you’re floating through a red Tuscan red wine kaleidoscope intermediate world to the soundtrack “Running up that hill” in Stranger Things. But let’s start from the beginning.
Sample wine adventure: The cuvée of Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Colorino, Sagrantino and Fogliatonda tastes like a gripping series that makes you forget everything around you.
The first nose sails through an elegant, shimmering sea of pepper, fine spice, tobacco, blueberries and blackberries. Very deep, literally enveloping. The first sip lies on the tongue like an elegant blanket, smooth but with power. Spice unfolds, dark, dense but filigree jam glides down the palate walls, silky but with structure like a woven fabric.
Then a slightly smoky blackcurrant taps out at the back. The more air the Eccellenza inhales, the more it reminds me of light whisky. In the best sense. Vanilla, woody notes, balsamic vinegar, dried tomatoes. Every sip is like a movie whose plot draws me in with increasing suspense, because you want to know how mysterious events will be resolved. You let yourself fall into this dark, fruity bed of grapes. Impressive: the finish. It has a blackcurrant juiciness with spice on the leash that makes you long for the next one. And really lingers in the mouth for a long time. A wine for collecting moments and sharing memories that retains a certain lightness despite its complexity. Great red wine cinema!
Graf Toggenburg Eccellenza, Price: 44,50 Euro, via www.toggenburg.it/shop
Poggio Rozzi Winery holiday with pool
The highlight of this winery: the long-distance trip to Italy by the glass is just the beginning. Once you’ve acquired a taste for wine, you can deepen your wine flirtation at close quarters – because the Poggio Rozzi estate also has three guest apartments. Including a spacious garden and outdoor pool. Just imagining a cool glass of Idda with your feet in the water is enough to make you dream of Tuscany. And Eberhard Graf Toggenburg also told me what such a stay might look like.
In conclusion: If I were to spend a vacation at your estate – what would such a stay look like?
When you drive down the driveway to Poggio Rozzi, it’s always a bit like leaving the world behind. It’s a sheltered, special place with a wonderful sense of tranquillity that is ideally located for sightseeing activities in the heart of Tuscany. If guests wish, I can show them around my winery and explain how we work and how our wine characters come about. The kitchens in the apartments are fully equipped and each apartment has a kettle barbecue. I also invite my guests to a Tuscan barbecue evening on selected occasions, where my wines are served with a traditional Tuscan menu, the crowning glory of which is a Bistecca alla Fiorentina. There’s plenty of opportunity for pleasant conversation over dinner: whether it’s insider tips or background information on the wines, I’m there for the whole evening and look forward to an interesting exchange.
This is how to immerse yourself in Tuscany in style: With a dip in the charming pool, which you can use as a guest at the Poggio Rozzi accommodation.
Graf Toggenburg wines: Conclusion
If you want to go on an exciting Tuscan adventure in a glass of wine, the Graf Toggenburg winery is the right place for you. Because even beginners can taste their way up step by step. From the drinky all-rounder under 10 euros, the Alano, to the advanced festival of the Eccellenza. All the wines are fundamentally different characters, but all have a recognizable signature that runs through them. Craftsmanship comes first. No perfume wines, no airs and graces, no puffery. Motto: deliver first, show the inner values first, score points with details and character.
*Tasting samples, the article was created with the wine-discoverer-friendly support of the Graf Toggenburg winery
