Fixing Chianti Classico

Marco Ricasoli Firidolfi, Rocca di Montegrossi (Photo ©Tom Hyland)

Let's face it - Chianti Classico is one of the world's most beloved red wines. It may also be the most purchased, if you think about the availability of this wine in America, Europe and Asia. But at the same time, Chianti Classico has lost some of its luster. The wines are still well made in most cases, but it's not as easy to get consumers, sommeliers and retail wine buyers as excited about these wines as it was even just a few years ago. So to some degree, Chianti Classico needs to be fixed.

I've just returned from Florence, where I attended a special anteprima tasting for journalists from around the world; this event was aimed at previewing new releases of Chianti Classico, especially the soon-to-be released 2009s, but also Riserva bottlings from 2007 as well as new bottlings from the 2008 vintage. 

First, the wonderful news - 2009 is an excellent, perhaps even outstanding vintage for Chianti Classico. I tasted a few dozen examples and again and again, found that these wines offer excellent concentration and ripeness along with very good acidity. The wines are well-structured and are very tasty- in other words, for those looking for a special bottle of wine tonight, there are many examples of 2009 Chianti Classico that will fit the bill. For others looking to lay the wines down for a few years, there are many fine bottlings that will be at their best in 3-5 years, with a few even drinking well for as long as seven to ten years. 

So the first order of fixing Chianti Classico is to make better wines and in that regard, the producers were given a wonderful growing season in 2009 and took advantage. 

Not every wine is a classic, if you'll pardon the pun. There are some wines that offer ripeness and are very forward and while they are appealing, they too often taste like a modern wine that could come from any number of regions in Italy or even from other countries. Yet, I have to admit that even with these wines, the enologists have lightened up on the oak, so the result is that you taste the Sangiovese fruit. This is a very positive sign and I for one, am happy to report this situation.

As for the best examples of Chianti Classico normale from 2009, a few of my favorites include: the deeply concentrated Monsanto; the elegant and beautifully crafted Isole e Olena; the terroir-driven Castellare di Castellina; the deeply fruity Querciabella; the charming, varietally pure Villa Calcinaia and the marvelously crafted, sublime bottling from Rocca di Montegrossi.

Briefly, I also want to note two wines from the 2008 vintage, a year that is lighter than 2009, but one that yielded some charming wines. The two finest I tasted at this event were the Castello di Brolio and the Fontodi. The former is the top wine of the estate owned by Francesco Ricasoli, who prefers to label this wine as Chianti Classico, even though it meets the necessary regulations to be identified as a Riserva. The wine has such lovely varietal purity and length in the finish; it is a polished, delicious wine. The Fontodi is likewise delicious with velvety tannins and a wonderful sense of place. This estate, under the leadership of Giovanni Manetti is at the top of its game and is clearly one of the very best houses in Chianti Classico. This 2008 normale can age well for another 5-7 years, but it is so appealing and tasty now - bravo Signore Manetti (and also to his enologist, Franco Bernabei)!


So there will certainly be renewed excitement with these new wines on the market. But more needs to be done. While I was in Florence, I enjoyed a glass of wine with Sebastiano Capponi, proprietor of Villa Cacinaia, located in Greve in Chianti. Capponi confirmed to me that discussions are finally underway among the producers in the consorzio about putting the names of subzones (such as Panzano, Greve, Radda, et al) on the labels. The thinking here is that there needs to be more information on the label than just the words "Chianti Classico."

According to Capponi: "We have Chianti Classico that sell between 3 Euro a bottle and 30 Euro a bottle in Europe. All of them are labeled as Chianti Classico, yet the wines are very different. There needs to be a better system." (Editor's note: prices for Chianti Classico in the US as confirmed by Capponi doing a search of various websites are between $7 and $30 a bottle).

For Capponi and others, labeling the wines with a subzone will create a "quality pyramid", which will no doubt create more interest and excitement in the wines of Chianti Classico. Capponi also told me that Giovanni Manetti at Fontodi has reportedly said that if the subzones are allowed on the labels, he will once again label his top wine, Flaccianello dell Pieve, as Chianti Classico. This would certainly be a wonderful realization for Chianti Classico as a wine type, as this wine is currently labeled as an IGT Toscana Rosso, even though it could legally be identified as a Chianti Classico, given that it is 100% Sangiovese from estate vineyards. "If he decides to do it," notes Capponi, "other producers with Sangiovese-based IGT Super Tuscans might follow."

So the stars are aligning for Chianti Classico. The wines from 2009 (and some of the finest from 2008) are first-rate and should be purchased by sommeliers, retail wine buyers and consumers everywhere. If the subzone labeling can indeed become a reality, it will mean a new era of excitement for this iconic red wine.


P.S. One final note. At this event, producers were allowed to bring one Super Tuscan with them. Some producers as well as journalists who attended the tastings were against this, as this has been an event that focuses on Chianti Classico. I can understand their thoughts and respect them.

