December 2009
Tasting Wines in Chianti Classico
New releases from Volpaia, Monsanto, and Castellare
Volpaia: it takes a village, no seriously. The Castello di Volpaia estate is one of the most remarkable wineries I have ever visited. Now, granted I was there in the... Read more Tasting Wines in Chianti Classico
New releases from Volpaia, Monsanto, and Castellare
Volpaia: it takes a village, no seriously. The Castello di Volpaia estate is one of the most remarkable wineries I have ever visited. Now, granted I was there in the off-season, but driving up the rather winding road to the hilltop enclave, it’s really not much more than a ring of buildings protecting the inner Castello, can leave you a little perplexed. At the end of the road you arrive in a small Piazza with a bar on one side, and a rather imposing tower on the other.
Fortunately the Piazza is small, so it doesn’t take much wandering to figure out that tower is the retail sales room for Volpaia, the sign on the transom window being a dead give away, if remarkably subtle indication. Once you’ve discovered the sales office, which was closed at the time of my visit, you might be left wondering where the winery actually is. Chances are your standing on it, next to it or in it!
What to expect: Chianti
Chianti is a large region that produces a wide range of wine styles. From basic Chianti, to the finest Riservas, some elements of the wines remain consistent. Chianti is based on the Sangiovese grape, which typically yields a medium bodied wine with strawberry and cherry fruits that are accented by delicate notes of green herbs, dusty soil, leather, and spice. While Chianti can be produced exclusively from Sangiovese, the vast majority of Chianti includes a small percentage of other grapes. Traditional varieties like Mammolo, Colorino, and Canaiolo were used to add some flesh and aromatic complexity to Chianti, though many producers now include some Merlot, adding fruit and richness, or Cabernet Sauvignon, which contributes power and dark fruit flavors, to their wines.
Learn more about Chianti
Castello Di Volpaia
Volpaia is a fantastically preserved and renovated Italian village of medieval origins. The Stianti family, owners of Castello di Volpaia, have painstakingly restored much of the village and converted it to their winery while preserving all the architectural details and appearances that takes one back to a simpler way of life.
It’s really amazing how one finds the offices of the winery tucked into an alleyway that runs through the heart of the old Castello, or the ageing cellars, spread out as they are, in the basements of the crypt of an ancient chapel. In fact virtually every element of the operations here has been seamlessly integrated into the existing structures, though when additional space was needed for a more modern bottling line the family did spring for a new addition to the village. Thing is, it’s tough to tell where that could possibly be. Ok, it’s the building in the center of the photo below.
The passion of the Stinati family shows in their dedication to this small village. It’s almost impossibly difficult to work with in the rules and regulations imposed by the Italian government, especially when it comes to the repurposing of historic structures, but the Stianti do what they must to maintain the character and charm of Volpaia the village, just as they do what they must to maintain the character and style of Volpaia’s wines.
Volpaia focuses on a rather traditional line-up of wines that includes their Bianco, the straight Chianti Borgianni, as well as a Chianti Classico and Chianti Classico Reserva. In addition there are two Super Tuscan styled wines; Coltassala, which is based on Sangiovese with a touch of Mammolo added and the more internationally styled Balifico which adds Cabernet Sauvignon to the Sangiovese. And of course there is a Vin Santo, that iconic Tuscan dessert wine produced from air-dried grapes, in this case Trebbiano and Malvasia.
Volpaia’s style is dictated as much by the cool climate the vineyards enjoy at the relatively high elevations the slopes leading up to the village (some 250 to 450 meters above sea level) as it is by the winemaking style of the house. The fruit these cool, rocky vineyards yield is never among the richest or densest in Chianti, though they are among the most perfumed. The terroir here favors warmer vintages and the galestro-laden soil is able to drain away water fairly quickly so damp is not usually an issue. In cooler vintages ripening can be a challenge though.
Ultimately the winemaking style is rather middle of the road here as the owners try and preserve the freshness of the wines without imposing too much of a stylistic imprint. They truly do want the wines to speak of Volpaia, and considering the obvious financial and emotional investment the family has made here, that is not at all surprising.
