2015 Carpineto Chianti Classico Gran Selezione

2015 Carpineto Chianti Classico Gran Selezione

2015 Carpineto Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Deep ruby red due to the high concentration of anthocyanins. Pronounced aromas of wild berries, interlaced with hints of vanilla and spicy notes on the finish: it’s complexity will amplify during the extraordinary longevity of this wine. Palate sensations confirm and emphasize the olfactory complexity, revealing even greater strength, texture and persistence. Its elegance is already evident, destined to turn into absolute harmony with cellaring.

91 Robert Parker: Carpineto farms Sangiovese and other grapes in the most important wine appellations of Tuscany, including Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. This is the first time I am seeing a Gran Selezione from this far-reaching estate. The 2015 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione shows dark fruit, plum, prune and soft touches of potting soil. The wine delivers thick lines and dense contours that are even more evident in this hot and sunny vintage. This would be a nice Sangiovese to pair with a Tuscan peposo—meat stewed in tomato and red wine.

Sangiovese

Sangiovese (or Nielluccio in Corsica), a dark-berried vine, is the most widely planted grape variety in Italy. Virtually synonymous with the red wines of Tuscany, and all the romanticism that goes with the territory, Sangiovese is the core constituent in some of the great names in Italian wine. Italy’s love affair with Sangiovese – and indeed the world’s – is generations old, though recent grapevine research suggests the variety is not as ancient as once thought. At the dawn of the 21st Century, Sangiovese equated to roughly one in every 10 vines on the Italian peninsula.

The quality of Sangiovese wine can be notoriously variable. But, in the 1980s, drastically improved winemaking techniques saw a significant shift toward more quality-oriented releases. Sangiovese has numerous clones and is consequently known by many synonyms in its native Italy. Good-quality Sangiovese is prized for its high acid, firm tannins and balanced nature. Savory flavors of dark cherries and black stonefruit are characteristic, and may be backed by secondary notes of tomato leaf and dried herbs. The use of oak has become more popular and this coaxes richer flavors from the grapes, tending toward plum and wild raspberry.