Chardonnay Toscana IGT 2024

Isole e Olena | Tuscany
Isole e Olena S.r.l. | Loc. Isole 1 | IT 50021 Barberino Val d'Elsa

09460124 · 0,75 l · 116,00 €/l · Price (DE) incl. VAT, excl. Shippingavailable immediately

It was a provocation. When Paolo De Marchi began planting Chardonnay on the hills of San Donato in Poggio in the late 1970s, the response from the Chianti Classico region was unequivocal: that wasn't what they did here. This is Sangiovese country. An obsession with international grape varieties. Paolo planted it anyway – on six hectares that hardly anyone would have considered suitable for Chardonnay: north-facing, at over 400 metres, completely surrounded by woodland, on soils of limestone, marl and galestro that have defined Chianti Classico for its red wines.

That was the crux of the matter. For it is precisely these conditions – cool temperatures, altitude, mineral-rich soils, and no direct afternoon sunlight – that give the Chardonnay here something it cannot find in warmer locations: tension. Freshness. A minerality that no other vineyard further down the valley can match. Vintage after vintage, the wine proved that Chianti Classico can also produce white wines with identity, emotion and longevity. It quickly became a rarity – produced in such limited quantities and sold out so quickly that it was known internally as the "silent wine".

2024 was a different year for this wine compared to 2023. Better natural acidity, better pH – Emanuele Reolon decided, for the first time in years, to put 10% of the wine through malolactic fermentation. "We have no rules at Isole e Olena," he says. "Paolo taught us not to follow a recipe, but to respond to the needs of the vintage." Fermentation and ageing inLiters, a third of which are new. Bâtonnage, followed by "roulage" – rolling the barrels to mix the wine with the yeast sediment without opening the barrique. Twelve months' ageing.

A bright, pale gold colour with greenish highlights. The bouquet is spicy and alluring: lime, green apple, white peach, fresh bread crust straight from the oven, and a hint of cinnamon and vanilla. On the palate, it is full-bodied with a creamy texture, featuring fresh, lively acidity and a long, slightly citrus-tinged final. This Chardonnay has proven that Chianti Classico knows no bounds. SUPERIORE.DE

"Full-bodied and waxy in style, with aromas of ripe peaches, quinces, raw almonds and an appealing hint of clove. Medium to full-bodied, structured and compact, yet quite delicate, with a rounded texture. Broad and long-lasting, with a delicious finish. Suitable for immediate enjoyment or for ageing." James Suckling

"The 2024 Chardonnay is terrific. It's a wine that beautifully reconciles textural richness with the stated desire here to make wines of notable freshness. Citrus confit, slate, white pepper, chalk and mint are some of the notes that come alive in the glass. I especially admire the wine's brightness. The cool growing season was ideal for Chardonnay. Élevage continues the trend of reducing bâtonnage that started with the 2023. This is terrific." Vinous