[PAGEBREAK]
The Wines of Castellare
2008 Volpaia Bianco
40% Sauvignon Blanc + 60% Chardonnay
This has a nose dominated by sweet, pear rich, Chardonnay fruit with a touch of floral/herbal Sauvignon Blanc high tones. With air this reveals a nice chalky minerality and the fruit rounds out with a nice white peach note. On entry this is a touch soft and chardonnay dominated but gains a nice sweet pea flower tone on the mid-palate where it gains a nice snap and leads to a mineral flecked backend and finish with notes of pea shoot, apple and cashew. A bit different but well balanced blend. 87pts
2007 Volpaia Chianti Classico
Crushed flowers and bruised berry tones great the nose with a hint of spice and suggestion of tarry, jammy sweetness. In the mouth this is pretty bright with a touch of astringency from the youthful tannins. It’s medium weight across the palate with crisp wild strawberry and currant fruits with lovely herbal and floral inner mouth perfume. The finish is a touch short and is showing some green walnut tones. Needs a bit of time to better integrate but is quite a typical Chianti Classico. 86pts
2005 Volpaia Chianti Classico Riserva
This has a strong, hard scent with big soil tones and a light underlay of smoke and cool, crisp lichen and mossy notes but not showing a lot of fruit at this point. Chewy and a bit soft in the mouth with some peachy tannins across the mid-palate that adds a nice accent to the black raspberry fruit. There’s a nice sweetness on the finish and this is well balanced but neither complex nor particularly deep. 87pts
2005 Volpaia Coltassala
Light aromatic tones on the nose with a touch of wood spice. In the mouth there’s good fruit with nice stemmy, strawberry top tones up front balanced by cigar box notes that add some sweetness to the fruit across the mid-palate. The fruit lacks some definition though the finish is juicy and crisp with slightly under-ripe strawberry tones. This has good length and is youthful and nervous but will never be a blockbuster. 90pts
2005 Volpaia Balifico
The nose is tight but shows nice depth to the black fruits and integrated oak tones. In the mouth this is very smooth with moderately intense, somewhat brambly, blackberry tones supported by modest tannins. On the mid-palate there’s a hint of herbaciousness and slightly peppery red currant fruit that carry a cinnamon note on to the finish. The finish shows more tannic presence and if moderately long with a nice freshness to the flavors. An easy and bright Balifico. 89pts
2007 Prelius Morellino di Scansano
The first vintage of Prelius, a new property recently purchased by the Stianti family, owners of Tuscany’s Castello di Volpaia.
Woodsy and herbal on the nose with a dark, plummy core of fruit framed by chocolate, and smoky oak tones. Very broad in the mouth with a slightly chewy feel and a pulpy quality to the black fruit tones. There are hints of violet and olive leaf in the mouth with dark black and blue fruits across the mid-palate and onto the slightly drying finish. A masculine and modern styled expression of Sangiovese. 89pts
[PAGEBREAK]
Explore the regions of Chianti and learn about each distinctive style
Castello di Monsanto
In Barberino Val D'Elsa
The Castello di Monsanto produces one of Chianti’s iconic wines: Chianti Classico Riserva Il Poggio. From the estate’s inception, in the early 1960’s, the goal of the Bianchi family was to produce the finest wines possible. Follow this link to ead more about Monsanto, and see the notes on their wines.
Castellare di Castellina
In Castellina
I have a lot of favorite Tuscan wines, so it’s hard to single any one out in particular though the wines of Castellare di Castellina do have to take credit for some of my earliest experiences with Sangiovese based wines. Follow this link to read more about Castellare, and see the notes on their wines.
Castello di Monsanto
The Castello di Monsanto produces one of Chianti’s iconic wines: Chianti Classico Riserva Il Poggio. From the estate’s inception, in the early 1960’s, the goal of the Bianchi family was to produce the finest wines possible. Whether that required the clearing and planting of the ideally situated parcel of land that was to become the Il Poggio vineyard, or the forward thinking move (anticipating the changes of laws) of eliminating the white grapes that were a required elements of the Chianti blend at the time, the Bianchi’s were prepared to do whatever it took to bring their vision to market.
That drive has never abated. The recent completion of a state of the art cellar addition, expanding upon the additions of 1981 and 1986, has given Monsanto the room to grow, and continue the traditions of excellence they have established over the past decades. It’s refreshing to see that these traditions include both the old and the new as giant oak botti rest side by side with new barriques in the extensive underground cellars of Monsanto.
