2017-C Villa Calcinaia Chianti Classico DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (750ml)
About the Icons
A Quarterly Red Cellar Trio Wine Club Selection
Villa Calcinaia is situated in the center of Chianti Classico near the town of Greve-in-Chianti. This historic estate has been home to the Counts Capponi since 1524 and is maintained by Sebastiano Capponi and his brother Niccolò. Calcinaia is at the heart of the Capponi family, and each generation brings something new to the vineyards and the wine cellar. Every vintage is a portrait, captured in a bottle, of the hopes, worries, care, and joy that come with making honest wines. The Villa Calcinaia philosophy has always been: “Love for the land, respect for tradition, and the rightful pride in bearing the name of Capponi.”
Organic farming has been the standard at Villa Calcinaia since Sebastiano took over the estate’s management in 1992, and the wines have been certified as being produced with organic grapes since the 2014 vintage. The estate’s 75 acres of vineyards are planted primarily with Sangiovese, Merlot, Canaiolo, Grechetto, Vernaccia, Trebbiano and Malvasia. There are also a few blocks of the rare, indigenous varietals Mammolo and San Forte.
The gapes for this wine (90% Sangiovese and 10% Canaiolo) were hand-harvested. Each block was macerated separately for 12-18 days. Fermentation was in stainless steel tanks for eight days at 84°F, followed by 20 months aging in wood tonneaux and barriques, again separated by vineyard block. The separate vineyard blocks were then blended in cement vats for another six months before bottling.
Deep garnet. Complex aromas of brandied cherries blood orange and star anise. On the palate, the wine is structured and well balanced with cherry, cranberry, and strawberry, with notes of borage and acacia. The closing is very persistent with firm tannins and a slightly dusty, mineral finish. This exemplary Chianti Classico was crated with food in mind. It is elegant, perfumed, and savory yet refreshing, with a beautifully restrained vigor that ensures longevity. Cellaring Recommendation: 5 - 7 years