However for myself and many other journalists (as well as vintners), this was a nice opportunity to experience the latest Super Tuscans. As producers were only allowed to pour one Super Tuscan and it had to be from their own zone (in other words, they could not show a wine from the Maremma or Bolgheri), this category did not steal the show, as most producers had three of four examples of Chianti Classico to pour from various vintages (2006-2009) and various types (normale, riserva).

Now that one realizes that the subzone plan may become a reality, it made sense to see what some of these wines were about. For myself, it was certainly a nice treat to sample the 2007 Flaccianello - what a gorgeous wine! Imagine in the near future - this may be Chianti Classico again. Isn't that a nice thought?

Chianti Classico and the SuperTuscans

Recently there have been a few bloggers that have reported about the inclusion of SuperTuscans at the Chianti Classico tasting organized by the Chianti Classico Consorzio in Florence. This is an annual tasting that is held in February and plans are to include SuperTuscans along with the bottlings of Chianti Classico from the Consorzio producers.

Early information had noted the inclusion of the SuperTuscans, but then a few days later, there was a report of a vote to exclude these wines. I thought I would go to the source to learn what is really happening. I emailed Silvia Fiorentini, Marketing and Communications Manager for the Chianti Classico Consorzio, asking her what will and will not be sampled at the event. Here is her response from an email I received this morning:

"Everything remains unchanged. SuperTuscans (only one per estate and only coming from the Chianti territory) will be presented at the producers' desks."

Hopefully, this clears everything up.

It seems that some wine journalists and bloggers were upset that SuperTuscans would be included in this event, believing that Chianti Classico should not have to share the spotlight with these more hyped wines. The decision as it stands now, seems like a very good solution to what could be a problem. Only allowing one SuperTuscan per producer means that these wines will not dominate. Personally, I believe this will make for a more interesting tasting, as it will give the journalists a chance to compare and contrast.

To me, this is all about common sense; it's not about drawing a line in the sand. As regulations stand now, the difference between a Chianti Classico and a SuperTuscan can be minimal; in fact there are some SuperTuscans that could today be identified as a Chianti Classico, given the changes over the past 15 years in regulations. (Kyle Phillips recently wrote an excellent post on the meaning of SuperTuscans. Read it here and read my followup post here.)

I respect the opinions of those who argue for the purity of Chianti Classico and who are against this decision. But I am in favor of this new pronouncement, as it gives a journalist such as myself the option of trying what I want and organizing a tasting that is best suited to my needs. Trying the various wine types against each other provides an invaluable education and to me learning about Italian wines at events such as these are what makes my job so fascinating; discovering all the wines of this territory is truly an ongoing learning process.

Gems from VINO 2010

Thoughts on four exciting days in New York, including notes on dozens of excellent new Tuscan releases (red and white), some beautiful bottlings from Friuli and two offerings of Vermentino to die for!

Emilia Nardi, Tenute Silvio Nardi, Brunello di Montalcino

(Photo ©Tom Hyland)

I spent four wonderful days in New York City last week, tasting hundreds of new Italian releaaes, meeting vintners from around the country and making many new friends from all over the United States. The occasion was VINO 2010 - the second annual - which is billed as the largest Italian wine event held outside of Italy.

There were many highlights - I’ll touch upon a few in this post and go into greater detail in the next few posts during the upcoming weeks. One of the tastings was an anteprima of new releases from three famous Tuscan zones: Chianti Classico, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Brunello di Montalcino. Given the sheer number of wines available for sampling over several days, I had to focus on a few specifics, so I didn’t try as many of these wines as I could have, but I did find some excellent examples. From Chianti Classico, there was a delightful 2008 Carpineto, a wine made to be drunk and nor laid away for 5 years – how nice!

Clif and Donna Weaver, owners of Le Miccine, a small gem of an estate in Gaiole in Chianti, showed their 2007 normale and Riserva Chianti Classico bottlngs at the Friday Grand Tasting. The regular bottling had lovely red cherry fruit, subtle oak and very good acidity while the “Don Alberto” Riserva offers textbook flavors and the structure to age for 7-10 years. If you don’t already know this estate’s wines, now would be a great time to acquaint yourself with these bottlings.

I also loved the 2007 normale Chianti Classico bottlings of Badia a Coltibuono, Lilliano and Bibbiano, all made in a traditional style in large oak. In fact, I'm finding more Tuscan producers shifting toward more restrained use of oak, a welcome sign. There are many that still work with barriques, but even these producers seem to be relaxing a bit on the spice and vanilla flavors of new barrels. Let’s hope this trend of favoring fruit over wood continues in Tuscany!