A more recent, and even more pleasant sight for my eyes, are the rows of tonneaux, an ever more common sight in Tuscany, that fill some of the side alleys of the cavernous cellar. Like many Tuscan producers, Monsanto is finding that this medium sized ageing vessel allows Sangiovese, in particular, the perfect exposure to oxygen, helping to soften and round off the tannins, while limiting the affects of the oak on the finished wine. The results are wines that pick up less of a tannic edge from the oak while incorporating a judicious touch of wood induced spicy accents.
These accents pair well with the wine’s inherent notes of soil, minerals, herbs and the classic red fruits of Sangiovese. Like much of the region the soils here are full of galestro, the compressed and fossilized layers of clay that formed the floor of an ancient sea that covered the area. There are varying levels of galestro among the 200 or so acres of Monsanto’s vineyards but a small, exposed panel of soil deep in the cellars helps one to understand the special properties of galestro. These rock hard layers are actually composed of many flakes of clay that cleave apart quite readily. What appears to be solid rock can, in fact be split by some of the finest root tendrils of the vine.
This characteristic allows the vines to dig deeply through these seemingly impervious layers of soil, while preventing the soil from becoming water logged in wet conditions. It’s no surprise that these soils have been found to be ideal for grape production, and that they produce both long lived and particularly complex wines. Some of that complexity no doubt is derived from the native yeast strains used for the fermentation of all the red wines of the estate.
One of the most surprising aspects of the Monsanto cellars is the deep stocks of old vintages the estate maintains. Many small rooms hold stocks of wines from some of the greatest vintages of the past four decades, and a few precious bottles of the inaugural 1962 Chianti Classico Il Poggio. To say that the Bianchi Family has faith in the ability of their wines to improve in the cellars may be a bit of an understatement.
The wines of Monsanto continue to follow a traditional path, with the expected exceptions. By that I mean that the classic wines, the various Chianti bottlings, all rely on Sangiovese with additions of the traditional blending grapes Canaiolo and Colorino. The exceptions are the estate’s Bianco, which is 100% Chardonnay, and their Super Tuscan; the Cabernet Sauvignon Nemo.
There is also a 100% Sangiovese produced at Monsanto that has a great track record for ageing, the Fabrizio Bianchi bottling. First produced in 1974, the Fabrizio Bianchi is one of the original barrique aged 100% Sangiovese Super Tuscans, and while it has flown under most people’s radars it’s a wine worth looking out for. I love this expression of Sangiovese and have enjoyed bottlings as far back as the 1983. The vineyard for this cuvee was replanted over the years so there was a break in production but the label will be returning to the marketplace soon with the release of the 2006, a wine I look forward to trying.
[PAGEBREAK]
The Wines of Monsanto
2005 Monsanto Bianco
This 100% Chardonnay was aged for 6 months in 500 liter tonneaux before being aged for 2 years in bottle. It’s full of integrated toasted almond and vanilla bean notes on the nose that rise above the core of lemon cream fruits. It’s fairly oaky but neither raw nor totally dominant on the nose. On the palate the oak is more noticeable in the creamy character it lend s the mouth feel. This is rich with a fine depth of fruit on the mid-palate which shows notes of pears and peaches with a backing note of wood before showing a hint of orange peel and almond cream on the back end. The acids really snap into place on the finishes giving this a nice fresh finale with a touch of grapefruit pith adding contrast. This is a fine expression of Chardonnay for those wanting a little more freshness in their wine but not yet ready to give up the character of barrel ageing. 89pts
2006 Monsanto Chianti Classico Riserva
90% Sangiovese/ 10% Canaiolo and Colorino
Aged in Barrique, 25% of which were new.
This is intensely aromatic with a strong rosemary/balsamic note that adds a lovely counterpoint to the red currant and candied red raspberry fruit tones. There are top notes of violet pastille and a whisper of vanilla adding gentle edges to the fruit. On the palate this has the classic rush of Sangiovese acids followed by juicy, wild strawberry fruit flecked with earth, herbs and mineral tones. There’s a slight roast meat savoriness to the mid-palate, with finely textured tannins adding some nice weight to the slightly under-ripe strawberry tones of the back end. This gains a little creaminess on the finish but end with a nice snap. 92pts
2003 Monsanto Chianti Classico Riserva Il Poggio
The last vintage aged exclusively in barrique, 50% of which were new, 50% second passage.
