Tosi is a small hamlet in the municipality of Reggello, in Tuscany, about thirty kilometers from Florence. In the Vallombrosa Forest Nature Reserve, imposing trees stand tall, and there is one in particular that has been named the tallest in Italy. In this fairy-tale place, just like a storybook, begins the adventure of Gioele Pietro Ciotola, which will lead him to create a craft distillery and an award-winning gin among the best in Tuscany.
Already an AIS sommelier and mixologist bartender capable of creating and moderating flavors, Gioele takes us back to a moment that changed many lives. And for many, it was a turning point. Just like it was for him. He tells me that it all started during the Covid era, when the world was paralyzed and time seemed to stand still, crystallized. The long walks in his homeland inspired him to dedicate himself to his project, which involves the manual cultivation of the botanicals from this magnificent corner of Tuscany and the thought of turning them into a spirit. Thanks to all this, he was able to turn what had always been a rough dream into reality.
Bold and determined, Gioele begins first with the renovation of an ancient house that will become the hub of his spirit production.
The biggest step will be purchasing a 50-liter copper still that I will nickname "Dante." I am mesmerized by Gioele, who seems like a character pulled from a painting by the Macchiaioli: everything he does has a deep connection to these places. The endemic botanicals, he explains, are not just a list of ingredients but the identity card of his creations, along with the pure water from springs that flow in these woods. Products that will allow everyone to experience these places with all their senses.
The first step Gioele takes to enter the market is the certified organic London Dry Gin Selvapura: its botanicals include juniper, strictly fresh rosemary, olive leaves, bay leaves, Florentine iris root, lemon verbena, and lavender flowers. Aromas and fragrances that transport you back to these places and tie you to them, not only because of the etymology of the name. It doesn’t take long before the first success arrives.
Selvapura Gin is awarded as one of the best 10 in Tuscany by the specialized magazine "Eccellenza di Toscana" of the Italian Sommelier Association.
Since then, Gioele has traveled a long way, and the product catalog has significantly expanded. Two grappa varieties have also arrived: one white, which recalls a blend of black grapes rich in aromas and very floral; a second with the same blend, but with a substantial difference represented by the aging in Tuscan acacia barrels. Again, the Tuscan countryside with its oaks and acacias, in search of a flavor that is truly unique, as well as being inextricably linked to the territory.
Today in Selvapura, they have started to distill a vodka made from one hundred percent endemic grain, which will undergo two passes in the facility and will be housed in terracotta amphorae from nearby Impruneta - where the craftsmanship dates back to the Middle Ages - providing an unmatched minerality and flavor. The range is further expanded with a herbal liqueur based on fresh mentha, artemisia, lemon verbena, gentian root, wild rose hips, and wild fig leaves. Complementing the company philosophy, which now opens up to free visits in a tasting and introduction path to the production of spirits, is a dedication to organic practices and completely plastic-free packaging, along with extreme care for the beautiful labels made from natural cotton.
Sometimes it is easier to escape from pleasant places, but this story makes us understand that elsewhere Gioele knew how to capture it in the truest sense of the word. At his home.