It’s always exciting to try new releases of Brunello di Montalcino; this year the featured wines are the 2005 Brunello and the 2004 Brunello Riserva. 2005 is not garnering a lot of attention, given the fact that 2004 was an excellent vintage and 2006 is shaping up to be a promising year as well. However, I found the bottlings of 2005 Brunellos to be nicely balanced with very good acidity, balanced tannins and good to very good fruit persistence. Some bottlings are a bit tight as of now, while others are a bit lean, while some are soft and quite approachable. Among my favorites here were the offerings from Il Poggione (no surprise here!), Lisini (beautifully structured), Col d’Orcia, Uccelliera, Canalicchio di Sopra, the Campogivanni from San Felice, and the very elegant and beautifully styled Silvio Nardi “Vigna Manachiara”, one of this zone’s most consistent bottlings. I also liked two wines I tried for the first time, the “Vigna delle Raunate” from Mocali and the Tassi. The Mocali, from a 25 year-old vineyard, is aged for three years in large and mid-size oak and has a generous mid-palate and stylish acidity; this will drink well for 10-12 years. The Tassi is a bit less concentrated, but is extremely well balanced and is a wine of great finesse and elegance. Fabio Tassi produced the first Brunello under his own label with the 2004 vintage; he is off to an impressive start!

Fabio Tassi, an impressive new Brunello producer

(Photo ©Tom Hyland)

As for the 2004 Brunello Riserva, these are everything I had hoped they would be. There are some critics of 2004 Brunello who believe that the year was not as great as expected. While this may not be as long-lived a vintage as 2001, I do think this was a very special year – perhaps great – and the best proof of that comes with these Riserva bottlings. Wine after wine offered great concentration and structure for 15-20 years of aging, which is what I expect from this wine. Among the finest I sampled were the more modern-styled Banfi “Poggio al’Oro” and Caparzo (their first Riserva since 2001) along with the Il Poggione “Vigna Paganelli” and the Fuligni. The Il Poggione is deeply concentrated and a bit tight at present, but should be wonderful in 15 years or so, while the Fuligni is an amazing wine! Combining its beautiful perfumes, excellent concentration, lively acidity, subtle oak and elegant tannins, this is a textbook Brunello di Montalcino. If I had to give someone one wine from 2004 that I believed represented the vintage as well as any (as well as being a classic wine), it would be the 2004 Fuligni Brunello di Montalcino Riserva.

As for other notable wines, I thoroughly enjoyed the bottlings of Vernaccia di San Gimignano from Panizzi. Too often this Tuscan white is either much too plain or else laden with strong wood overtones by a vintner who wants to make more out of this wine than he or she should. The regular 2008 bottling from Panizzi has beautiful varietal character (pine and apple aromas), zippy acidity and a wonderful freshness, while the 2006 Riserva bottling is richer on the palate and carries its wood aging quite nicely, depsite the fact that the wine was fermented in barriques.

I also had the chance to catch up with the always charismatic Maria Elisabetta Fagiuoli of Montenidoli, another great Vernaccia producer. From talking with her and tasting her wines, you get the feeling that she’ll continue to do what she’s been doing until the big winemaker in the sky call for her, which we can only hope will be another 20-30 years from now at least! He regular bottling “Fiore” from the 2007 vintage is quite rich for an entry level Vernaccia, while her special releases speak to what can be achieved with this variety. My favorite wine from her is the “Carato” from 2005, a barrique-aged Vernaccia with lovely texture and deep concentration. Her wines – just like Maria herself – only improve with age!

A few other highlights included fresh, tasty examples of Soave from La Cappuccina (2009) and Cantina di Soave (2008 Classico). These wines represent the delighful, non-complicated side of Soave and are so easy to drink! I also enjoyed some beautiful bottlings of Prosecco, including the “Vigneto Giardino” from Adami that is much richer than most examples of this wine, along with two excellent offerings of Cartizze (a sub-zone of Prosecco that many consider to be the finest), from Mionetto (beautifully perfumed) and Bortolomiol (not as aromatic, but fuller on the palate).

I also concentrated on Friuli and discovered several wines I thought well balanced and very flavorful, including the 2008 Friulano and 2006 Refosco from Tenuta di Blasig; the 2008 Sauvignon from Colutta; the 2008 Sauvignon from I Feudi di Romans and the 2008 Friiulano from Petrussa.

Elisabetta Bortolotto Sarcinelli, Tenuta di Blasig, Isonzo DOC, Friuli

(Photo ©Tom Hyland)

I’ll discuss red wines in greater detail in the next few posts, but for now, notes on three reds I loved last week. The first is 2008 Celestina Fé Morellino di Scansano, styled in a traditional way in large oak – beautiful strawberry and red currant fruit here with silky tannins. Secondly, the 2006 Guado al Melo Bolgheri Superiore is a notable wine from this famous Tuscan coastal zone; one that has marvelous depth of fruit, excellent complexity and the structure to age for 10-12 years. Lastly, the new bottling of Syrah from Alberto Longo in Puglia labeled 4.7.7 – the dates of his dauther’s birth (2007). Lots of juicy mulberry and plum fruit with bitter chocolate notes – this is delicious!

