Tuscany

A special new addition to our fine wine cabinet, which is 100% Sangiovese made  using the traditional governo method; an old Italian winemaking technique where a portion of grapes are dried on the vine late in the season, then added into the wine to assist fermentation and boost complexity. 

When the Sangiovese grapes are fully ripe, the shoot is cut on the vine on which the grapes are growing, which leaves the bunches to dry for several days. This is called taglio del tralcio and it can only be done in warm and dry years. The partially dried grapes are added to Sangiovese that is already fermenting and this technique is known as governo, which was first described in 1774 in the book ?The art of making a perfect and durable wine? by Ferdinando Paoletti from Florence.

The fermentation stops naturally because of the extreme ripeness of the grapes which raises alcohol levels to a point where the yeast dies off at 15+ % ABV, before all of the sugar can be consumed. This, in turn, leads to an intensely flavoursome, richly fruity wine. It wass matured for 10 months in old French oak barriques.

* Only 1600 bottles were produced.

Chianti Classico with a modern twist; Merlot makes up a small portion of this smooth, full bodied Tuscan red, giving it approachability and softness to complement the spicy, red cherry zing of the great Sangiovese grape. 

A Tuscan classic made in a modern style with beauty in every sip. Sensational now and will age superbly for up to a decade. 

Castello Tricerchi Brunello di Montalcino was aged for 24 months in Slavonian oak casks and shows the potential of Sangiovese to age for the very long term. 

Impressive now and a keeper for the wine cellar.

This is one of Marchese Antinori's top Tuscan wines and is made from the Peppoli Vineyard in the Chianti Classico DOCG. This wine was first made in 1985 and is a full bodied Chianti Classico with firm smooth tannins and high acidity, which is balanced by the ripe dark fruit characters and silky finish. 

It was aged in large Slovenian oak barrels with a small portion aged in stainless steel to retain fresh fruit flavours and balance. 

THE CHIANTI CLASSICO APPELLATION

Chianti Classico is the heart of the wider Chianti production zone and its wines are distinguished by a trademarked black rooster on their labels. The wines of Chianti Classico are higher in quality and noticeably so in taste than wines labelled Chianti, which come from a broader area in Tuscany. The wines taste better because the vines are planted on hillsides with a higher degree of  iron rich soils and a greater diurnal temperature range, which provides more powerful, riper fruit flavours, which are balanced by higher acidity thanks to the cooler night time temperatures. 

The Sangiovese grape must make up 80% of all wines labelled Chianti Classico compared to 70% Sangiovese for wines labelled Chianti. 

Chianti was first defined as a wine producing sub region within Tuscany in 1716 by the Grand Duke of Tuscany Cosimo III, whose wanted to protect the integrity of the wines and prevent fraud. The Chianti Classico Wine Consortium was formed in 1924 with the distinctive Black Rooster trademark chosen to feature on the labels. 

Rocca delle Macie Chianti Classico is a fabulously affordable expression of Tuscany's great Sangiovese grape, which makes up 95% of the blend here with 5% Merlot providing a softness and supple texture to the wine as well as adding smooth plummy flavours. 

This is a savoury little number with bright acidity adding freshness and length to every sip. This is a tasty little number for drinking now or in the next couple of years.

THE CHIANTI CLASSICO APPELLATION

Chianti Classico is the heart of the wider Chianti production zone and its wines are distinguished by a trademarked black rooster on their labels. The wines of Chianti Classico are higher in quality and noticeably so in taste than wines labelled Chianti, which come from a broader area in Tuscany. The wines taste better because the vines are planted on hillsides with a higher degree of  iron rich soils and a greater diurnal temperature range, which provides more powerful, riper fruit flavours, which are balanced by higher acidity thanks to the cooler night time temperatures. 

The Sangiovese grape must make up 80% of all wines labelled Chianti Classico compared to 70% Sangiovese for wines labelled Chianti. 

Chianti was first defined as a wine producing sub region within Tuscany in 1716 by the Grand Duke of Tuscany Cosimo III, whose wanted to protect the integrity of the wines and prevent fraud. The Chianti Classico Wine Consortium was formed in 1924 with the distinctive Black Rooster trademark chosen to feature on the labels. 

It?s not often we come across wines that date back to 1398 but Chianti is no everyday wine, especially when it's labelled Isole E Olena. All grapes in this wine were hand picked. It's a blend of 80% Sangiovese, 15% Canaiolo and 5% Syrah, which balance each other nicely with their ripe red berry flavours of cherries and raspberries which sit alongside complex notes of spice, smoky leather and a hint of cedar. This wine's lively acidity adds a freshness and gives length to the wine. 

This great red will benefit from ageing thanks to stellar winemaking and viticulture from Paolo di Marchi, one of the kings of the Sangiovese grape, who took over the winemaking in 1976. He ended decades of sharecropping and focussed on fine tuning work in the vineyards and pioneered Tuscan reds made entirely from the Sangiovese grape, such as the great Super Tuscan, Cepparello; now one of the region?s most iconic wines. 

Isole e Olena Chianti Classico is one of the great Tuscan reds.Try it. 

THE CHIANTI CLASSICO APPELLATION

Chianti Classico is the heart of the wider Chianti production zone and its wines are distinguished by a trademarked black rooster on their labels. The wines of Chianti Classico are higher in quality and noticeably so in taste than wines labelled Chianti, which come from a broader area in Tuscany. The wines taste better because the vines are planted on hillsides with a higher degree of  iron rich soils and a greater diurnal temperature range, which provides more powerful, riper fruit flavours, which are balanced by higher acidity thanks to the cooler night time temperatures. 

The Sangiovese grape must make up 80% of all wines labelled Chianti Classico compared to 70% Sangiovese for wines labelled Chianti. 

Chianti was first defined as a wine producing sub region within Tuscany in 1716 by the Grand Duke of Tuscany Cosimo III, whose wanted to protect the integrity of the wines and prevent fraud. The Chianti Classico Wine Consortium was formed in 1924 with the distinctive Black Rooster trademark chosen to feature on the labels. 

Chianti Classico with a modern twist; Merlot makes up a small portion of this smooth, full bodied Tuscan red, giving it approachability and softness to complement the spicy, red cherry zing of the great Sangiovese grape. 

A Tuscan classic made in a modern style with beauty in every sip. Sensational now and will age superbly for up to a decade. 

"This 470 hectare estate is located northeast of Siena in the commune of Castelnuovo Berardenga, on the southern border of the Chianti Classico zone. Fèlsina epitomises the powerful style of southern Chianti, where the wines are stylistically more akin to those from Montalcino than their fellow Chianti from Fontodi or Isole e Olena. Domenico Poggiali bought the estate in 1966. Giuseppe Mazzocolin, son-in-law of Domenico, entered the family business in the late 1970s and played a significant role in the growth of the winery. In 1990 Giovanni Poggiali, Domenico's grandson, joined the management and continues his grandfather's enterprise with the same passion. Giuseppe Mazzocolin is now less involved in the running of the estate, and consultant oenologist Franco Bernabei is very much at the helm of the winemaking team." Wine Searcher.