Wines from Tuscany | Chianti

Dark, bright ruby with garnet colour. Pure power of aromas, dense and complex with notes of black cherries, smoked ham, savoury herbs, tobacco, liquorice and many other nuances. Equally fascinating on the palate, firm tannins, impressive complexity and depth with noticeable potential for ageing. SUPERIORE.DE

Aqua Vitae is the result of the collaboration between Distilleria Artigiana di Gioacchino Nannoni, which directly takes care of the entire process of distillation, maturation and bottling, and Azienda Agricola di Montevertine, which supplies the Sangiovese marc from the vineyard "Le Pergole Torte". After steam distillation, the wine is matured for about four years in oak Caratelli casks. Amber in the glass, soft, warm, intense and gently enveloping on the nose and palate - stylistically it is more like an Armagnac than a grappa. SUPERIORE.DE

When you hear the story of the effort that went into the Colonia vineyard, you have to wonder if the fine people of Fèlsina are absolutely crazy. It took them two years to remove the imposing rock that had forced previous generations of the Poggiali family to virtually abandon this noble site. But it is thanks to the ambitious Giovanni Poggiali that this spectacular vineyard (Vigneto Colonia) became what it is today. It has reddish-brown soils, is rich in magnesium and iron, and is thus quite different from all other Fèlsina sites.

Only 1,650 bottles of this 1.5-hectare single-vineyard Cabernet Franc "Campo di Camagi" (mainly quartz and limestone) are sold worldwide in specialised shops and on the menus of the best restaurants. Campo di Camagi is a very precise and focussed wine. The high quality of the Cabernet Franc grape can be felt in every sip. Black fruits and spices are elegantly united here and the full, racy body of this exceptional wine will only fully reveal itself in many years. Be sure to put this bottle far away! SUPERIORE.DE

1,900 bottles of this 0.8-hectare Cabernet Franc single vineyard "Campo di Tenaglia" (at an altitude of approx. 550 metres, mainly limestone) are sold worldwide in specialist shops and on the menus of the best restaurants. An impenetrable, dark-coloured wine with a bouquet of flint, crushed minerals and some chalk. The texture is rich and opulent, but always supple with a hint of minerality. Campo di Tenaglia is one of the juiciest Cabernet Francs we have ever had in our glass. Wonderful, long final and certainly great Storage potential. SUPERIORE.DE

Testamatta means something like "crazy in the head" and this name sums it up perfectly. When you know the mad obsession with which Bibi Graetz pursues viticulture on the island of Giglio, you no longer have to wonder about the terrificand highly personalised results that Bibi has been bottling for years. This was preceded by several years of experimentation, research and a lot of hard work until the best of the over 100-year-old Ansonica vines from the rocky Serrone vineyard were finally identified.

Just 2,100 bottles of this 1.5-hectare single-vineyard Cabernet Franc "Campo di Magnacosta" (a former riverbed with mainly clay, gravel and crushed stone soil) are sold worldwide in specialised shops and on the menus of the best restaurants. The vines were planted in the mid-1990s and come from the Pomerol region. In terms of aromatic intensity, Magnacosta is probably the most sensual and elegant of the estate's three great Cabernets. It is very straightforward, but somewhat less powerful and intense. It subtly combines black fruit flavours with spicy notes, tar and antique leather. It is already silky and elegant and will certainly become even more refined over the years. SUPERIORE.DE

Historically, the vineyards of Castello di Fonterutoli are situated in the territories of three neighbouring municipalities within the Chianti Classico region: Castellina in Chianti, Castelnuovo Berardenga and Radda in Chianti. With the 2017 vintage, the Mazzei family vinified all three major vineyards separately as Chianti Classico Gran Selezione for the first time, in order to reflect the diversity of the terroir: Castello di Fonterutoli, Vicoregio 36 and Badiola.

Black as night – that is how Andrea Franchetti himself described this wine when it was vinified separately for the first time in 2014. Campo di Camagi represents the extreme opposite in Trinoro's Cabernet Franc trilogy: whilst Magnacosta soars and Tenaglia stretches, Camagi is dense. One and a half hectares at an altitude of 550 metres, a flat, stony soil of crushed quartz and limestone – hardly any humus, hardly any depth. The vines, over 27 years old, fight for every centimetre; their roots penetrate the hard layer, filling the limited space completely. This struggle for space, this competition in the soil, manifests itself in the wine: concentration, density, weight. Twelve months in stainless steel tanks, eight months in barriques, a further twelve months in concrete – a vinification process that gives the wine time to organise its power without taming it.