Finally, I wanted to point out two bottlings of Vermentino from the 2008 vintage from Cantine Lunae in Liguria. The Grey label is simply delicious, bursting with lemon and dried pear flavors and a bit of saltiness from the nearby sea, while the Black label is richer with notes of acacia and apple peel in the aromas. Both are aged solely in stainless steel – no need to mess with the amazing aromatics with wood – and have vibrant acidity. The Black label received the Tre Bicchieri rating from Gambero Rosso in their 2010 edition and is fairly priced at $30; you might just enjoy the Grey label as much or even better, especially at $18, an amazing value!

Italian Wine in America - A Few Thoughts

The author (second from right) with a few friends at a ristorante in Napoli

A few weeks ago, renowned Italian wine journalist Franco Ziliani asked me if I would like to be interviewed for my thoughts on Italian wine in America. I was thrilled to be asked and gave Franco my answers on any number of subjects from how consumers view Italian wines in restaurants to the perception of the quality of Italian wines in general to the ease in understanding these wines.

The interview appears in Italian on the A.I.S. site (Association of Italian Sommeliers) and can be found here. Below is a condensed version of the interview in English.


Franco Ziliani: How has the economic crisis affected the wine scene in America? Is it true that many consumers choose wines because of price?

Tom Hyland: The biggest change is that people are looking to value wines. Often these wines are from Argentina, Chile or Australia (though people are moving away a little bit from the lowest priced Australian wines). American consumers are not loyal – this is important to know. Five or ten years ago, they could buy a Chianti Classico for $12 or $14 per bottle at a store, but now that same wine is $18-$22, so consumers will opt for a Malbec from Argentina or a Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile in the lower or mid-teen price range ($14-16). These are nice wines of course, but they are not Chianti Classico! This however does not seem to matter to most consumers.

There are some consumers however who do want to buy an Italian wine in a lower price range, so they have found value wines from Sicily (Nero d’Avola) as well as Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, so this is good for Italy!

Very expensive wines from anywhere in the world are not selling. This is true both at retail and at luxury restaurants. Just ask some of the sommeliers in New York City or Las Vegas!


FZ: Do you agree that the economic crisis encourages consumers to look for lesser-known wines that were in the past less familiar than the most famous wines?

TH: I do think that as the most famous wines are becoming so expensive today and because people must be careful in how they spend their money, more and more moderately priced wines are becoming popular. This not only refers to value-priced Cabernet Sauvignons from Chile and Australia, for example, but it also means that there are new discoveries out there for consumers. An excellent example is Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, which has become much more successful in America over the past few years, thanks to its ripe black fruit flavors, easy drinking style and affordable pricing. Nero d’Avola from Sicily is another good example and there are also several inexpensive Spanish reds that are achieving success in the marketplace.


FZ: Do you think that offering wines by the glass can help consumers discover new wines rather than reading about them in the press?

TH: Yes, definitely. People tell me all the time that they don’t know much about wine, but they know what they like. It is difficult for the average consumer to explain the sensations of wine, so it is important for them to taste new wines. That is more important than a review in a magazine.


FZ: Has the economic crisis altered pricing of wines in America? Are wines priced as expensively today in restaurants?

TH: If there is a good thing with the economic crisis, it is that restaurants have lowered the pricing on many expensive wines. Wines that might have sold for $100 a bottle at a restaurant now sell for $75 or $80. The pricing is still too expensive in restaurants, but the situation is better. I have also seen restaurants that offer special pricing (20% discount) on wines on a particular night during the week that would be not that busy, such as a Tuesday night.

I think restaurants have to do this, especially as more BYOB resturants are having great success. People are starting to become better educated on wines and their pricing, so they do not want to pay expensive prices in restaurants.


FZ: Do you think there is room for other Italian wines in America besides Pinot Grigio? Do you think that examples of Pinot Grigio from California, Oregon, New Zealand and other places can compare in sales to Italian Pinot Grigios?

TH: While Pinot Grigio from Italy is still popular – and I think will always be popular – I do think other Italian wines will gain great success. I see a comeback for Soave, especially with the wines made by Pieropan and Ca’Rugate. Other whites such as Oriveto, Gavi and Pinot Bianco (Alto Adige or Friuli) offer good value and are now selling well. They are also popular, as they are un-oaked wines that can enjoyed with or without food, which makes these wines attractive to consumers.

Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris from other countries do sell, but not as well as those from Italy. I think this has to do with its popularity as well as the American consumer’s love of anything from Italy.



FZ: What do you think of Italian wines today? Are they of better quality than in the past?

