(STAR2) - Fashion and wine go hand in hand in the world of opulence, so how does flamboyant Italian fashion designer Roberto Cavalli ensure that he never runs out of excellent vino? He gets his oldest son Tommaso to make them.

In 2000, Tommaso founded the Tenuta Degli Dei wine business at their family estate located in the lovely village of Panzano in Chianti. This gorgeous Italian village is easily reachable from Florence and Siena. The estate spreads over an area of 70 hectares of forests, olive groves, meadows, paddocks and three-and-a-half hectares of vineyard.

They also own another three-and-a-half hectares of vineyard on the grounds of Roberto’s Florentine villa located in the hills just south of Florence.

Both vineyards grow closely-spaced rows of French origin Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Alicante.

Panzano’s vineyard were planted following a careful analysis of the terrains. The grapes grow in the sunniest, highest areas of the estate, at elevations ranging from 400 to 450 metres above sea level.

The vineyards in Panzano faces entirely south, and grapes are planted on fairly firm soils that are rich in Galestro, a local rock type, with good drainage. Panzano’s terrain is perfect for producing well-structured wines of great depth, with considerable intensity and character.

The vineyard in Florence is situated just a few metres above sea level and enjoys less humidity and higher temperatures both day and night. This is the source for healthier, sturdier plants with grapes maturing ealier than in Chianti.

Florence’s soil, with its high clay content, produces grapes rich in tannins and polyphenols, and yields deeply coloured, full bodied wines.

“The vines selected therefore have two different platforms, perfectly complementary from an enological standpoint, that contribute their unique qualities to the wine,” said Tenuta Degli Dei marketing and sales manager Francesco Bargellini. He was in Petaling Jaya last month to celebrate the introduction of Tenuta Degli Dei wines in Malaysia.

The harvesting period extends from the end of August to the beginning of October, considering that the five varietals ripen at different times and the Florentine harvest comes about two weeks ahead of Panzano’s.

Harvest is done manually, said Bargellini. The bunches of grapes, selected on the vine one by one and handpicked are taken to the winery.

The grapes produced in Florence are transported to the winery in Panzano in refrigerated vans to keep their temperature constant and to avoid trigerring spontaneous fermentation process thus preserving their quality and characteristics.

After hand-picking, the grapes are placed on two vibrating surfaces where two selection stages are carried out, one for the clusters and one for the berries. In the first, imperfect bunches are removed and in the second, all traces of leaves and stems are eliminated.

“We wish to make maximum use of grapes by selecting the best ones, with respect for tradition and an eye to the future,” said Bargellini.

Tenuta Degli Dei’s wine cellar located within the Pieve of San Leolino covers two floors. The fermentation room is on the upper floor, and the area below houses the French oak barrels in which the wine’s maturation process is completed.

At Tenuta Degli Dei, Tommaso works closely with its chief winemaker Carlo Ferrini who in 2000 was given the Winemaker Of The Year award by the Italian Association of Sommeliers.

Tommaso and Roberto have found a way to combine the family’s gift for creativity and passion for wine. Every year, the label of Cavalli Tenuta Degli Dei wine shows one of the fashion house’s famous prints, and this is their way of expressing special attention to product quality and making each bottle easily identifiable.