sangiovese – Page 2 – JB's Wine Talk

Outstanding Value From the Tuscan New Wave

Today’s Story: Montepeloso

Montepeloso is a small, 15 acre estate located in the Tuscan comune of Suvereto. Current owner and winemaker Fabio Chiarelotto purchased the estate in 1998, though Montepeloso was already producing world class wines under original owners Willi and Doris Neukom. When Fabio took the helm, he undertook an immense overhaul of the vineyards, reshaping them over the course of 8 years by retraining, pruning, and regrafting a significant number of vines. Fabio loved the wines of Montepeloso before this drastic feat, however he rightfully assumed that the terroir had so much more to offer in producing elegant and finessed wines rather than concentrated examples easy to make in the hot climate. Fabio’s wines are proclaimed as some of the greatest examples of Tuscany’s “new wave,” characterized as “beautiful, profound, and expressive.” Fabio practices biodynamic viticultural methods, relatively short macerations, fermentation using only native yeasts, and bottles his wines without filtration.

Today’s Wine: 2016 Eneo

45% Sangiovese, 35% Montepulciano, 15% Alicante, 5% Marselan; 14.5% ABV

The 2016 Eneo is opaque medium ruby in color with some purple hues. This needs at least 1-2 hours to really open up, but once it does the nose showcases aromas of plum, blueberry, black cherry, anise, lavender, cigar box, dry chalky soil, dried green herbs, light baking spice, milk chocolate, and light oak. Once in the mouth, this beauty displays notes of brambleberry, black raspberry, black plum, mild tobacco, scorched earth, slate, savory herbs, black pepper, and espresso. This is full-bodied with medium (+) acidity, fine-grained medium (+) tannins, and a long finish dominated by black fruit and purple/blue florals.

Price: $45. This is an outstanding value, and certainly one of the greatest out of Tuscany I’ve had in a long, long time. The finesse and depth this shows at such a young age is breathtaking, and I would love to stick this into a blind tasting lineup with wines twice it’s price. Pair with Bistecca alla Fiorentina, hearty red sauce pastas, or charcuterie and Parmigiano Reggiano.

Chianti Classico Built for the Long Haul

Today’s Story: Fontodi

Fontodi is a historical wine estate located in Panzano in the heart of Chianti Classico. Though vines have been cultivated there dating to the Roman Empire and vinification history at the estate traces its roots to at least the 16th century, the Manetti family who currently operates the estate acquired it more recently in 1968. Prior to purchasing Fontodi, the Manettis produced terracotta tiles for several centuries which, alongside winemaking, is another activity the Chianti region is famous for. The Manetti family poured a large amount of resources into the estate, which today consists of around 130 hectares with 70 hectares planted to vine and certified organic. The great quality of their tiles crossed over into the wines, which come from vineyards that are sustainably-farmed where the family eschews chemical use. Vinification takes place in Fontodi’s incredibly modern cellar built across multiple levels to make use of gravity flow and the wines age in French oak barrels.

Today’s Wine: 2015 Chianti Classico

100% Sangiovese; 15% ABV

The 2015 Chianti Classico is opaque deep ruby in color. I decanted this for 3 hours and drank it over the following hour. The nose showcases aromas of black cherry, blackcurrant, black plum, red licorice, rose and violet, tobacco, truffle, scorched earth, mocha, white pepper, and sage. There is also some heat which throws off the balance and needs time to integrate. Once in the mouth, the wine displays notes of blackberry, jammy blueberry, rich black plum, black cherry, cigar box, graphite, dried chalky soil, ground green herbs, black pepper, and espresso. This is medium- to full-bodied with medium (+) acidity, grippy medium (+) tannins, and a long finish dominated by black and blue fruit. Needs at minimum another 5 years, as it’s kind of a kick in the teeth right now, but the quality is certainly there.

Price: $42. A very solid QPR with this one, but there are other Chianti Classicos that are cheaper, more approachable now, offer similar complexity, AND have the structure to go the distance like this bottle. But don’t get me wrong, this is certainly worth a try if it’s in your price range and you have the patience to lay it down. Pair this with lasagna, chicken parm, or pizza.