TH: Yes, the winemaking and quality of today’s Italian wines are much better than twenty or thrity years ago. Just as long as technology does not overtake terroir, things will be fine!


FZ: What is the conscience level and expertise level of the American wine consumer today? Have they been guided by wine "gurus" such as The Wine Spectator and Robert Parker?

TH: I think that American consumers are more comfortable ordering wine today and arguably, they are more knowledgable today than 10 or 15 years ago. But I do not think that most American consumers are that knowledgable about most wines in general. They know that Italy is home to many great wines, but few know what a Barbaresco is or even which region is home to Brunello. The consmers that are guided by Parker and Wine Spectator know a few famous producers, but they are not that well versed in the world’s wines. They blindly follow these publications, but I don’t believe the average American consumer worries about the ratings in these magazines. The only exception is when someone might need to purchase a special bottle of wine that would sell for $50 and up- then they would look at a wine recommended by those publications.


FZ: Which wines are best known in America today: French, Italian or New World?

TH: Of course, California wines are the best known, especially Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay and to a lesser degree, Pinot Noir. Americans are very name conscious, so Napa Valley plays an important role as people know of the quality of the wines from there. Image is very important, so the fact that Napa has earned a notion of quality means a lot to consumers. An excellent wine region such as Monterey, however, is not that famous, so you do not see these wines as often as those from Napa, even though these wines are excellent.

French wines are losing popularity in America, for two main reasons. First is the complicated appellation syatem – few consumers understand that a Meursault, for example, is made from Chardonnay. Of course, the second reason is price. If you want a famous French wine such as Bordeaux or Burgundy, you have to pay a lot of money for it.

Italian wines are very popular, especially as Italy has such an positive image to Americans! The Italians have also been very smart as they have updated their wine laws to ensure that the wines are easier to understand. It is still very difficult for most American consumers to know about many Italian wines, but they are learning and they understand the quality of Italian wines.


FZ: What aspects of Italian wine excites you the most? Which wines do you like the most?

TH: For me, it is tasting wines that reflect both the area where they were made as well as the heritage of that land. That is why I love the wines of Campania so much, as Greco, Fiano and Taurasi are such beautiful representations of the viticultural history of this land.

The best Italian wines, of course, are the ones made from indigenous varieties. These are wines that have a sense of place and a soul and are not made to please the market or measure up to a new trend. Instead these wines are unique and individualistic. A wine is so much more that a set of statistics on alcohol or acidity. The best wines offer special flavors while telling the story of the land and its people. That to me is what Italian wines are all about.

Specificially, my favorite wines are the reds of the Langhe as well as the whites of Friuli and Alto Adige and almost anything from Campania.


FZ: Which are the Italian wine zones that you love the most?

TH: If I had to choose one Italian wine that I love the most, it is Barolo. This has such great complexity and aging potential and it is a wine that changes so much over the course of time. It is also the wine that for me best reflects the local terroir. The Barolos from La Morra are so fragrant and round, while those from Serralunga and Monforte are so much more powerful with more rugged tannins. It is fascinating to taste wines from so many different cru in this zone and when you can enjoy a first-rate Barolo from a producer such as Cavallotto, Bartolo Mascarello or Beppe Rinaldi, you are tasting a great wine from people that respect what their land gives them.

I am also a fan of traditional Brunellos such as Il Poggione, Col d’Orcia, Talenti, Sesta di Sopra, Le Chiuse and Pian dell’Orino, to name a few of the best. These are so elegant and so rich with such finesse. I also love Taurasi, but only in the traditonal style.

I am also a big fan of Italian whites, especially from Alto Adige – I love Gewurztraminer from Tramin – and Friuli. The best examples of Soave are beautiful whites as are Greco di Tufo and Fiano do Avellino from Campania. Finally, I am also a fan of well made Vermentino from the Tuscan coast as well as from Sardegna.


FZ: How do you see the future of wine consumption in America? Will it be relegated to a minority of consumers?


TH: I think that wine consumption will continue to increase in America, though in small numbers. Much of this has to do with the fact that there are so many value wines available from around the world. There will always be people who do not drink wine due to health reasons or because of religious beliefs, but the number of these people are small.

Also, as wine gives many people a sense of culture and education, it will always be important in America.


FZ: What do you think of the phenomenon of free information on wine via the internet and wine blogs? Does this alternative information benefit the public?

TH: I think it this is a positive development, as more information and more opinions are a good thing for the industry. I do think that some blogs are poorly written and offer very little, if any, good information. But there are some excellent blogs written by people that have important things to say. The fact that blogs can be more timely with certain developments in the industry is another good thing.

I also think it’s a good thing that consumers can read these blogs and understand there is more to wine appreciation than reading The Wine Spectator or The Wine Advocate! The world of wine is bigger (much bigger) than what is presented in those two publications.

