Category: Chianti Classico

Day 710 A Snowstorm And A Kiss From Tuscany

3/4/2019

With the snow beginning to fall last evening I decided to light a fire and tackle a story on a few bottles of wine from Spain. But when I went to retrieve the wines, a bottle that was lying next to the Spanish wines distracted me. It was a vintage 1996 Super Tuscan and it was begging to be opened on this cold and snowy evening.

For those of you who may not be familiar with Antinori, let me give you a quick introduction to this Tuscan family who began making wine in 1385 and spans 26 generations! It started with Giovanni di Piero Antinori who in 1385 became a member of the Florentine Winemaker’s Guild. Since that time tradition and passion for winemaking have been passed on from generation to generation.

Today, Albiera Antinori is president of Marchesi Antinori along with the support of her sisters, Allegra and Alessia. Their father Marchesi Piero Antinori is the current Honorary President of the company.

Antinori family Photo credit: Antinori

Antinori has 8 estates located throughout Tuscany and Umbria. And the one that I am focusing on today is Tenuta Tignanello estate located in the heart of Chianti Classico. It is comprised of 319 hectares of which 127 are dedicated to vines. The estate is divided into smaller parcels with 2 of its finest vineyards being Tignanello and Solaia. Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc are among the grape varieties grown here at an altitude of 1148 to 1312 feet above sea level. The dramatic diurnal temperature variation and soil that is rich in calcareous rock and marl all contribute to the concentration and uniqueness of this wine.

Tenuta Tignanello Photo credit: Antinori

Tignanello is considered the original Super Tuscan, being the first Sangiovese red wine to be blended with untraditional grapes such as Cabernet. It also has the distinction of being the first Sangiovese to be aged in barriques and is one of the first red wines in the Chianti Classico region to not use white grapes.

Antinori Tignanello Toscana IGT 1996 is a single vineyard blend of 80% Sangiovese and 20% Cabernet grapes. As stated on the bottle, “The wine is matured for about 14 months in oak casks followed by a further 12 months in the bottle prior to release. The wine is unfiltered." I had no idea what to expect, but the moment I began pouring the wine into my glass, an array of aromas wafted towards me making me giddy with excitement! The color was garnet with muted brick around the rim. Aromas of red berries, dried fruit, cherry, plum and hints of must greeted me. My first sip told me that this 1996 vintage still has it going on! I allowed the wine to open for about 15 minutes and then immersed myself in this expressive wine. The palate offered dark berries, cherry, plum, anise and hints of preserved fruit with a smooth and jammy finish. Yes, the wine is softer and a bit muted, but after 23 years it is truly impressive! I think it’s time to start opening more of these hidden gems in my cellar.
Alcohol: 13%

As soon as I come back down to earth from this wonderful wine treat, I’ll be back with some very interesting Spanish wines.

Until next time…

Cheers!
Penina

To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com

Day 693 Sipping Barone Ricasoli

12/13/2018

As you might recall from a previous story, several months ago I received an assortment of wines that were leftover from our restaurant days in NYC. Every now and then I open one as a treat for my palate. Since getting a Coravin system, it has made it a lot easier for me to taste these vintage wines without sacrificing the whole bottle. One of the wines from my “stash” is a 2000 Barone Ricasoli Rocca Guicciarda Chianti Classico Riserva.

With the recent arrival of two sample wines of Barone Ricasoli, I was motivated to taste the 2000 vintage as well.

Barone Ricasoli is located in the Brolio territory of Chianti Classico.

The Ricasoli cellars are at the foot of the historic Brolio Castle. The castle became the property of the Ricasoli family in 1141 and it is where all the wine production takes place. It was in this castle in 1872 that Baron Bettino Ricasoli originated the formula for Chianti wine, now called Chianti Classico. They are the oldest winery in Italy and the fourth oldest family business in the world.

Photo credit: TripAdviser

The Ricasoli family was among the first to devote themselves to the development and improvement of agriculture and vineyards. The family tree document of 1584 shows one of the first images of the Chianti area. In 1993 Baron Francesco Ricasoli, the great-grandson of Bettino became the owner and president of Ricasoli. He completely renovated the vineyards making them sustainable. And, he continually studies the soil types and clonal selection of Brolio Sangiovese which is one of his biggest passions.