The nose here is deep and gamy with sour tones, yet full of spicy backed black cherry notes. With air this gains a n herbal edge and a deep veal reduction tone that has an impression of sweetness. Rich on entry with plenty of glycerine and then rather dry tannins this offers a rather curious combination of very ripe fruits and unripe tannins with some more wood tannins tacked on at the end. Then fruit gains some black raspberry tones on the finish, which is tannic and tough, before ending on notes of leather and mint. I’m not sure this is going to actually improve in the cellar as the tannins seem much more durable than the fruit. 86pts
2003 Monsanto Nemo
100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged in 100% new barrique
Adult candy, that’s what this smells like. It’s got a nice hint of underbrush followed by ripe black currant fruits edged in pencil lead and herbs in a cool, precise register. On the palate this is rich but not unctuous with a seamless fell that carries the dense fruit effortlessly across the palate. The ripe fruit tones are framed with slightly spicy notes of cinnamon and cigar box on the back end. This has exceptional balance, nothing sticks out, there is no excess fat or weight and no sign of the heat of the vintage. It’s still youthful so there is a touch of tannin to resolve and the finish ends with a bit more oak spice than I would like but that should all work itself out in after a year or three in the cellar. While I am not usually a fan of Tuscan Cabernet this ranks among the best of its type. 94pts
1995 La Chimera Vin Santo
This is the end of a long line of Monsanto Vin Santos as the estate has chosen to move to the Sangiovese based Occhio di Pernice style of Vin Santo. I can’t wait to try theirs!
Quite oxidative at first with a rich layered caramel, toffee and burnt marshmallow nose. With air nuanced notes of dried apricot, toasted pine nuts and bitter orange peel emerge adding real depth and complexity to the nose. On the palate this is big, thick and unctuous with huge sugars and acids giving this very sweet wine excellent balance. The flavors tend to the bitter end of the spectrum with notes of coffee, apricot pit, and burnt orange peel alleviating some of the unrelenting sweetness of the wine and then there’s a nice spicy note on the backend that shakes everything up and eases the mid-palate tension. The finish is long and quite evolved with notes of tobacco, molasses and dried figs. A powerful and complex Vin Santo. 93pts
[PAGEBREAK]
Castellare in Castellina
I have a lot of favorite Tuscan wines so it’s hard to single any one out in particular though the wines of Castellare di Castellina do have to take credit for some of my earliest experiences with Sangiovese based wines. It must have been the birds on the labels that attracted me; we all know how well critter wines sell. Maybe I was using those birds to make some sort of esoteric connection to the land. If these guys like birds they must like the land too! Who knows and I don’t recall but I do know that some of those earliest examples of Castellare, and their I Sodi bottling in particular, alerted my to the heights that Sangiovese based wines could achieve.
It’s not surprising then that the vineyards of Castellare, ranging from the hills under Castellina and extending out from under the winery some ways from the village were among the most attractive I had seen in Tuscany. The weather was a bit overcast during my visit but the warmth of this meso-climate was made obvious by the extent to which the vines still retained their brightly colored leaves. I may have been a week or two late to see the fall foliage at it’s peak but this display absolutely captivated me.
The estate, or more appropriately estates, of Castellare spread across some 80 hectares of land, with 33 under vine. The vineyards occupy the best sights in a naturally southeast facing amphitheatre. The estates center around the I Sodi di San Niccolo and Il Poggiale in addition to the more expansive portions of the property that supply the base wines in the estate’s portfolio.
These vineyards produce exceptional fruit due to their exposition and fine-layered soils with a balance between the famous galestro of the region, well draining marls and water retaining clays. The birds featured on their labels highlight the estate’s dedication to this environment. I was on to something afterall! In an effort to raise awareness about the impact of industry on the environment Castellare features threatened species of birds on their labels and is committed to practicing agriculture free of pesticides and herbicides in an effort to prevent further impact on the natural fauna. Their banning of hunting on the estate has further served to redevelop the complexity and harmony of their native biotope.
This preservationist mindset extends from the vineyards and into the cellars. Castellare has been at the forefront of distilling all that was good about traditional Chianti, yet was tossed aside with the winemaking revolution of the 1980’s. In particular their dedication to the Malvasia Nera grape as a partner for Sangiovese and their use of the governo process stand as two milestones in their efforts to take what was great about Chianti and bring it into the modern world.
The Chianti of old, in those great Fiaschi, were frequently thin, lean wines but there was a process, called governo, that added a layer of depth and richness to some wines. The governo process is much like the ripassa process used in the making of Valpolicella. Once the base wines is fermented, the governo process adds dried grapes to the wine and starts a slower second fermentation that not only add some alcoholic strength to the wine, but contribute a layer of dried fruit and spice notes that turns a simple Chianti into something fun, and just a little special.