Lunch with Laura

Text and photo ©Tom Hyland


I enjoyed lunch with my friend Laura Bianchi at the Trump Tower in Chicago a few weeks ago. I’ve known Laura for several years now, first meeting her during a visit to Castello di Monsanto, the gorgeous Chianti Classico estate owned by her father Fabrizio and her. Laura travels the world, overseeing sales of the wines; this lunch was my chance to catch up on the latest wines as well as trends in Chianti Classico.

She told me that business is down (thanks to the realities of the economy) in just about every region where they sell their wines, but she didn’t seem overly concerned, especially as they are a small producer that doesn’t need to sell hundreds of thousands of cases. She's confident that sales will improve soon and return to normal levels. I’d say she probably wasn’t all the concerned, given the quality of the wines, which are as good as ever. Laura, being the humble spokesperson, wouldn’t comment on the excellence of her family’s products, but she certainly realizes it.

I tasted three wines at lunch and each was a delight. The 2006 Chianti Classico Riserva was first and talk about a stylish wine! There are aromas of red cherry, plum and currant with notes of cedar; the finish is elegant with moderate tannins, very good acidity and subtle spice. This is so good now and will offer pleasure for another 5-7 years.

The 2003 Il Poggio was next; this being the single vineyard wine that made Monsano such a famous producer in Chianti. This has greater richness on the palate than the Chianti Classico normale, yet is beautifully balanced with a big finish with excellent persistence. This is a beauty and will last for another 10-12 years. Depending on the market you live in, this may be the current offering or perhaps the 2004 has come on the scene. That wine is superb with the difference clearly being the wonderful growing season of 2004, but each wine is very classy.

The final wine that day was the 2001 Nemo, a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from an estate vineyard some 850 feet above sea level. This is a bit more modern-styled bottling with aging in small French oak barrels, yet the oak is nicely integrated in this bottling. There are lovely aromas of black currant and myrtle and the tannins are quite graceful. Look for this wine, from an oustanding vintage, to be at its best in another 10-12 years.

Three different wines in three various frameworks, but all quite elegantly styled, like all of the wines of Castello di Monsanto. I never tire of beautifully made wines and as that’s all that Monsanto seems capable of producing, I don’t think I’ll ever get blasé about tasting their wines – especially when I can do that over a lunch with Laura Bianchi!

These wines are imported by Moët Hennessy of New York. Prices vary depending on what market you live in, but expect to pay about $25 for the Riserva, $50 for the Il Poggio and $55 for the Nemo.

The Anteprime Save My Day

I am pleased to announce that starting today my friend Bill Marsano (photo at left by Maury Englander) will be an occasional contributor to this blog. He is known variously as Marsanobeel and Lui Di Nuovo; I know him as a James Beard award-winning writer and one of the most insightful observers of the Italian wine scene. He himself admits only to being "a crank with some bizarre opinions."


By Bill Marsano
©Copyright 2009
Photos below by Bill Marsano


April--the cruellest month? Pace Mr. Eliot, it's February, my friends. February gives Oscars to mostly the wrong people; is National Canned Food and National Snack Food Month. It features Disaster Day (the 5th), Toothache Day (the 9th) and Hoodie-Hoo Day (the 20th; don't ask). And this February the French took leave of their senses.

Formerly a sophisticated people, the French now wage war on wine. New laws put wine on the same menace-to-society level as pornography. And according to Decanter magazine, France's National Health Ministry says “The consumption of alcohol, and especially wine, is discouraged”; Dominique Maraninchi, head of France's national cancer institute adds that "Small daily doses of alcohol are the most harmful. There is no amount, however small, which is good for you." Cieux aux Élizabeth! as my mother would have said had she ever Frenched 'Heavens to Betsy!' And Maraninchi feels much the same about red meat and charcuterie. Can I get an Ooo-la-la! here?

In short, France is awash in the Higher Nonsense. Tuscany, on the other hand, is not, so thither I skedaddled for the annual anteprime (previews) of Chianti, Vino Nobile and Brunello. The anteprime attract some 200 international critics and far-flung journalists, lightly salted with a few indigent scribblers like your correspondent, who apply themselves to the latest vintages and to rounds of dining and drinking such as would give Messr. Maraninchi the blue creevies or the dry fantods or both. This goes on without surcease for six start-early/end-late days, and we call it work.

Events opened with the Chianti Collection at Florence's Stazione Leopolda exhibition hall, in which the Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico, which represents 95 percent of Chianti Classico DOCG producers had gathered about 160 of them; they in turn opened their 2008s, '07s and '06s, throwing in a dozen or so '05s just for lagniappe. The total was close on to 400 wines. To deal with this tsunamic quantity I skipped all barrel samples (the '08s promise well but can't be released until autumn) and the '07s still in barrel now won't be the same when bottled. I lit into the bottled versions of '07 and '06, two vintages that are "widely," as they say, "hailed."

