Grape blend: Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Canaiolo
Aged: 24 months in Barriques and oak casks containing 25 hl, and 3 months in the bottle
Alcohol content: 14.5% vol
Acidity: 5.3 g/l
Residual sugars: 0.52 g/l
A veteran among the noble wines of its territory, a Riserva that exalts the typical – and “ancient” – aromas of Chianti from a very unusual season, 2019, that didn’t get off to a good start. The coldest and rainiest May of the decade caused all the grapes to ripen late. The unusually rainy spring allowed the grapevines to accumulate enough water to cope with the hot summer weather. The bunches picked were plump and juicy, with an excellent balance between polyphenols and potential alcohol content. For the first year of ageing the Sangiovese and Canaiolo were entrusted to 25 hl casks of Slavonian oak, and the Cabernet to used barriques to encourage greater oxygenation. After 12 months they were blended and began a new period of ageing together… another year, during which the wine fully developed its bouquet and became more harmonious and softer.
Tasting – Colour: dark ruby red with a garnet rim, the copious “legs” form arches around the glass. The nose: aromas of ripe red fruit – blackberries and plums – accompanied by significant spiciness, with balsamic notes and a hint of wood. In the mouth: tannic like a Sangiovese, soft like a Riserva,
with a potent, but not invasive, alcohol content.
Wine and Food Pairing – Rustic and noble, it complements dishes that are worthy of it, robust, succulent recipes (pappardelle with porcini mushrooms or wild boar ragu, Strozzapreti emmer pasta with chestnuts and mushrooms, steak, jugged hare, pigs’ liver “fegatelli” and, let ’s not forget, cold cuts and mature cheeses…). Also to sip, and sip again, on its own, possibly while reading a good book or chatting with a friend.
Awards – Best of Show Chianti and Gold Medal for the 2019 vintage at the Mundus Vini Summer Tasting 2023, Neustadt, Germany – Gold Medal for the 2019 vintage at the Concours International de Lyon 2023, Lyon, France.