Here are three fine examples of Chianti Classico wine from Italy's Tuscany region. They were tasted and talked about during a recent virtual masterclass staged by wine guide Gambero Rosso International.
Badia A Coltibuono Chianti Classico DOCG 2018
Badia A Coltibuono has been making wine since 1051, which is a long time to be open for business. It makes waiting a year for a wine to age seem like not such an inconvenience. The 970 years since the building housed a monastery have crawled by like snails in the morning dew.
This 2018 Chianti Classico is mainly Sangiovese, with a small amount of other supporting grapes in the blend. Roberto Stucchi Prinetti says that he feels "Sangiovese needs a gentle hand" in the cellar, and he feels the nature of the grape is better displayed with lightly colored wines, which look more elegant. This wine was aged 12 months in French and Austrian oak casks. Alcohol sits at 13.5% abv.
This Chianti Classico is rather lightly tinted for a red wine, and if I had tasted it blind I might have been tempted to guess it was a rosé. The nose has a basketful of fresh cherries in it, with a floral angle and just a hint of mocha and tobacco. The sip reveals more luscious red fruit, leaning just off center into tartness, assisted by a bit of limestone chalkiness. It sneaks along a little lighter than I expect a Sangiovese to sneak, and ends up making me think of the elegance of Pinot Noir crossed with the rusticity of warm-climate Syrah. The acidity is fresh and the tannins firm. Pair it with your favorite Tuscan dish.
Ricasoli Colledilà Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2017
The Ricasoli winery has been guided since 1993 by Baron Francesco Ricasoli, who says he always keeps an eye on the ways of founder Baron Bettino Ricasoli, known as The Iron Baron. He was a Prime Minister of the newly unified Italy in the 19th century. For some 600 years the Ricasoli nobles defended Florence at Brolio Castle. Times are a little easier now, so winemaking takes its proper place among priorities.
The 2017 Ricasoli Colledilà Chianti Classico Gran Selezione was made from Sangiovese grapes which were grown in the rocky, limestone rich soil of the Colledilà vineyard. Fermentation happened in open steel tanks before the wine was aged for 18 months in 500-litre Tonneaux, 30% of which were made from new wood while the rest were second-use. Alcohol tips 14% and its average price is reported to be nearly $75.
The wine is colored a medium-dark ruby red and features a rich nose of black cherry, cedar, mocha, vanilla and tobacco. The palate is hefty and dark - beefier than the Badia A Coltibuono - with flavors of cherry and currant joined by a dollop of licorice and some savory oak notes. The tannins are fine and the acidity is refreshing. There is a lingering sense of savory cherry on the lengthy finish. I paired this wine with a roasted tomato and parmesan focaccia bread, although it probably would have been better suited to accompany the marinara meatballs I had for lunch.
Tenuta di Arceno Chianti Classico Riserva 2017
Tenuta di Arceno is located near the medieval village of San Gusme in what was the heart of the Etruscan civilization. Grapes have been turned into wine here since the 16th century. In the 1990s, Jess Jackson bought the property, which had changed hands only a few times in a millenium. It was the first non-California property purchased by the late vintner.
The estate runs from an elevation of a thousand feet to more than 1,700. Most of the vineyards face the southwest, making for a warm climate in which the grapes can ripen. Founding winemaker Pierre Seillan and American-born resident winemaker Lawrence Cronin have worked together at the estate for nearly two decades
The winery produces three Sangiovese wines under the Chianti Classico DOCG heading and three others under IGT Toscana, made from international grape varieties. The 2017 Tenuta di Arceno Chianti Classico Riserva is composed of 90% Sangiovese grapes and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine aged for two years total, ten of those months in French oak barrels. It has an alcohol level of 14.5% abv and retails for $30.
This wine has a medium-dark garnet hue and offers a nose of black cherry, anise, vanilla and cedar. On the palate, we find red fruit, a bit of tart cherry and savory notes from the ten months of oak aging. The tannins are a little toothy, but will do a nice job on a steak.
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