Chianti Classico offers endless variety for nearly endless reasons. One is that Chianti, which lies mostly between Florence and Siena, sprawls over 173,000 acres; has numerous soil types and elevations running from 660 to 2600 feet. Another reason is the vexed question of whether Chianti should be a varietal (its latest expression) or a blend (which is what it has been for centuries).

That question is answered by the three clans of Classico producers: I Puristi, who use Sangiovese cento per cento or in purezza, refusing to blend it; I Tradizionalisti, who use at least 80 per cent Sangiovese (the legal minimum) and add such back-in-the-day grapes as Colorino and Canaiolo, and Gli Innovatori, who blend instead such international varieties as Cabernet and Merlot.

Guess what? They all make really good wine.

In relying on Sangiovese alone, I Puristi benefit from the Consorzio's years of work to develop the best possible Sangiovese clone through the Chianti 2000 program. The results show that, all other things being equal, Sangiovese can stand alone as a varietal wine. Winning examples at Leopolda came from Le Fonti, Aria, Borgo Salcetino, Piccini, La Forra, Vignamaggio (where Emma Thompson starred in "Much Ado About Nothing"), Molino di Grace, Fèlsina, La Sala, Villa Cafaggio--among others.

The Tradizionalisti make blends, and they do it the old-fashioned way, using secondary red varieties that most people have forgotten: mainly Canaiolo, to soften the Sangiovese, and Colorino, which as its name implies puts more color in its cheeks. Does some Malvasia Nera creep in here and there? Bet on it-- but you can kiss yesterday's white varieties goodbye. No more Malvasia Bianco and the enthusiastically despised Trebbiano, which made Chianti an early drinker—da pronta beva in Italian--according to the formula long ago promulgated by the Iron Baron, Bettino Ricasoli. They had been steadily reduced to derisory amounts over the years, permitted, in fact, solely for old times' sake. Now, not even that. It’s official: quella è la porta is the word. They’ve been shown the door.

Before Leopolda showed me the same I had some very nice samples of these wines: Monsanto, Badia a Coltibuono and Castello di Querceto are names known to all, senza dubbia, but these others are hardly obscure: Fattoria Nittardi, Casa Emma, Carpineto, Manucci Droandi, Lornano, Tenuta di Capraia, Montegrossi, Mangiacane, La Ripa, Nozzole, Vicchiomaggio and more. I could go on. I'd rather go back.

Gli Innovatori have their roots in the 1960s, when the great effort to systematically improve Italian wines fairly began. Many producers dumped the traditional blender grapes in favor of Cabernet or Merlot. In the early days, when they were used heavy-handedly and accompanied by too many barriques, they overwhelmed Sangiovese’s essential elegance--stepped on her gown, so to say. A lot has been learnt since. Leopolda showed some nifty examples: Ruffino Santedame, Panzanello, Bindi Sergardi, Monte Bernardi Retromarcia, Le Due Arbie, Viticcio, Riseccoli, Poggio al Sole, Il Palagio and many more.

Among the newer blending grapes is Syrah. Talk about muscle! A colleague rightly fears it'll become too popular because it's powerful enough to cover for the producer who overcrops his Sangiovese: not at all a good thing. Used judiciously, however, it seems to work pretty well. Castello di Volpaia and Isole e Olena do very nicely using only 5 per cent (Volpaia adding an equal amount of Merlot and Isole e Olena using 15 percent Canaiolo).

Many and maybe even most producers mix and match--they'll have a cento per cento, but they’ll also make blends using old varieties, international varieties, or both. That suggests not inconsistency but careful attention to the vintage by the likes of Castello di Ama, Castello di Fonterutoli, Castello di Selvole, Il Poggiolino and Villa Calcinaia. It's surely the same with San Fabiano Calcinaia, Cecchi and Villa Cerna, but they prefer to keep us guessing, saying only that they add to their Sangiovese five or 10 percent "other complementary varieties."

Two fine vintages, a plethora of fine producers--increasingly it gets harder to make a mistake with Chianti Classico; you can pretty much pick blindfolded.

Tasting through so many wines in so little time was made possible largely by an army of fleet-footed sommeliers, by the efforts of the consorzio’s president, Marco Pallanti, its marketing/communications manager, Silvia Fiorentini, and by the restorative luncheon buffet and gala dinner provided for the ravening giornalisti. As I said, we call it work.

Next: A Tale of Two Cities: Vino Nobile’s Anteprima.

Chianti Classico - The Latest

Alessando Cellai, winemaker, Castellare di Castellina (Photo ©Tom Hyland)


I recently sampled dozens of examples of the 2007 Chianti Classicos at the Anteprima tasting in Florence held over two days in mid-February. This year, the focus was on 2007 normale bottlings and 2006 riserva wines. As some producers hold back their releases, there were also wines from other vintages, even as far back as a 2004 from one estate that counts this wine as a current release.

