By Raymond Chan
The wine
world never stands still, and it is a sure thing that wines and wine styles
will evolve. Yet there are many who
hanker for the safe and familiar, and with respect to the wines of Italy, the
traditional wines of the past are authentic to these people. The new breed of wines can be seen as overly
influenced by international varieties and winemaking to the extent that the
original personalities are lost.
However, a visit by Jacopo Pandolfini, Asia-Pacific Sales Manager of
Antinori gave a different perspective to the evolution of Italian, Tuscan and
Antinori wine. For his firm, operating
for over 600 years and for 27 generations, the new and modern style of wines
created over the last 30-40 years are the new traditional. They have left far behind the lesser quality
wines of the past, the older wines of Italy generally not worth
keeping. Sure, there are some Italian
wines that have stood the test of time – say a few serious Piedmont wines and
the like, but in reality, the modern Italian wine is superior by far. The validity of this viewpoint was expressed
in a range of Umbrian whites and Tuscan reds presented by Jacopo
Pandolfini. Here are my notes on the
wines tasted:
Flight One: Umbrian Whites
Two white
wines presented, showing the use of indigenous varieties and the
international. Umbria with its ancient sea-influenced,
highly calcareous soil is ideal for white wine growing. And it is easy to underestimate the richness
possible. Umbrian white wines are quite
suited to fuller meat dishes, rather than just the expected seafood
cuisine. First up was the Antinori ‘Campogrande’ Orvieto Classico
2008 (17.5+/20), at 12.0% alc, 40% Procanico, 40% Grechetto, 15% Verdello
and 5% Drupeggio with Malvasia. Brilliant
pale straw green in colour, this was fresh and tight, delivering delicate
mineral, white stonefruit and chalky aromas and flavours, touched by a hint of
saltiness. Delightfully clean, pure and
crisp, and with an understated weight and vinosity. A wine that pleased all the tasters. Then came the Antinori ‘Bramito’ Umbria Chardonnay 2007 (18.0+/20), at 13.0% alc,
100% Chardonnay from Castello della Sala, fermented and aged 5 months in French
barriques and undergoing a partial MLF.
Bright straw yellow, this had a fullish nose of ripe mealy fruit with
butterscotch MLF and spicy oak. On
palate quite soft, full and weighty with an oily texture, the tropical, buttery
and toasty oak elements were quite up-front.
Quite international, and very satisfying.
Flight Two: Elegant Tuscan Reds
A trio of
reds, all on the more elegant side.
Firstly was the Antinori ‘Santa
Cristina’ Toscana IGT 2008 (18.0-/20), at 13.0% alc, made from 90%
Sangiovese and 10% Merlot from various Tuscan sites, the wine given no oak
contact. Bright ruby red in colour with
some garnet hues, this had a bright red fruited bouquet with a touch of savoury
earth notes. Medium-weighted, this had
lush plumy flavours, quite Merlot-esque, and light supple tannins. This sweet fruited wine is quite modern and
international in style. Attractive now,
with simple fare, such as pizza. Santa
Cristina was first made in 1946, as a Chianti Classico.
Next were two
wines from the La Braccesca estate in Montepulciano. The La Braccesca ‘Sabazio’ Rosso di Montepulciano 2008 (16.5+/20) at
13.0% was made from 85% Prugnolo Gentile and 15% Merlot with other varietals,
and given 4 months in oak. Lightish
ruby-garnet red in colour, this had a light bouquet of soft red fruits with hints
of tobacco and earth. The palate was
modest in expression, possessing some cherryish flavours, with a slight drying
austerity on fine firm tannins. Pleasantly
steely, but accessible, this will hold 3-5 years. Next was the La Braccesca Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2005 (17.5-/20), at 13.5%
alc, made from 90% Prugnolo Gentile and 10% Merlot, aged for 12 months in
varied capacity oak barrels. Light
ruby-garnet in volour, this had an elegant, but tight bouquet of dark cherryish
fruit with earth and animal notes. On
palate, this was quite serious with its extraction, somewhat drying, and
showing secondary forest-floor and game characters. Traditional complexities with brettanomyces
in a reasonably positive way. The first
vintage of Vino Nobile La Braccesca Vino
was in 1990.
Flight Three: Chianti Classico
Two wines
from Chianti Classico, home of Sangiovese.
Firstly the Antinori ‘Peppoli’
Chianti Classico 2007 (18.0+/20), at 13.0% alc, made from 90% Sangiovese
with 10% Merlot and Syrah, from the Peppoli Estate, the wine was aged 9 months
in 90% Slovenian and 10% American oak.
Dark ruby red in colour with some garnet hues, this had a full, solid
and deep nose with rich and ripe dark plum and berry fruit aromas. Showing a sweetness of fruit on the palate,
this was superbly proportioned, with the juicy fruit expression restrained by
fine and elegant tannin structure.
Drinking well now and over the next 4-5 years. The Peppoli Estate measures 100 ha, 55 of
which are planted to vine. The Peppoli
Chianti Classico was first vintaged in 1985.
Next was the classic Antinori
‘Marchesi’ Chianti Classico Riserva 2005 (18.5+/20), at 13.5% alc, made
from 90% Sangiovese with 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and other red varieties, from
the Tignanello Estate, the wine was aged 14 months in French barriques, 1-2
y.o. Dark, deep, black-hued ruby red,
this had an elegant, fine, but intense bouquet with concentrated dark fruits
and some spicy oak toast adding richness.
Concentrated, dense and rich on palate, this had dark plum and berry
fruits with some bitter cherry and earth nuances, along with chocolate and oak
char subtleties. A touch of the modern
and international here, but with great class from the balance. Delicious and still very Chianti.
Flight Four: The Top Tuscan Expressions
Three
classical wines, but very much modern expressions of the styles. First was the Antinori ‘Pian delle Vigne’
Brunello de Montalcino 2004 (18.5/20), at 14.0% alc, made from 100% Sangiovese,
from the Pian delle Vigne Estate, the wine aged two years in oak barrels of
various sizes. Medium deep garnet red in
colour, this had an elegant bouquet of perfumes along with secondary florest
floor and dried herb aromatics and some cedar lift. Concentrated, yet with fine-grained textures,
this combined dark, savoury earthy flavours with liquorice and cedar, all on a
harmonious and balanc