Country: | Italy |
Regions: | Tuscany Chianti |
Winery: | Piemaggio |
Grape Type: | Sangiovese |
Organic: | Yes |
Vintage: | 2012 |
Bottle Size: | 750 ml |
Tenuta di Nozzole La Forra Chianti Classico Riserva is made from 100% Sangiovese.
Located north of the village of Greve in the heart of the Chianti Classico region, the Nozzole estate covers a striking, rugged, mountainous area of about 1,000 acres at 984 feet in elevation. In order to obtain concentration and complexity in the wine, yields are kept low. The grapes are hand harvested, destemmed and crushed. Fermentation is initiated on the skins in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, followed by a maceration period to draw out color and tannins. The wine is racked into stainless steel tanks for malolactic fermentation before aging in oak vats and in bottle before release. The wine is bottled on the estate.
The 2020 vintage was characterized by a basically cold period between April and May and by a generally warm and dry climate until July. The initial slight delay of the vegetative cycle has been recovered since the summer. The sudden increase in temperatures, especially for the later varieties where the fruit set had not yet ended, has favored a production characterized by sparse and light bunches. The stable and sunny climate of the months of August and September allowed the grapes to complete ripening in optimal conditions.
Review:
Attractive on the nose with cherries, red berries, dried herbs and baking spices. It’s medium-bodied with fine tannins. Harmonious and poised with a refined character. Weightless and agile. Polished and succulent finish.
-Wine Enthusiast 93 Points
Ricudda Chianti Classico Riserva 100% Sangiovese.
Deep ruby red color.
The wine shows an intense and persistent bouquet, with notes of berries and spices such as licorice and black pepper. Well-harmonized hints of oak.
In the mouth, it is well structured and balanced, complex, persistent with notes of red fruits and spices such as black pepper and licorice.
Pair with grilled red meats, steak, game of hair and feather, stewed and roasted, aged cheeses hard like pecorino.
Review:
"A very fine riserva with black-cherry, walnut with some cedar aromas and flavors. It’s medium-bodied with lovely tension and a fresh finish. Racy and refined. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold."
- James Suckling (June 2022), 93 pts
Ricudda Chianti Classico Riserva 100% Sangiovese.
Deep ruby red color.
The wine shows an intense and persistent bouquet, with notes of berries and spices such as licorice and black pepper. Well-harmonized hints of oak.
In the mouth, it is well structured and balanced, complex, persistent with notes of red fruits and spices such as black pepper and licorice.
Pair with grilled red meats, steak, game of hair and feather, stewed and roasted, aged cheeses hard like pecorino.
Ruffino Romitorio di Santedame Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG is made from 90% Sangiovese, 10% Colorino.
Romitorio di Santedame, a limited-production Gran Selezione from Castellina in Chianti, pays homage to a rich history while embracing a bright future. It originates from a single vineyard within the Chianti Classico's "golden basin" (Conca d'Oro) and is crafted from an exclusive blend of Sangiovese and Colorino. The latter is a native Tuscan grape variety that was nearly extinct but has experienced a revival through dedicated research and promotion efforts.
Fruity aromas typical of Sangiovese, including black cherry and ripe plum, with violet and complex chocolate and black pepper notes. The palate offers sweet tobacco and balsamic hints, while its balanced structure with refined tannins and lively acidity makes it suitable for extended aging.
Review:
You feel the oak here, suggesting vanilla and clove character, but it’s very well complemented by the dark fruit, ranging from blackberries to mulberries to dark cherries. Full-bodied, dense and decadent with a regal structure and muscular tannin backbone. The acidity cuts nicely through on the long finish and provides freshness. Drink from 2024.
-James Suckling 94 Points
All older vintage wines have been purchased from a single collectors cellar. Pictures can be requested before shipment.
Farnio Chianti Montalbano Riserva is made from 90% Sangiovese, 5% Canaiolo and 5% Colorino.
Brilliant ruby red with plain ruby shades, fairly clear. Blackberry and violet notes emerge on the nose with spiced and vegetal tones, leading to a leathery and pencil lead finish. Elegant, pleasant, pure and intense aromas but vigorous and round. Slightly tannic and fresh, balanced and full-bodied.
Wild boar in sauce, grilled meat, casseroles, game and mature pecorino cheese.
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Piemaggio Chianti Classico Riserva Le Fioraie is made from Sangiovese 90%, Colorino, Canaiolo Ciliegiolo 10%
The wine is only produced in the best vintage years, from Sangiovese grapes that are carefully selected at the time of the harvest, and a small part of Colorino, Canaiolo and Ciliegiolo. The south-southwest exposure of the vineyards combined with the altitude of 380-480 meters and the complexity of the soil, mostly composed of galestro and Alberese, bring to life a wine of excellent structure, elegance and balance - the perfect embodiment of the best qualities of its territory.
