Castellina in Chianti, the heart of the Chianti Classico zone, is better known for Sangiovese. This is the estate's answer to what the same hills can do with white grapes, a blend that behaves more like a serious white Burgundy than a light Tuscan table wine.
2015, a warm, ripe vintage across Tuscany.
Bottle-aged, drinking well now.
A white from a famously red region.
How it tastes
Bright yellow fruit leads, apricot and citrus peel, with a honeyed richness that never turns sweet. Floral aromatics sit underneath, acacia and white blossom, carried by a texture that is fuller than most Tuscan whites. The finish stays fresh and lightly saline.
Where it comes from
Volpaia is a tiny hamlet in the Chianti Classico hills, and the estate has been making wine there for centuries. The vineyards sit high, around 400 metres, which keeps acidity bright even in warm vintages. Most of the zone is given over to red grapes, so a white from this ground is a deliberate choice, a look at what the same limestone and galestro soils do for a different vine.
Good to know
Blends like this are rare in Chianti Classico. The rules of the appellation are written almost entirely around Sangiovese, so a white like this carries no DOCG status and makes no apologies. It is simply what the estate thinks its best white grapes can do.
Contains sulphites.
