We wine geeks value authenticity. When a wine’s aromas and flavors evoke its unique place of origin, it’s a triumph—as far as I’m concerned, anyway. But what about the wine “market” in general? If authenticity were more broadly valued, we’d see more Chianti Classico wines like today’s 2015 from Castell’in Villa.
Lots of producers in the region turned away from this style—woodsy, earthy, tactile—in favor of softer, sweeter wines polished-up with “international” grapes and new oak. Many of the latter are delicious, but they don’t do what Castell’in Villa’s does—namely, transmit a sense of place that is so vivid you don’t even necessarily have to know where the place is to appreciate it. I don’t know who coined the term as it relates to wine, but this 100% Sangiovese wine has that “somewhereness” that makes the wine geeks swoon. That was Ian Cauble’s reaction when he tried it, and mine, too, and likely yours—especially if you’ve been to Tuscany. Traditional Chianti Classico, of which Castell’in Villa is an archetypal example, is a push-pull of black cherry fruit and savory, smoky underbrush, with enough tangy acidity to cut through the fat of a
bistecca like the proverbial knife through butter. It can age, too, for decades. All this for just $29, you ask? Yes. As a wine geek, I appreciate it. As a wine drinker, I love it!
Located outside of Castelnuovo Berardenga, in the southeastern section of the Chianti Classico DOCG, Castell’in Villa is one of those estates that was once a Medieval hamlet unto itself. When Princess Coralia Pignatelli della Leonessa and her husband originally purchased the property in 1968, it included just a hectare of vineyards, but today the estate extends to about 300 hectares, 54 of which are vineyards and 32 more are olive groves. One of the estate’s centerpieces is a 13th century stone tower, where the family lives, along with a chapel and other structures from the same era. The “Principessa,” as she is known to many in the wine trade, is a hands-on proprietor in both the vineyards and the cellar, and has stayed resolute in her commitment to more traditionally styled Chianti wines. The estate has become known for its periodic releases of back-vintage wines, which offer rare glimpses of the impressive longevity of Sangiovese from Chianti Classico; I’ve tasted vintages going back to the 1970s that would give red Burgundies of the same era a serious run for their money!
Even the “current’ releases of Castell’in Villa wines (witness today’s ’15) are held back much longer than most of their contemporaries’. Sourced from estate vineyards planted in sandy, pebbly soils, today’s wine spent 12 months in large, used oak botti before bottling, after which it rested further before its release into the market. It’s clear from the first sip that even their most modestly priced wine is structured for aging: It is concentrated and muscular, with profound minerality and some grip to the tannins, which soften considerably as the wine takes on air (note: this is not a “pop and pour” kind of wine, so give it 30-60 minutes in a decanter to blossom). In the glass, it’s a medium garnet-red with hints of pink and brick orange at the rim, with aromas of blackberries, raspberries and other brambly fruits mixed with leather, tar, brown spices, smoke, and cedar. Medium-bodied and full of woodsy, smoky savor, this wine needs to be on the table with food, as the “cocktail hour” will not do it justice: Served at 60 degrees in Bordeaux stems next to a grilled ribeye may be the Platonic ideal, but I recommend that Sangiovese/steak combination a lot, so let’s mix it up this time and work in another Tuscan staple: Porcini mushrooms. There’ll be other opportunities for the steak, as this ’15 is only going to get better over the next 5-7 years. Enjoy!
