From: Tuscany, Italy
Blend: Sangiovese and Merlot
Critical acclaim and taste: ”Rigid in the primary profile offering notes of cut grass, split stalks, blackcurrants, Bach flowers, and cardamom. Medium to full-bodied, mature, and compact with silky tannins and a clear, precise finale. Balsamic notes in the after-tasting and a profile that doesn't seem to be scratched over time show the quality of this Riserva made in Chianti Classico that year. Drink now or hold." - 91/100, Raffaele Vecchione - WinesCritic.com
Pairing: A classic match for a good Chianti is bistecca fiorentina (check out the Bistek recipe below!), and the wine also matches well with duck, lamb, and pork. The acidity in the wine cuts through fattier cuts well. Lighter versions will work very well with poultry and various creamy pasta dishes, risotto, pizza, roasts, Mediterranean takeout, or mushrooms served in almost any of its renditions.
Bistek
By Angela Dimayuga
About. Comprised of about 350 farming families who contribute to growing the Cantina Sociale Colli Fiorentini (they’re based in Montespertoli, more on that below), the world's largest producer of Chianti wine.
For almost 50 years, they have been conserving and protecting about 1,500ha of the Tuscan landscape. They keep their traditions alive with the pride distinguishing every Italian family and its territory.
About the region. Chianti Montespertoli is located in the heart of picturesque Tuscany in central Italy. It is one of seven sub-denominations incorporated in the Chianti DOCG, which received its classification in 1984. Montespertoli is the newest sub-zone officially recognized as part of this classification (joining in 1997), as it was once part of Chianti Colli Fiorentini.
Vineyards are found on the undulating topography created by the hills of Montespertoli in the province of Florence. It is separated from the famous Chianti Classico zone by a southern-reaching arm of the Colli Fiorentini area, which covers the land just south of Florence. Montespertoli – on the hills surrounding the town of the same name – is the smallest subzone within the Chianti DOCG.
This area has a special terroir ideal for cultivating vines, with a favorable climate and excellent soils and topography. It produces a particularly ripe Sangiovese, the traditional Tuscan grape from which all Chianti is made. Rich limestone soils have proven themselves useful in cultivating this grape, and the region's sunny slopes benefit from a diurnal temperature variation that makes for balanced, lush wines.
As stipulated by the Chianti DOCG laws, Chianti Montespertoli wines must contain at least 70 percent Sangiovese. The remaining proportion may be a blend of other red grape varieties: the local Canaiolo and Colorino varieties are common for this, but winemakers are beginning to move toward more international varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
This wine. “La Verità/The Truth” shows that Sangiovese, “the prince of Chianti vines and of Tuscan wine history,” expresses its best characteristics with aging. Only time can release all its typical aromatic compounds from the floral scent of violet-red fruit. With aging in wood, it is enriched with balsamic notes that complement the elegance of the perfume and the harmony of taste, favoring evolution and complexity. Thus, their “Verità/Truth” from Sangiovese and Merlot grapes harvested in the Classic area is a wine with a variegated bouquet with a persuasive, delicate mineral taste capable of arousing emotion that only great wines can awaken.