Where the sun sets – right where the light last touches the steep hillside plot before sinking behind the contours of the Val d'Orcia – lies Campo di Tenaglia. This vineyard covers just eight tenths of a hectare at an altitude of 500 metres, yet what grows here on rugged limestone and coarse, sandy soil possesses an intensity that stands out even amongst Trinoro's crus. The soil extends to a depth of over two metres; the roots of the Cabernet Franc vines, which are over 25 years old, reach down into the mineral, skeletal layers – and lend the wine its powerful character. Tenaglia embodies tension.

Testamatta means something like "crazy in the head" and this name sums it up perfectly. When you know the crazy obsession with which Bibi Graetz pursues viticulture on the island of Giglio, you no longer have to wonder about the terrificand highly personalised results that Bibi has been bottling for years. This was preceded by several years of experimentation, research and a lot of hard work until the best of the over 100-year-old Ansonica vines in the rocky Serrone vineyard were finally identified. harvest is carried out exclusively by hand and each grape is meticulously selected according to quality and ripeness, which then finds its way to the wine cellar on the island. After destemming and gentle pressing under dry ice, the grapes are left to macerate for 48 hours at a low temperature before being transferred unfiltered to 225-litre barriques for fermentation, where the wine then matures for a further 12 months.

A plot of land next to the house, with olive trees, vines and oak trees: this is how a document from the family archive describes the Siepi vineyard, and the estate counts it amongst the oldest documented vineyards in Italy. The land has belonged to the Mazzei family since 1435. Sangiovese from here provided cuttings for other winegrowers, and the mass selection that defines Fonterutoli's heritage began in this vineyard. In the early 1980s, the family then planted Merlot here – according to the estate, one of the first in Chianti Classico to do so – and the soil had the final say. The first vintage followed in 1992.

In 2011, Campo di Magnacosta was the first of three single-varietal Cabernet Franc crus created by Andrea Franchetti, who recognised that his vines – over 20 years old and with deep-reaching root systems – were capable of precisely reflecting the distinctive character of each individual terroir. This 1.5-hectare plot lies on the valley floor at an altitude of 400 metres, where an old stream disappeared beneath the surface and carved its way into the hillside – magna costa, the 'eating hillside' – leaving behind river sediments of gravel and silt. The vines were planted over two decades ago using cuttings from a vineyard in Pomerol, where Cabernet Franc has been grown for three centuries. This deep, well-drained soil gives the Magnacosta a character that differs fundamentally from its two siblings: the wine seems to burst with energy, is complex and relatively light in colour, yet deep and straightforward with an airy, fresh character.

Thomas Bär was dreaming out loud. He spoke openly about the fact that he regarded wines such as Solaia from Antinori or Le Pin from Pomerol as a benchmark – not out of arrogance, but out of conviction: That the Pietraforte soils of the Conca d'Oro at 450 to 500 metres in Panzano have the terroir to bear something extraordinary. The Balisca was his most personal answer to this question. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, exclusively from the estate's own Panzano vineyards – a decision that is still unusual in the Chianti Classico zone. 1,200 bottles.

In 1975, Roccaldo Acuti planted a small plot of Cabernet Sauvignon alongside the Sangiovese – a risky move that half of Panzano at the time saw as a betrayal of Chianti, but which is now regarded as a sign of foresight. This plot gave rise to Bruno di Rocca, the wine that showcases the estate's Super Tuscan side without ever denying its Tuscan roots. The name honours Bruno Acuti, who planted the plot together with his father Roccaldo, long before Cabernet Sauvignon was even permitted in Chianti. In the 2020 vintage, Cabernet Sauvignon dominates at 85 per cent, complemented by 15% Sangiovese from the same high-altitude vineyards between 480 and 550 metres, where galestro and limestone provide coolness and structure. Unlike the estate's single-varietal Sangiovese wines, this wine is aged in tonneaux and a small proportion in barriques; here, the wood is allowed to play a greater role because the Cabernet demands it and the fruit has the body to support it.

