Firenze (Italy) - Stazione Lepolda
Tasted Monday, February 18, 2013 by quaglia with 1,280 views
Third year for me at this great event. The success of the formula is testified by the presence of an increasing crowd, still well managed by personnel and organization (at least going very early). As usual TN are listed in tasting order and refer strictly to the tasted bottle, in not-very-confortable conditions. This year I reserved my afternoon to some Tuscany IGT tasting!.
Despite some producers' opinion (probably depending on their specific setting), 2010 is a very good vintage. Many 2010 Classico are better than the 2009 Riserva and, infact, some 2009 Riservas were not produced.
2011 Vintage was just bottled for the event and will not be in commerce until next November. Their tasting is very tentative.
Was not a great event for Riserva. 2009 vintage was not outstanding (some producers will jump this vintage) and 2010 not ready, just bottled and in commerce next year or later. Oh, well, there some beautiful exceptions, like Castello di Verrazzano, Fonterutoli and Fontodi!! For 2010 vintage Antinori was surprisingly ready, while the 2008 Volpaia Casanova was outstanding.
Toscana IGT has become a great basket, varying from 100% Sangiovese to 100% Merlot or Cabernet and all in between. In the new trend, not all of these wines are intended to be GREAT or for long ageing, and producers are starting to refers to some wines as LITTLE Tuscan (compared to the SUPER tuscan). The reason is just the willing to escape the tight DOCG rules. In this wide variety of possibilities, the oenologist skills makes the difference, much more than the terroir or the variety. Great attention IMHO must be paid to the price, not always strictly related to quality. The best two I rated..have no Sangiovese inside.
2009 Querciabella Chianti Classico 86 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG
5% Cab. Sauv.
Crystalline ruby red, medium transparent, with pink rim.
Nice at nose: chewy fruit and violet.
Coherent at taste, full mouth, with just a bit alcoholic note.
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2010 Querciabella Chianti Classico 84 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG
First year with 100% Sangiovese.
A bit darker in colour and (strangely) more vegetal and less fruit at nose.
More pungent at taste, not perfectly amalgamated.
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2011 Querciabella Chianti Classico
Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG
Just bottled. Closed nose..just some fruits hints. At taste mainly vegetal with green tannins. Promising, but not ready.
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2010 Lamole di Lamole Chianti Classico 87 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG
Some Canaiolo and Colorino for this "traditional" Chianti and just big barrels.
Full purple red. Nice nose, mainly fruit, a bit closed. Coherent fruity at taste, a bit of rough tannins, but enjoyable.
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2010 Lamole di Lamole Chianti Classico Etichetta Blu
Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG
10% Cab. Sauv. and 10% Merlot and barriques for this "Modern" Chianti.
Some (not very nice) vegetal hints come evident with fruit at nose.
Still too young. Intended to be more rounded and velvety, is at the moment, tannic and disjointed.
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2009 Fattoria di Petroio Chianti Classico 85 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG
Nice at nose: fruity and floreal (Violet and rose).
Coherent at taste, but a bit too alcoholic and tannic.
10% divided between Merlot, Colorino and Malvasia Nera
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2010 Castello di Verrazzano Chianti Classico 91 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG
Nice ruby colour.
Rich fruit at nose, on a coffee background.
Velvety entry in mouth, tannins are well amalgamated and not aggressive. Nice fruit!!
Persistent.
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2011 Antinori Chianti Classico Pèppoli 84 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG
10% of Merlot and Syrah.
Very fruity, the international varieties giving an important imprinting.
Not so rich at taste, in fact a bit short, also if nice.
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2010 Castello di Volpaia Chianti Classico 90 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG
Nice fine fruit at nose, also if not very intense. Very nice at taste with rich fruit and amalgamated tannins. Very powerful and straight, maybe lacking some structure.
5% Merlot and 5% Syrah
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2011 Castello Vicchiomaggio Chianti Classico San Jacopo 85 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG
Traditional Chianti, with 10% divided between Canaiolo and Colorino. 10 months in big barrels.
Nice purple red, with pinky rim. Crisp fruit at nose and consistent at taste. Nice, maybe a bit short.
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2010 Melini Chianti Classico Granaio 87 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG
10% Merlot/Cab. Sauv.
Light ruby red, Nice fruit at nose and consistent at taste with a very wide entry.
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2011 Marchesi Mazzei Chianti Classico Fonterutoli 85 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG
Dark ruby red, a bit cloudy.
Closed at nose with some fruit and alcohol hints.
Nice at taste, a bit flat. Young.
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2010 Marchesi Mazzei Chianti Classico Castello di Fonterutoli Gran Selezione 86 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG
This "Castello" label is a kind of selected harvest.
Better than the base Chianti, but still a note of excessive alcohol.
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2010 Isole e Olena Chianti Classico 87 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG
5% Syrah
Nice and rich fruity nose, with a hint of game.
Consistent taste, with a nice entry, maybe a bit too alcoholic.
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2010 Castello di San Donato in Perano Chianti Classico 89 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG
Nice intense ruby red.
Not extremely powerful at nose, but good entry in mouth, with a good balance and silky tannins.
Maybe just a bit short.
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2009 Tenimenti Angelini Chianti Classico San Leonino 87 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG
5% cab. Sauv. and 5% Syrah.
Very nice and complex at nose, with hints of fruit and vegetal.
Nice at taste with mainly fruit .
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2009 Azienda Agricola Montepaldi Chianti Classico Villa Montepaldi Tagliafune 86 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG
10% Merlot.
Nice fruit hints, also if not very intense, both at nose and taste.
Elegant taste, well balanced, with spices (coffee above all) and fruit and tannins well amalgamated. A bit short.
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