Riecine, Vigna Gittori, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2019 (14.5%)
£80 Alliance Wine
For all the grumblings, Gran Selezione has been a resounding success for Chianti: a straightforward and recognisable way for estate owners to offer the world their ‘best wines’. They are often lovely wines, and here’s a great example. When Chianti sings, nothing could be more civilised, more refined: one sniff of the settled fruits, the cypress and bay leaf, the oak copse and dried cep that your nose can intuit in this glass makes the case. In the mouth it’s fresh, sustained and intricate, weighty yet almost weightless thanks to its impeccable balance. It’s hard not to think of Old Master paintings – or the landscapes of Tuscany itself – once you have this beautifully vinified Sangiovese waiting patiently in your glass.
Led by winemaker and general manager Alessandro Campatelli, everyone at Riecine is an unapologetic Sangiovese adherent – no splashes of Cabernet here (even its SuperTuscan is 100% Sangiovese).
Riecine occupies a magical spot in the commune of Gaiole in Chianti, and wine has been made here since at least the 12th century. ‘We are located in the middle of a forest that was cared for by monks for over seven centuries and contains unusual trees for the area,’ explains Campatelli. ‘Normally you find holm oaks in the forests of Chianti Classico, but here we have cypress, fir and pines, so our 2019 Vigna Gittori [the debut vintage] expresses all the balsamic and resin flavours coming from this area. We also want to show that the Gran Selezione category is not reserved for full-bodied “muscle wines”.’
Despite its historic setting, Riecine shares the same, very real issues faced by many of its peers – including climate change. ‘In the 1980s it was often hard to reach perfect ripening. Today we are fighting to maintain Chianti’s traditional characteristics. However, we are at 500m, and by leaving leaves on the vine to shield the grapes, and picking earlier, we are obtaining light, fresh wines – as Chianti Classico should be.’