New wines, new labels and new enological direction at I Balzini

The pandemic period became an opportunity to complete the Ritorno al Futuro project begun when Diana D’Isanto assumed management in 2017. Diana had spent several years determining how to recover the estate’s original production principles through contemporary practice without disrupting its history.

The project replaced English wine names with an Italian, family-centred vocabulary connected to the balze that shape the vineyards while retaining label colours. Balze Rosse appeared at the beginning of 2021, followed in spring by Balze Rosa and then Balze Verdi 2020. Balze Verdi moved beyond language and design: it was the first wine made entirely by David Casini, who had succeeded Barbara Tamburini a year earlier. The 2020 vintage also formalized the estate’s longstanding organic management, with the 2021 vintage due to be the first carrying the organic indication on its labels.