Piaggia Riserva is pure elegance in a bottle: clear ruby red colour, almost impenetrable, very consistent. Raspberry compote, dried orange peel, roses, exotic spices and a hint of cocoa on the broodingbouquet. Silky and refined on the palate, with notes of violets, ripe red and black fruits in rapid succession. Its lively acidity retains exceptional finesse, although the primary fruit slowly asserts itself. Finishes long with a layer of sweet tannins and balsamic cherry flavours. Its finesse and balance are already astonishing at a young age, and the best will only come in a few years. SUPERIORE.DE

In the late 1980s, Luca Sanjust planted the first Merlot clones in the clay-rich soils of Feriale, unaware that he was about to create a legend. The name Galatrona – once the estate of the Tuscan dynasty, whose medieval watchtower towers above the ten-hectare vineyard – was to become synonymous with Italian Merlot perfection. "The Le Pin of Tuscany", as Wine Spectator calls it, yet at a fraction of the price of that legendary Pomerol. The 50,000 vines on south-east-facing terraces combine Bordeaux genetics with a Tuscan soul. Clay retains the moisture that Merlot needs during the hot summers, whilst slate, marl and sandstone provide the mineral complexity.

In 1990, Lucia Bazzocchi Sanjust planted a small plot of Merlot, intended as a blending component for the Torrione, not as a wine in its own right. Fate had other ideas: in 1994, the harvest from this plot was overlooked; the grapes were left on the vine for too long, and, unsure of their quality, the family vinified them separately. That very autumn, the young critic James Suckling was a guest in Mercatale Valdarno and was so impressed by the barrel that he urged Luca Sanjust to bottle the wine undiluted. And so, from an overlooked vineyard, the Galatrona was born, whose 2024 vintage now marks the 30th vintage since that unintended initial success.

When you hear the story of the effort that went into the Colonia vineyard, you have to wonder if the fine people of Fèlsina are absolutely crazy. It took them two years to remove the imposing rock that had forced previous generations of the Poggiali family to practically abandon this noble location. But it is thanks to the ambitious Giovanni Poggiali that this spectacular vineyard (Vigneto Colonia) has become what it is today. It has reddish-brown soils, is rich in magnesium and iron and is therefore very different from all other Fèlsina vineyards.

Smells intensely of redcurrants and black cherries, leather, spices and liquorice. Lush and flowing on the palate, all elements merge into a great, striking wine. Great potential! SUPERIORE.DE

1983 was the first year. Luca Martini di Cigala, who was at that time in the process of taking over an estate that was still selling its wine in bulk to Antinori and Ruffino, decided to do the opposite of what many of his contemporaries were doing: no international grape varieties, no modernisation of the label, no barriques full of vanilla. A single wine, from a single vineyard, made from a single grape variety. Sangiovese. San Giusto a Rentennano. – Percarlo made its debut with the 1983 vintage – and immediately began to rewrite the history of Chianti Classico. The wine's philosophy is that of its maker: the vineyard comes before the cellar. The grapes for Percarlo are not selected by plot; instead, every bunch of grapes is examined, every vine, every site. The yield is one kilogram per vine. This has been the approach since 2001, because Martini di Cigala recognised how inconsistent Sangiovese can be from vine to vine, even within the same plot. The soils that give Percarlo its character date predominantly from the Pliocene – layers of sand and stones, two to five metres deep, resting on a bed of clay and earth. Mineral-rich, well-drained, with the ability to influence the Sangiovese over the years.

Geremia founded the Ricasoli family in the 7th or 8th century – at a time when Chianti was not yet the name of a wine, but a battleground between rival noble families. His descendant, Marco Ricasoli-Firidolfi, now runs the same estate, on the same land, in Gaiole in Chianti. And he named this wine after his ancestor. This is particularly intriguing given that the Geremia is not a Sangiovese. In 1997, Marco planted Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon across 2.5 hectares of his hillside – deliberately, out of curiosity, and with a clear question in mind: what does this terroir express in a different language? The calcareous-clay soils at altitudes of between 340 and 510 metres, the south-southeast exposure, the microclimate between Florence and Siena – everything that shapes Sangiovese is also available here to the Bordeaux varieties. Hand-harvested in baskets, fermented in temperature-controlled tanks, aged for 24 months in medium-toasted Allier barriques, bottled unfiltered, and aged in bottle for 18 months. Certified organic.

When you hear the story of the effort that went into the Colonia vineyard, you have to wonder if the fine people of Fèlsina are absolutely crazy. It took them two years to remove the imposing rock that had forced previous generations of the Poggiali family to practically abandon this noble location. But it is thanks to the ambitious Giovanni Poggiali that this spectacular vineyard (Vigneto Colonia) has become what it is today. It has reddish-brown soils, is rich in magnesium and iron and is therefore very different from all other Fèlsina vineyards.