For many years, the unsuspected presence of the tempranillo grape in San Miniato was signalled only by theletter X, eloquent testimony to the then-unknown history of the grape.
The name of the wine derives from the Tuscan pronunciation of the letter x, ixe.
This wine is sourced from all of the new vineyards of tempranillo planted from 1997 up to the present, using, as always, massal selections we carry out ourselves from buds taken from the historical vineyard; it also contains a small percentage of sangiovese.
The extraordinary adaptation of these vines to our local conditions has certainly made my task easier for this wine, and their generous character and the concentration of their fruit have allowed me to achieve that balance, spontaneity, and genuineness that I always want in any of my second wines.
My vineyard practices and the very health of the vineyardsresult here in a melding together of fragrances of lands both close and distant, and of fruit both nearby and far away, which leads to the conviction that this is a wine reflective only of this corner of Tuscany and with no similarities to other wines.
Among all my wines, it is grown with the most simple and natural vineyard practices, and what happens in the cellar is a natural reflection of this fact. Fermentation is in linedcement vats, carried out with just ambient yeasts, followed by a three-week maceration on the skins, with malolactic occurring right afterwards, also in cement vats.  
IXE matures in wood for 14-15 months, in the same French and American oak barrels that were utilised the previous year to mature its older brother, Vigna alle Nicchie. After bottling, it will age further, until its second birthday.
ALCOHOL: 15.5% by vol.
BOTTLES PRODUCED: 3500
BLEND: Tempranillo 100%
GROWING AREA: San Miniato, Tuscany
SURFACE AREA: 1.5 hectares
AGE OF VINES: Centuries Old Vines
TRAINING SYSTEM: Spurred Cordon
HARVEST PERIOD: First ten days in September.
SOILS PROFILE: Base of sandstone, with considerable intrusion of marine fossil formations, well integrated with abundant clay.
ALTITUDE: 100-150 mt. a.s.l..
VINEYARD DENSITY: 4000 vines per hectare.
YELD PER VINE : 1.2 kg grapes. We practice the Drying Of grapes for 4 weeks and we obtain a total yeld of 70%VINIFICATION: In temperature- controlled glass-lined cement vats, with six weeks’ maceration on the skins.
MATURATION: 24 months in new French barriques
AGEING: 24 months in glass
RECOMMENDATIONS: Store the bottle on its side at 20°C or less. Avoid full light. Uncork at least an hour before serving
SERVING SUGGESTIONS: sweet and sour braised or overdone meat, game, preparations with chocolate.
SENSORY PROFILE:
Colour: Purple with violet highlights typical of this variety, bright but deep and not completely brilliant because of the density obtained with the drying of grapes
Nose: flowers and fruits at the same time in perfect fusion around the fifth year of age with tertiary perfumes deriving from ageing: liquorice, coffee, cocoa, leather, and cream notes
Palate: creamy, supple, really well drinkable for the presence of silky and elegant tannins. Sweet tannins only at the sixth or seventh year Long but not intrusive finish.