Outstanding Value from Chianti Classico

Today’s Story: Castello di Volpaia

Castello di Volpaia is a historic winery situated in the fortified medieval village of Volpaia in the heart of Chianti Classico. Drenched in winemaking history, Volpaia’s viticultural roots trace to 1172 and they were a founding member of the Lega del Chianti (Chianti League) in 1250. In 1966, a printer and bookbinder named Raffaello Stianti purchased the Volpaia estate and 2/3 of the village, later giving it to his daughter Giovannella and her newlywed husband Carlo Mascheroni as a wedding gift in 1972. Carlo and Giovannella instituted a major renovation project to modernize the winery and convert historical buildings into cellars, all while instituting an underground “wineduct” that carries wine from their fermentation tanks to the cellar by gravity. Castello di Volpaia is the highest elevation winery in Chianti Classico with 114 acres of vineyards situated between 1,300-2,100 feet above sea level. All viticultural practices at the estate are certified organic by Q Certificazioni srl.

Today’s Wine: 2016 Chianti Classico Riserva

100% Sangiovese; 13.5% ABV

The 2016 Chianti Classico Riserva is mostly opaque and medium garnet in color with ruby hues. This needs to decant for an hour or two, but once it does the nose blossoms to showcase aromas of black cherry, blackcurrant, anise, lavender, smoked game, tobacco leaf, damp gravel, dark chocolate, sage, and oak. Once on the palate, this wine delivers notes of blackberry compote, spiced black plum, brambleberry, black cherry, violet, licorice, crushed rock, wet volcanic soil, smoke, savory green herbs, and blood. This is full-bodied with high acidity, medium (+) tannins, and a very long finish. The wine is beautifully complex for how young it is, and based on its structure I would give this another 7-10 years to develop in the bottle.

Price: $35. This is one of the greatest value Italian wines I’ve had, and every time I find either this vintage or the 2015 I stock up. Pair this with chicken parmigiana, ossobuco, or lamb chops.

An Italian Great

Today’s Story: Marchesi Antinori and Tenuta Tignanello

Marchesi Antinori traces its roots to 1385 when Giovanni di Piero Antinori joined the Arte Fiorentina dei Vinattieri (Florentine Winemakers’ Guild) and the family has been making wine since through 26 generations. I recently reviewed one of the family’s other wines, the 2016 Chianti Classico Riserva Tenuta Tignanello in Chianti Classico for a Remarkable Value. Interestingly, that Chianti Classico is made using fruit from Tenuta Tignanello, one of the great estates owned and operated by the Antinori family. Tenuta Tignanello is located between the Greve and Pesa river valleys in Tuscany on 319 hectares with 127 hectares planted to vine in calcareous rocky soils with alberese and marl. Though some of the Tignanello fruit goes into the Chianti, Tignanello’s prized vineyards and signature wines of Tignanello and Solaia are some of the most influential and important wines in Tuscan winemaking history.

Today’s Wine: 2012 Tignanello

85% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc; 13.5% ABV

The 2012 Tignanello is deep ruby red in color and almost entirely opaque. This wine requires at least an hour in the decanter to truly blossom, but once it opens up the nose is characterized by aromas of blackcurrant, blueberry, red cherry, strawberry, violet, blue florals, graphite, smokey earth, crushed rock, savory green herbs, and tar. On the palate, this wine showcases notes of plum, black cherry, wild raspberry, licorice, rosemary, dried tobacco, red and blue florals, dried and dusty rocky soil, white pepper, and clove. This wine is full-bodied with moderate acidity, medium dusty tannins, and a long finish while being elegant and supple in mouthfeel and supremely classy overall.

Price: $100. Tignanello is always worthy of its price tag and even though it is not cheap provides great value for high quality Italian wine. Pair this with bistecca alla fiorentina, herb-roasted lamb, or assorted cheese and charcuterie.

