2018-C Castello Romitorio Chianti Colli Senesi, Tuscany, Italy (750ml)   

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Aromas of dried red fruits and dusty earth grace the nose. The bright flavors on the palate suggest dried strawberry, cranberry, plus a hint of roses and oak with a pleasantly lingering finish.

This new-age Chianti from a classic producer is made from 100% Sangiovese grapes which were harvested and sorted by hand. After fermentation, the resulting wine was then matured for 10 months in oak before bottling.

At first it was a temple, then a fortress and a monastery, then a castle, a manor house, a shelter for shepherds and their flocks, and finally an art workshop and winery. From the Etruscans to the Romans, through the Middle Ages, abandonment and then finally, restoration. Castello Romitorio’s second life began in 1984, the year it was bought by artist Sandro Chia, who made the old manor his home and art studio. In addition to the Castle, Chia took over the vineyards, Holm Oak woods and heathland. The objective was immediately apparent—Romitorio could only shine once more if, after renovation of the Castle, its ancient affinity with wine-growing was also revived. In the second half of the 1980’s, Montalcino was an experimental region. Vineyards and wineries innovated with respect for their traditions, and were in pursuit of a new identity. Sandro Chia was at the forefront, understanding the importance of creating classic, representative wines while looking fearlessly to the future.

Castello Romitorio inaugurated its new cellar in 2005. The 14th century manor now adorned with the works of Sandro Chia, was designed to blend the avant-garde with a thousand years of history and antiquity. The same year Sandro’s son, Filippo Chia, joined the company and started a process of updating the winemaking style, betting on the elegant single varietal Sangiovese to embody the characteristics of the terroir. After thirty years of hard work in the area, Castello Romitorio is now an internationally recognized winery specializing in Sangiovese.

Chianti Colli Senesi is an illustrious example of the classic Tuscan winemaking tradition. It is a Sangiovese of distinct character, expressing the elegance of wines cultivated in the hills around Siena. Since the time of Antiquity, this area has been known for producing extremely high quality red wines with Burgundian elegance. The rolling hills of Siena, Colli Senesi, are noted for their rivers and thick oak forests, and are a patchwork of small medieval towns, fields, vineyards and olive groves. The cool-climate Chianti Colli Senesi appellation covers a vast area of southern Tuscany which has remained surprisingly pristine for centuries.