The nose is intense, elegant and persistent with hints of berries and violets. On the palate it is well-textured and elegant with a great balance between tannins and acidity.
Production area: (Le Fioraie) Castellina in Chianti (Siena)
Altitude: 350-480 meters above sea level.
Soil Composition: middle dough soil rich in mineral with galestro and alberese (Typical of this area).
Plant per hectare: 4,800
Cultivation technique: Guyot
Green harvest and selection of the best grapes in the vineyards with great characteristics in terms of production and sun exposure.
Traditional winemaking with controlled temperature in stainless steal tank, with skin contact maceration for around 25 days, pumping overs and delestages. Aging for about 36 months with passages in concrete vats, in French oak casks of 25 HL and then in tonneaux. 3 months in the bottle.
Serve with mushroom risotto, red meat, stew and dry aged cheeses.
The Piemaggio estate is located at Le Fioraie, a hamlet on the north-western side of the Castellina in Chianti territory, along the road to Poggibonsi, in the heart of the historical Chianti Classico. Piemaggio is the name of the farmhouse in the centre of the estate. The most ancient part of the farmhouse dates back to the XI-XII century AD. The remains of an age-old 'Pieve' (church) in the heart of the property, bear witness to the agricultural vocation of the site. Religious orders in the middle ages acted as the custodians of agricultural knowledge, handing it down throughout the centuries.
The name of the estate, Piemaggio, probably originates from the presence of the Pieve ('Pie') located on the highest hillside ('maggiore') in the estate.
The drawing with the three flower sellers, repeated on the wine labels, has represented the identity of the wines since 1954. Le Fioraie, in Italian 'the flower sellers', is the name of the place where the estate is located.
“Legend has it that the name of Le Fioraie is linked to the pilgrim friar who passed by the estate, many centuries ago, one day in a very hot summer. The pilgrim, exhausted after so much walking in the excessive heat, fainted. Three sisters, local flower sellers, saw the friar crumple on the ground and offered him a glass of wine to revive him. The friar thanked the flower sellers and resumed his pilgrimage, but he never forgot the place. After a few months he returned, started building a small church and planted a few vines."
We'll never know whether this tale is history or legend: however, the three flower sellers are the symbol linking the wine to its place of production, A direct homage to this magical corner of the Chianti Classico area.
The vineyards at Piemaggio cover over 12 hectares. The vines, all trained with the Guyot system, grow on a number of separate hillsides with south and south-westerly aspect. The altitude sits between 380 and 480 metres above sea level, with slopes of variable steepness.
Thick woods surround the vineyards on all sides. Together with the altitude and the constant breeze, the presence of the forest helps protect both vines and grapes from damaging summer droughts.
The galestro and alberese soils, part of the geological heritage of Chianti Classico sites, guarantee perfect drainage of the vineyards: an essential feature for the healthy development of the vines.
At Piemaggio, the Sangiovese grape variety reigns supreme, covering about 10 hectares in total. The clones used in the vines have been carefully selected: at the moment, six have been identified.
Colorino, Canaiolo and Ciliegiolo are the other vine varieties typical of the Chianti Classico territory that grow on the estate besides Sangiovese. Lastly, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes grow towards the production of an IGT wine.
600 olive trees grow on the estate's grounds, producing an extra-virgin olive oil with all the typical features of a Tuscan oil from the Chianti hills.
The cellar
The cellar at Piemaggio is situated roughly one kilometre from the farmhouse and the vineyards, as the crow flies. It was modernised in 2014, with the purchase of new 100HL steel vats for controlled temperature fermentation.
The ageing phase takes place within 110HL vats in fiberglass concrete. During this important part of the process, the vats help preserve the integrity and freshness of the Sangiovese grown at Piemaggio.
The cellar also hosts 25HL French oak barrels as well as 5HL tonneaux, also made of French wood, used for the Chianti Classico Le Fioraie, Chianti Classico Riserva Le Fioraie and Piemaggio, an IGT wine.
Burgo Viejo Rioja Gran Reserva is made from 100 percent Tempranillo. 30 year old vines.
Burgo Viejo Gran Reserva shows a deep red ruby color and offers powerful aromas of blackberry jam, spice, leather, chocolate with toasty nuances. Smooth yet full-bodied with firm tannins and a long finish.
Review:
"Shimmering garnet. Aromas of cherry, blueberry, candied flowers, tobacco and coconut pick up a smoky overtone with air. Smooth and fleshy on the palate, offering ripe red and blue fruit, mocha, cola and spicecake qualities that tighten up on the back half. Finishes long and supple with repeating spiciness, even tannins and a lingering suggestion of red berry preserves. This old-school Rioja was aged for two years in 90% American and 10% French oak. - Josh Raynolds"
- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (April 2021), 92 pts
2010 Burgo Viejo Rioja Gran Reserva - Silver Medal - MUNDUS VINI
Avennia Arnaut Syrah is made of 100% Syrah
For our taste, no one grows finer Syrah in the state than Dick Boushey. We named this wine after the Provencal Troubadour Arnaut Daniel, who invented the Sestina poem form, thus creating a connection between our two flagship efforts.