Chianti Classico for a Remarkable Value

Today’s Story: Marchesi Antinori

Marchesi Antinori traces its roots to 1385 when Giovanni di Piero Antinori joined the Arte Fiorentina dei Vinattieri (Florentine Winemakers’ Guild) and the family has been making wine since through 26 generations. While the historic epicenter of the Antinori “empire” rests in Tuscany and Umbria, over time the family purchased vineyards in various regions throughout Italy and the world to bolster their portfolio and live a consistent goal of exploration and experimentation. Not only is Marchesi Antinori one of the largest wine companies in Italy, they are also one of the oldest family operated companies in the world. Today, Albiera Antinori is President of Marchesi Antinori and is supported by her sisters Allegra and Alessia, while their father Marchese Piero Antinori acts as the Honorary President.

Though the Antinori family owns what I’d say are too many estates for me to justify listing here, their website has great maps and lists of their properties here and it is worth checking out. Further, there is a really cool timeline tracing the family back to 1179 here, which I could not do any justice to in trying to reproduce myself.

Today’s Wine: 2016 Chianti Classico Riserva Tenuta Tignanello

90% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon; 14% ABV

The 2016 Chianti Classico Riserva is medium ruby in color and slightly transparent. Once this opens up, the nose showcases aromas of blackberry, cherry, cranberry, black licorice, chocolate, purple florals and rose, crushed rock, green herbs, and dried earth. On the palate, this wine displays notes of blackberry, blueberry, plum, forest floor, mocha, sweet tobacco, spice, savory herbs, and slight vanilla. This is full-bodied with medium (+) acidity, medium dusty tannins, and a long elegant finish.

Price: $35. One of the greatest Chianti Classicos I’ve enjoyed and consistently incredible value after Antinori switched exclusively to Tenuta Tignanello grapes in 2011. Pair this with red sauce meat pasta, pizza, veal marsala, or chicken parm.

Santa Ynez Sangiovese

Today’s Story: Jonata

Short and sweet again today, as I wrote about Jonata and a different wine in my post Why Wait for Screaming Eagle? back on October 16.

Long story short, if you haven’t read my prior post, Jonata is owned by Stan Kroenke who also owns the LA Rams and Screaming Eagle. Kroenke bought 586 acres of property, though only 84 acres are planted under vine, and like many wineries in the area Jonata found success planting Rhône varietals such as Syrah but also grows Sangiovese and Bordeaux varietals. For more I’d steer you to my prior post.

Today’s Wine: 2010 Tierra

95% Sangiovese, 5% Syrah; 14.9% ABV

This Sangiovese is medium to deep ruby in color. Once this opened up in the decanter, I got aromas of blackberry, blueberry, redcurrant, mocha, smoked game, leather, and black tea leaf. In the mouth, the wine showcases notes of black cherry, blackcurrant, anise, charred earth, smoke, dark chocolate, and espresso. Overall this doesn’t have as much red fruit as I imagined it might, with the wine drinking very dark. This is medium-bodied with high acidity, medium (+) tannins, and a long, inky finish with notes of ground coffee.

Price: $90. I’d love to see this closer to the $75 mark, but I do believe it is fairly priced given its rarity, library release status from the winery, and quality. Pair this with roasted game, a rare steak, or pasta with a beef and tomato sauce.

Pasta Night? Look No Further

Today’s Story: Santa Margherita

Santa Margherita was founded in 1935 by Count Gaetano Marzotto, a pioneering vintner who helped revitalize a portion of the Venetian countryside in both farming and winemaking. With a goal of producing authentic Italian wines full of regional character and tradition, Marzotto expanded the Santa Margherita brand to vineyards in Alto Adige and Tuscany. Famous for their Pinot Grigio, Santa Margherita also makes Chianti Classico Riserva, Prosecco Superiore, and Sparkling Rosé.

Since its beginning, Santa Margherita put a major emphasis on preserving the environment through sustainability efforts. For example, during the winemaking process they use natural products and compost to feed the soil, organic land management in terms of in-ground irrigation, use no chemical pesticides for their Chianti, and hand-harvest 90% of their grapes in Veneto. Further, Santa Margherita stopped using animal byproducts and uses yeast-derived and vegetable-derived products during filtration so their wines are vegan-friendly. Lastly, Santa Margherita is powered completely by renewable resources including 6,500 square feet of solar panels at their winery in Portogruaro.

