2016 Chianti Classico, Badia a Coltibuono, Tuscany, Italy

2016 Chianti Classico, Badia a Coltibuono, Tuscany, Italy

Product: 20161095623
 
2016 Chianti Classico, Badia a Coltibuono, Tuscany, Italy

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Description

Located in Gaiole in Chianti, Badia a Coltibuono’s history stretches back to 1051. Current owners, the Stucchi Prinetti family, have been in residence since 1846. Today siblings Emanuela, Roberto, Paolo and Guido run the show. The family is fortunate enough to own a significant slice of Monti in Chianti, whose prized terroir is home to ancient Sangiovese clones.

The nose has a concentrated dark cherry perfume with hints of balsamic, wild mint and a little spice. There’s lots of cool, fresh fruit on the palate, with lovely minerality and high, mouth-watering acidity supported by fine tannins. An elegant and delicious wine. Drink now to 2025.

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Critics reviews

Wine Advocate90/100
The 2016 Chianti Classico is a terrific wine and perhaps the best vintage made thus far. The wine opens to a medium dark appearance with pretty layers of wild cherry, redcurrant and mild spice. Badia a Coltibuono always does a great job of expressing the cool and somewhat wild nature of Gaiole in Chianti. This is a blend of 90% Sangiovese with 10% Canaiolo and Ciliegiolo. Some 128,000 bottles were made, and this is great news for all you value-wine consumers out there.
Monica Larner - 31/10/2018 Read more

About this WINE

Badia a Coltibuono, Tuscany

Badia a Coltibuono, Tuscany

Located in Gaiole in Chianti, Badia a Coltibuono’s history dates back to 1051, to the Vallombrosan order of monks, whose fine abbey (‘Badia’ ) still stands proud at the heart of the wine property; ‘Coltibuono’ means ‘good crop’ by the way. Current owners, the Stucchi Prinetti family have only been in residence since its purchase in1846 by great great grandfather and Florentine banker Michele Giuntini, cousin of the Selvapiana family of Rufina.

The present generation, siblings Emanuela, Roberto, Paolo & Guido, now run the show, bringing this most traditional of wine estates up to date. At 74ha it’s no garage operation, but it is fortunate in owning a significant slice of subzone/sottozona Monti in Chianti, whose excellent terroir is much prized.

Another asset is their stock of ancient Sangiovese clones, which they have used to replant key sites at higher densities of 7-8,000 Sangiovese plants per hectare; as opposed to the ultra traditional pattern of low densities of red and white grapes.

In 1996 they built a new winery in Monti, and with the 2003 harvest their fruit was certified ICEA organic. Roberto Stucchi Prinetti remarks that since going organic they’ve noticed that the fermentations have been easier to follow. He adds that though they’ve sacrificed journalist ‘Points’ they’re more than happy with the pale elegance of their wines. They also produce a Chianti Classico Riserva.
 

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Chianti Classico

Chianti Classico

Chianti Classico is a leading Tuscan DOCG zone which covers approximately 7,000 hectares between Florence and Siena. Its vineyards stretch into the Apennine foothills at altitudes of between 150m and 500m, and encompass two distinct terroirs and styles. The sandy, alluvial soils of the lower sites yield fuller, meatier wines while the limestone and galestro rocks of the higher vineyards deliver finer, more ethereal examples.

The origins of Chianti date back to the Middle Ages, although Chianti Classico was really born in 1716 when Grand Duke Cosimo III of Tuscany classified the zone, identifying the villages of Radda, Greve, Panzano, Gaiole and Castellina as the leading sites; these same villages still represent the nucleus of the Chianti Classico DOCG today. The regulations have been revised, however, to insist that the wine is made from a minimum 80 percent Sangiovese and a maximum 20 percent Canaiolo and ameliorative grapes (ie Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon); from the 2006 vintage, no white grapes are allowed.

Chianti Classico cannot be released until 1st October in the year following the harvest, while Chianti Classico Riserva must undergo 24 months of ageing before release, including at least three months in bottle. At the region’s top addresses, French barriques are gradually being adopted in the place of the traditional, larger slavonian botte.

Recommended Producers: Monte Bernardi, Tenuta Fontodi, Castelo di Ama, Bibbiano

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Sangiovese

Sangiovese

A black grape widely grown in Central Italy and the main component of Chianti and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano as well as being the sole permitted grape for the famed Brunello di Montalcino.

It is a high yielding, late ripening grape that performs best on well-drained calcareous soils on south-facing hillsides. For years it was blighted by poor clonal selection and massive overcropping - however since the 1980s the quality of Sangiovese-based wines has rocketed upwards and they are now some of the most sought after in the world.

It produces wines with pronounced tannins and acidity, though not always with great depth of colour, and its character can vary from farmyard/leather nuances through to essence of red cherries and plums. In the 1960s the advent of Super Tuscans saw bottlings of 100% Sangiovese wines, as well as the introduction of Sangiovese/Cabernet Sauvignon blends, the most famous being Tignanello.

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