"Deep, dark Syrah notes on the nose, with dark blackberry, blueberry reduction, grilled meat, crushed olive, black licorice, camphor, pen ink, and cracked black pepper. The palate is super concentrated and dense, tightly focused, and deeply complex. Savory blueberry, pan drippings, a hint of orange essence, and hand-rubbed sage come through on the extremely long and nuanced finish. A compelling wine that will age for a couple decades at least." - Chris Peterson, Winemaker
We make this wine with minimal manipulation, using native yeasts and bottling unfined and unfiltered, to allow the "place" to shine through.
AVA: Yakima Valley
Blend: 100% Boushey Vineyard Syrah
Winemaking: 15% whole cluster, native yeast, 15% new French oak, aged 16 months, bottled unfined & unfiltered.
Review:
"Boushey Vineyard is holy ground for Syrah in Washington. This is yet another wine that will inspire a vinous pilgrimage. Dried herb, smoked meat, iron, and dark fruit aromas lead to full-bodied, saturated, palate-staining dark fruit flavors. The intensity is off the charts – earthshaking, with wave upon wave of dark fruit flavors. There’s plenty of structure around it all. It sticks around for a long, slightly warm finish. Best enjoyed at a cool 62 degrees. Give it a long decant if drinking in the near term." - Sean P. Sullivan
95 points & Critic's Choice, Northwest Wine Report
All varietal from a great vineyard in the Yakima Valley, the 2020 Syrah Arnaut Boushey Vineyard offers a perfumed, complex nose of mulled red and black berries, peppery, savory herbs, and some meaty, iron-like nuances. This complex, medium to full-bodied beauty has fine tannins, a layered, elegant mouthfeel, and a gorgeous finish.
- Jeb Dunnuck, 94 pts.
Marques de Casa Concha Heritage is made from 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc, & 4% Petit Verdot.
Deep, dark red in color with lush flavors of cherries, blackcurrants, blackberries, cedar, and a bit of black tar. It shows a tremendous concentration of flavors and a smooth, almost silky texture framed by a firm tannic structure that truly stands out at the beginning of the long finish.
This wine pairs beautifully with grilled, roasted, or braised red meats and game in sauces that have a bit of acidity, with tomato or wine or with herbs such as rosemary, thyme, and bay leaf. A perfect wine for most cheeses.
100% estate grown red blend from renowned Puente Alto terroir. Chile’s most acclaimed DO. Upon arriving at the winery, the grapes are destemmed and crushed for fermentation, which takes place in closed stainless steel tanks with daily pump overs throughout the entire 10-day process. The new wine remains in contact with its skins for approximately 10 days, when it is devatted and malolactic fermentation is allowed to take place naturally.
The wine then underwent 16 months in French oak barrels, 40% first use, 60% second use.
El Mariscal vineyard is 600 meters above sea level and is made up of 52.95 hectares, of which 46.23 correspond to Cabernet Sauvignon, 4.52 to Cabernet Franc and 2.20 to Petit Verdot; and it has a density of 5,500 plants/ha, vines that come from mass selection and are mostly on loam. Meanwhile, Don Melchor vineyard is 650 meters above sea level and is made up of 125.96 hectares, of which 112.67 correspond to Cabernet Sauvignon, 1.28 to Cabernet Franc, 2.45% to Merlot, 1.28 to Petit Verdot and 8.28 to ground in rotation. It has a density of 2,000 to 4,000 plants/ha, and the new one (20%), planted between 2004 and 2017 and with a density of 8,000 plants/ha. The vines come from pre-phylloxera mass selection and are on loam. The vineyards are located in the Puente Alto denomination of origin, on the northern bank of the Maipo River, specifically on the river’s third alluvial terrace, which is one of the oldest and that instills great character and elegance to the wines that come from there. The soils are of alluvial origin, rocky, poor in nutrients, and highly permeable due to the amount of gravel in the subsoil, which enables excellent drainage. The climate is semi-arid Mediterranean with a strong influence of the Andes Mountains. This is the coldest part of the Maipo Valley. Its pronounced daily temperature oscillation of approximately 18ºC extends the grape ripening process, concentrating and intensifying its aromas.
Review:
Black pepper and cherry give way to hints of chocolate after some aeration in the glass. The same notes show on the palate and blend with bell pepper. This red comes from the alluvial soils in the D.O. Puente Alto and is full bodied, with a firm structure. Moderate acidity is enough to freshen up the finish.
-Wine Enthusiast 92 Points