Fun fact: Santa Margherita manufactures their own wine bottles in a factory adjacent to their fermentation cellars. They do this to reduce carbon emissions related to storage and transportation of bottles from outside producers.

Today’s Wine: 2015 Chianti Classico Riserva

100% Sangiovese; 13.5% ABV

For spaghetti night, I knew I needed to run to the store to grab a bottle of Chianti Classico. As expected, this bottle filled its role for the pairing beautifully. Our wine today is a clear, medium ruby color with a variation of pink hues toward the edges of the glass. I briefly decanted this before drinking, as these are known to have high tannin, but letting this slow ox in the glass would do just fine. On the nose are aromas of cherry, cranberry, barnyard, forest floor, shoe leather, and a hint of bitter chocolate. Once in the mouth, we get flavors of sweet cherry, cranberry, strawberry, dried earth, mushroom, and mineral. True to form, this is medium- to full-bodied with high acidity, medium (+) tannins, and a long finish dominated by notes of red fruit and berries.

Price: $27, a nice price-point. I recommend trying this for its solid quality compared to many other options you will find on the shelf, even if they are slightly cheaper. Pair this with red/meat sauce pastas, lamb, or veal.

Italy’s Favorite Grape…from California?

Today’s Story: Gargiulo Vineyards

Gargiulo is a small, family-owned winery in Oakville, Napa Valley that produces about 3,400 cases of wine each year from two vineyards. Owners Jeff and Valerie Gargiulo bought their first vineyard, Money Road Ranch, in 1992 to fulfill their winemaking dream, adding to the property in 1997 by purchasing the 575 OVX property. Founded as a Cabernet Sauvignon estate, Gargiulo produces three different Cabs and a Sangiovese, though they also have Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot, and Merlot planted for blending in their G Major 7 Cab. Gargiulo produces small amounts of Chardonnay from Frank Wood Ranch and a rosé of Sangiovese as well.

The Gargiulo family and their winemaker, Kristof Anderson, follow a more hands-off approach to winemaking, who in their words say is “gentle and patient.” When it comes time to harvest the grapes, they do so by hand at dawn, hand sort the grapes three times, and use gravity flow methods for winemaking. This arguably preserves the natural fragrances and flavors of the wines by removing pumps and machinery, and is a reason I believe Gargiulo wines are consistently elegant yet structured to go the distance.

During the last week of September this year, I had the opportunity to taste at Gargiulo for the first time (though I’ve had many of their wines over the years) and it was an incredible experience. While the indoor tasting room is something special with its stone walls, big leather chairs, and guitars stationed on stands around the perimeters, we sat outside taking in the view. Paired with a plate of meats and cheese, we tasted through Gargiulo’s current offerings and chatted with our exceptional host, Lucas, while looking out at the vineyards and their neighbor, Screaming Eagle. I included a picture of this view on my homepage, and also threw a couple bonus pictures at the bottom of this post.

Today’s Wine: 2015 Aprile

96% Sangiovese, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon; 13.6% ABV

I’ve had an opportunity to drink several bottles and vintages of this wine back to 2008, and it’s always a crowd favorite. Easy drinking, bright red fruits, and low alcohol combine into a refined Sangiovese. The wine is bright ruby red in color and almost rose/pink toward the edges of the glass. The nose is very vibrant, with aromas of strawberry, raspberry, cherry, green herbs, and a little bit of earth and oak that leap from the glass. On the palate we get notes of cranberry, cherry, underbrush, white pepper, and chalk. The mouthfeel with this wine is very elegant and smooth, being medium-bodied while showing medium (+) acidity and medium tannins into a long, slightly chewy finish. GV produced 912 cases of this wine.

Price: $60. I like the price-point on this. It is somewhat hard to find Sangiovese in California to begin with, especially of this quality from a producer like Gargiulo. Pair this with red sauce pizza like I did (or pasta) and it’s hard to beat.

Tag: sangiovese