The use of Malvasia Nera, once a somewhat common addition to Chianti, is a rarity these days. The fruit and aromatics the grape adds to the final blend give wines made with Malvasia a distinctive and complex note that sets them apart from more typical blends.
Like almost all estates in Tuscany these days, at least it seems that way; Castellare has a classic line-up as well as wines made with more international varieties. The classic wines, Chianti Classico and Riservas are all traditional blends, adding accents of Canaiolo and Ciliegiolo. The winemaking is fairly traditional, though barriques are used here with some enthusiasm. While I am generally barrique averse I have to say they are deftly managed here.
The I Sodi is somewhat of a bridge wine, using a traditional blend (the Sangioveto clone of Sangiovese and Malvasia Nera) that sees a fair amount of new barrique. Beyond I Sodi one finds Cabernet Sauvignon (Coniale), several white wines, and one of the best Merlots of Tuscany (Poggio ai Merli), which is saying a lot.
[PAGEBREAK]
The Wines of Castellare
2007 Castellare Chianti Classico
Aged in third passage barrique
This has a wonderful purity to the sweet, slightly candied notes of barely ripe crushed raspberries with hints of medicinal roots, flowers and bay leaves adding contrast. In the mouth this exhibits a light to medium bodied feel and is very fruit driven with a core of black currant and raspberry fruit that exhibits excellent cut and focus. There are hints of underbrush and herbs on the palate that show up on the big, pure finish with fruit that’s just a touch chunky and an almost spicy note of green anise seeds on the finale. A lovely wine, full and fresh. 90pts
2006 Castellare Chianti Classico Riserva
Also aged in third passage barrique
The nose here exhibits bright cherry fruit with background notes of moss and worn wood with mineral and licorice highlights. In the mouth the first thing one notices are the super fine, polished tannins that give this an elegant and balanced feel. The red currant fruit is buoyed by the bright acids and has a lovely hint of astringency that keeps everything fresh and dynamic in the mouth. The fruit gains more wild cherry accents with air and reveals big mineral and pressed flower notes that lead to a rich, earthy finish. A complete and suave Chianti. 92pts
2003 I Sodi di San Niccolo
Aged for 2 years in barrique, 75% new, followed by 2 years in bottle
Slightly jammy on the nose, but exhibiting a chalky dryness as well with notes of roast meat and dried medicinal roots. With air this gains some focus with a touch of celery and hints of rosewood and quinine. The fruit remains pretty jammy and black with refreshing notes of mint and minerals offering some relief from the darkness. In the mouth this is rich and chewy with solid acids and a fairly tannic profile. It’s got plenty of fruit to buffer the tannins and gains a bit of a peppery tone from the wood that works well with the wine’s innate sweetness. The finish is moderately long with notes of burnished cherry and bitter melon rind that are highlighted by a touch of raspy mouthgrab. This is definitely a frontloaded wine and may reveal better length in time but is not among the finest I Sodis. 89pts
2004 I Sodi di San Niccolo
There’s something a touch funky on the nose here with a very smoky and minerally profile that recalls bacon fat and ashes but there’s also plenty of sweet fruit and even a hint of apricot glaze. In the mouth this is elegant and very refined with big, black cherry fruit that’s tight and wound up. There are lovely, nuanced notes of sandalwood, dried citrus rinds and herbs in the mouth but the tannins really clamp down on the finish. Nonetheless the core of fruit is just so pretty, faceted, and ripe that this is certain to benefit from several years aging. 94pts
2003 Poggio ai Merli
100% Merlot that sees 18 months in barrique (2/3’s new) followed by 18 months in bottle.
Cocoa, milk chocolate and plum aromas explode from the glass followed by some noticeably woody sweetness and layers of cigar box, green tobacco, red apple, lime peels, and fudge notes. This certainly has some aromatic fireworks and the palate follows them well with a silky and bright feel that supports deep, red plum fruits dusted in bittersweet cocoa tones. The wood is a bit obvious still but well integrated though the cigarbox tones do take control on the finish. The finish is quite long and nice acids keep everything moving along though this has a slightly rustic edge it’s a great success for the vintage. 93pts
Did you miss the first articles in this series?
Find them here.
Part one: Arrival and Montalcino
Part Two: Getting settled in Greve (hide)
Starting at $12.99 