I had been looking forward to the 2007 vintage from Tuscany, as it followed a very nice 2005 and a powerful, if not subtle 2006 vintage. 2007 was cool, unlike many recent vintages, so the wines have beautiful acidity, but also excellent fruit concentration, given the long growing season. All ingredients for some beautiful wines.

And I am happy to report that there were many excellent Classico bottlings from 2007, brimming with fruit and displaying beautiful structure. Unfortunately, some vintners took a good thing and tried to make it better, as too many 2007s are very big with rich oak; these are powerful wines that often lack finesse. My guess here is that some producers want to make more than a Classico, as they aim for a Super Tuscan style. Perhaps they are feeling the decrease in sales for Chianti Classico, as more consumers these days turn to wines that sell for $12-15 instead of the $16-24 that most bottlings of Chianti Classico warrant. Maybe they believe they will give consumers more bang for the buck. Or it could be that they are in search of a high score (mid 90s) for their wine, thus enabling their chances at greater sales.

I personally don’t like the idea of making a bigger wine than is necessary. For me, Chianti Classico is a mid-weight wine and one that has many charming qualities about it. There’s nothing wrong with a Chianti Classico being drinkable when young and I look for most examples to be at their best in 3-5 years. This is what makes 2007 so special, as I believe the best wines (in terms of quality as well as balance) will be at their best in 5-7 years. That’s a nice bonus and a big positive for Chianti Classico, so why should producers try and change that? My wishes are that more producers make Chianti Classico and not something else.

That said, here are some of my favorite bottlings of 2007 Chianti Classico with a few notes:

Castello di Volpaia – beautiful strawberry fruit and lively acidity with excellent structure.
Querciabella – plenty of fresh red cherry fruit; nicely balanced with firm tannins.
Castello di Bossi – a more modern style wine that recalls the heritage of traditional wines; nicely structured wine.
Castellare di Castellina – big, rich red fruit and a powerful finish; excellent complexity
Badia a Coltibuono – always a favorite, this is a charming wine with tasty red cherry fruit and subtle spice.
Bibbiano – another supple wine much like the Badia; beautifully balanced.

As for the 2006 Riservas, I was less impressed, as the wines seem a bit heavy with lower than normal acidity. These are of course, more powerful wines than the regular bottlings, but that doesn’t mean the wines need to lack proper structure.

There were successes, though especially from Lilliano and Monsanto. The former 2006 Riserva offers notes of cedar and dried cherry with very good acidity, while the Monsanto has similar flavors and structure, but takes things up a notch. There is plenty of bright fruit while the tannins are silky and the finsih is quite long and complexy. Both wines should be at their best in 5-7 years, with the Monsanto drinking well for perhaps another year or two beyond that.

Laura Bianchi of Monsanto also showed her 2004 “Il Poggio” Riserva, which continues the great tradition of this wine. From an outstanding vintage, the wine offers excellent fruit concentration with gorgeous aromas of dried orange peel and truffles and beautiful fruit persistence throughout. This is a superb wine, one that should drink well for 10-12 years and one that shows that a producer can make a great Chianti Classico while adhering to a style that focuses on harmony and structure instead of tannin and power.




Giovanni Ricasoli Firidolfi, owner, Castello di Cacchiano (Photo ©Tom Hyland)


Finally I would like to single out the wines of Castello di Cacchiano, located in Monti (Gaiole) in the southern reaches of the Chianti Classico zone. Giovanni Ricasoli Firidolfi runs this property and has been producing some of the area’s best balanced and most complex wines in recent years. Giovanni poured his 2006 normale and his 2005 Riserva. Both wines display beautiful cherry and currant fruit with notes of truffle and cedar and offer excellent structure. The finishes are nicely balanced and offer spice and subtle earthiness. These are wines made with respect for the land and are beautiful food wines. How nice to taste impeccably made Chianti Classicos such as these which are clearly not made with an eye for big scores, but rather are fashioned with elegance and charm while displaying a specific sense of place.

Giovanni also showed his 2001 Vin Santo, a wonderfully lush and remarkably delicious treatment of this wine type. There are beautiful aromas of caramel, maple syup amd almond with great fruit concentration and a long, medium-sweet finish with cleansing acidity. As powerful a wine as this is, his style used to be much bigger with this wine; in fact vintages of this wine in the mid 1980s were so rich, you would be tempted to pour the wine on ice cream- not a bad idea, but not really what Vin Santo is all about. Thankfully, Firidolfi has lightened up a bit on this wine and the resulting 2001 is a classic Vin Santo. And if that wasn’t enough, Castello di Cacchiano also produces one of the best extra virgin olive oils each year in Chianti Classico. Quite a lineup!