Baron Francesco Ricasoli Photo credit: Barone Ricasoli

Ricasoli is comprised of 1,200 hectares of land of which 240 hectares are wine vineyards and 26 hectares are olive groves.

Photo credit: Barone Ricasoli

Castello Brolio 2013 Chianti Classico DOCG Gran Selezione is a blend of 90% Sangiovese, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot. The grapes are selected from the estate’s best vineyards in Gaiole and the wine is only produced in the best years. The wine was aged for 21 months in French oak barriques and 20% new tonneaux. The color is deep ruby with aromas of dark cherry, dark plum, spice, toasted oak and a touch of floral. The palate is layered with blackberries, dark plum, licorice, dark chocolate, vanilla and hints of earth. This is a full-bodied, rich and balanced wine with a long and persistent finish.
Alcohol: 13.5%
SRP: $70

COLLEDILÀ 2015 Chianti Classico DOCG Gran Selezione is
100% Sangiovese. Colledilà is considered one of the most representative wines of the terroir of Brolio. The grapes are selected from the estate Chianti Classico. The wine was aged for 18 months in 30% new tonneaux. The color is ruby with a beautiful bouquet of red berries, sweet spice and violets. The palate is lush with dark fruit, sour cherry, plum, licorice and cedar.
This is an elegant wine with a velvety mouth-feel and soft tannins. It is perfectly balanced with a long and jammy finish.
Alcohol: 14%
SRP: $70

Rocca Guicciarda 2000 Chianti Classico DOCG Riserva At one time Rocca Guicciarda was the most important estate of Barone Ricasoli. Today, it is the name of the estate’s Chianti Classico Riserva. This wine is made from 100% Sangiovese. The 2000 vintage aged for 20 months in part barriques and part tonneaux. I used my Coravin to extract a glass of wine.

The color is garnet and still has some good aromas of dark fruit, plum, dried fruit, sweet spice and earth. The palate is savory with sour cherry, fig, leather and hints of pepper. It is still very drinkable but less definable. It has a nice balance between acidity and tannins. I will definitely re-visit this wine over the holidays.
Alcohol: 13.5%

If you like wines from Chianti Classico or even if you’re not familiar with them, put Barone Ricasoli on your shopping list and enjoy a glass!

Until next time…

Cheers!
Penina

To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com

Day 668 A Thirst for Chianti Classico

8/25/2018

All it took was a 15-degree drop in temperature and a cool breeze for me to start thinking about making a batch of soup and pumpkin muffins. The temporary change in weather also motivated me to open a bottle of red wine. Having tasted a lot of lightweight wines the past few months, I was “jonesing” for some Chianti.

Chianti Classico appellation is located in Tuscany, Italy situated between Florence and Siena and is the most esteemed and ancient area in the Chianti winemaking zone.

Chianti Classico is a small wine region that produces DOCG wines with very specific rules. The blend must be at least 80% Sangiovese grapes. Chianti Classico Riserva is made with the best Sangiovese grapes and requires a minimum of 24 months maturation, including 3 months of bottle aging.

Every bottle of Chianti Classico has a pink label with the Black Rooster seal, authenticating the wine. The label is a symbol of the Chianti Classico Wine Consortium. The bottle must also bear the DOCG label (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita), which under Italian wine law is the highest designation of quality among Italian wines.

Tomaiolo Chianti Classico Riserva 2012 DOCG is a blend of 90%
Sangiovese and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine is aged in oak casks for 24 months and one year in the bottle. The color is deep ruby with aromas of cherry, blackberries, spice, violet and oak. The palate offers dark cherry, dark fruit, cranberry, toast and a long finish of cherry and cocoa. This is a full-bodied, dry wine with soft tannins. Pair with grilled meats, pasta and red sauce, and seared tuna.
SRP: $12.99
Alcohol: 13%

I never did make the soup or pumpkin muffins, but there’s always next week!

Until next time…

Cheers!
Penina

To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com

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Day 710 A Snowstorm And A Kiss From Tuscany

Day 693 Sipping Barone Ricasoli

Day 668 A Thirst for Chianti Classico

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