Chianti Classico 2024

The Carpineto - Chianti Classico cuvée is produced in the historic Chianti Classico area, the oldest production zone, which gave the wine its name and stretches between Florence and Siena, in the heart of Tuscany. Carpineto is based in Dudda, near Greve in Chianti. The vines share a landscape of hills dotted with hilltop villages, olive trees on irregular slopes and cypresses lining the white roads, under a Mediterranean climate with hot summers.

Sangiovese, accompanied by Canaiolo and other red grape varieties, is harvested when ripe then vinified as a red wine, with the pomace macerating in the must and fermentation conducted at a controlled temperature. The wine then spends a short time in large oak vats (foudres), before being kept in steel or glass-lined concrete tanks, then bottled. This measured ageing preserves the clarity of the fruit and the floral expression of Sangiovese.

This wine reveals notes of violet, cherry, morello cherry, raspberry, plum, leather, tobacco and sweet spices. The clean, intensely vinous nose is marked by violet. The velvety, sapid and round palate offers good body and fine structure, before a fresh, persistent finish.

Ah, Italy, what a beautiful, hedonistic country, the land of la dolce vita, but how difficult it is to understand its wine industry! The key to understanding the appellation system in Italy is to think of it as several small countries rather than a single homogeneous nation, as each region has its own appellation system. Italy can offer wine lovers a multitude of wines with varied and unique flavors and styles, bottles brimming with surprise and creativity. Unfortunately, it also produces a large quantity of soulless, characterless wines sold under their most commercially useful and prestigious name: Pinot Grigio, Chianti, Valpolicella, Lambrusco, Prosecco, and many others... But let's talk a little history. Viticulture in Italy dates back to antiquity and originated in Greece. The Etruscans are said to have introduced the vine, and Greek immigrants improved and modified the grape varieties, subsequently calling the country "Oenotria": the land of wine. At the height of the Roman Empire, wine held an important place in daily life, and certain regions already distinguished themselves by the excellence of their product. The Romans also established numerous vineyards in Europe, leaving an indelible mark of their conquest. Today, Italy is the world's largest wine producer, ahead of France. Italy is divided into three climatic zones. The northern mountains have a rather harsh mountain climate. The plains of the "central boot" are characterized by a continental climate with cold winters and hot, stormy summers. In the southern part of the Italian boot, the Mediterranean climate prevails, with very hot and dry summers, not forgetting the islands of Sicily and Sardinia. In short, Italy produces a wide variety of wines thanks to its 200 different grape varieties, many of which originated in its own lands. It is a country as complex as its wines, which deserve to be explored!