Grape blend: Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon
Aged: 36 months in oak casks and 12 months in the bottle
Alcohol content: 14.5% vol
Acidity: 5.7 g/l
Residual sugars: 0.59 g/l
A red wine from grapes grown in the hills just outside Siena, with all the right credentials to give the Fattoria a superb Chianti Riserva. The land at Sant’Apollinare belonged to Gianni Lo Franco, the “babbo” (= dad) of Piero, founder of La Vialla. Although the summer of 2021 was very hot, the clay-limestone soil here, which is rich in microelements, produced beautiful bunches of firm, not overly juicy, Sangiovese grapes and smaller bunches of Cabernet. They were picked by hand to select just the best ones, and vinification was done in the traditional way and without the use of sulphites. Fermentation was carried out at a temperature of around 26 °C. Maceration and malolactic fermentation took place at the same time, over a period of 24 days. The phase of ageing in wood (Slavonian oak casks containing 10, 25 and 50 hl) lasted almost three years. Then, after bottling, the wine remained in the cellar for at least another 12 months.
Tasting – Colour: intense ruby red, with garnet highlights after prolonged ageing. The nose: you literally “breathe” Chianti, from cypress trees to forest floor, from violets to a touch of wood... unmistakeable! In the mouth: soft and mellow, with tannin that is still young yet enveloping.
Wine and Food Pairing – It’s just right with succulent dishes such as a “Fiorentina”, the typical Tuscan T-bone steak, grilled sausages or beef stewed in red wine with onion and carrots.It pairs perfectly with pasta dishes such as pappardelle with wild boar sauce or lasagna with porcini mushrooms, as well as with a nice board of semi-mature cheeses... but to fully appreciate its bouquet – a friendly tip – try it on its own, with a clean palate.