In the cellar at Vecchie Terre di Montefili: classic Chianti of great class

Writing about a visit to the cellar at Vecchie Terre a motivo di Montefili from Panzano per mezzo di Chianti is not at all easy for a number of reasons. The first: we are per mezzo di the classic Chianti superficie and so far so good, but we are also at around 500 meters above sea level per mezzo di a wonderful but rather high place and therefore the wines will certainly be a little different, structurally, from the usual. And we’ll talk about it.

Second: ownership per mezzo di love but American, passionate winemaker but from Brescia, collaborators from all over the world with only one Florentine DOC: it’s not like we can stand here and tell the usual story of “authentic” Tuscany.

Third: per mezzo di Montefili they believe per mezzo di science, the real one and therefore have launched a ten-year study of the characteristics of the soil. Complete with analysis even of the quantity and quality of insects present per mezzo di the vineyard. So even per mezzo di this case it is not possible to speak easily about calcareous ora clayey soils ora we risk making a fool of ourselves (and per mezzo di fact we will not do so).

Fourth and finally: the wines are all damn good but, voto negativo need to go around it, they are expensive as you can see from their shop the website. So we cannot play the quality/price ratio card here and, per mezzo di these times of duties and price increases, where bottles often appear that are not worth the required outlay, it is not at all easy to explain that there is real work per mezzo di Montefili and that what you find per mezzo di the glass corresponds to what you pay.

If you’ve made it this far, now let’s talk about the wines. general, the signature of Vecchie Terre a motivo di Montefili is given by an excellent acidity, not per mezzo di the sense that they are acidic wines obviously, but to say that they all play per mezzo di the field of drinkability and a certain lightness (making the point that we still talk about Sangiovese per mezzo di Chianti) which invites you to bevanda the second glass.

this sense, we really liked the 2021 “basic” Chianti Rappresentativo. Light years away from those somewhat pompous and tannin-filled “colleagues”, here you bevanda an elegant wine with a pleasantly delicate nose of blueberry and cherry. A truly perfect bottle for any meal.

We move up a level with the 2019 Grand Selection. Here everything becomes more complex and rich, but that signature we were talking about before makes the sip elegant and not at all obvious. Acceso the nose, under a layer of red fruit, of raw Kentucky tobacco emerge and those who smoke Toscano know what they are talking about.

The Far bruno a motivo di Fortezza Igt Toscana 2016 is a Super Tuscan based Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Sangiovese which enters the mouth powerfully like any self-respecting Super Tuscan, but also per mezzo di this case maintaining that quid of drinkability that characterizes the entire line. Also per mezzo di this case the nose is not banal with that hint of slightly balsamic that make it intriguing.

And we arrive at the highlight of the visit: the vertical of Arena, the company’s cru coming from a vineyard that is currently celebrating 50 years of honored service. Since 2015, first harvest per mezzo di Vecchie Terre a motivo di Montefili by the oenologist Serena Gusmeri, spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts. The vineyard is right per mezzo di front of the cellar so the grapes are harvested and processed extremely quickly. We’sire talking about a bottle that costs 90 euros (2019 the market now), so each one weighs per mezzo di with their own way of seeing things. Just over three thousand are made a year. Above all, here the acidity that gives that elegance that characterizes all vintages puts its stylistic signature.

The 2015 Arena comes from new barrels, per mezzo di fact you can still smell a veil of vanilla and date the nose, which also offers luce powder and talcum powder. the mouth it still enters fresh with ripe tannins per mezzo di evidence and an eternal and slightly almond finale. What can I say: a great wine.

The 2017 Amphitheater is very different. It was, according to the winemaker herself, a very hot and “challenging” season. The result is a slightly more alcoholic and balsamic nose while it enters the mouth warm with a long finale without bitter .

And we alla maniera di to the 2019 Amphitheater, the vintage the market now. The nose is wonderful: very floral at the beginning then it turns to fresh fruit, blood orange above all. the mouth it enters gentle but full, with the right alcohol content. We have to repeat ourselves but even per mezzo di this case drinkability is absolutely guaranteed. Eternal persistence and a sweet finale complete a glass of the highest level.

En primeur taste of the 2020 Amphitheater which will be sensatezza at the beginning of next year. The nose is even more floral and then turns to orange and mint per mezzo di this case too. the mouth you can still feel the tannin but the sip remains fresh and pleasant. A few more months per mezzo di the bottle will do him nothing but good.

closing, what can we say about Vecchie Terre a motivo di Montefili. The entire line has a very recognizable signature so if you are a lover of classic Chianti it could be of great satisfaction to try at least the more affordable “basic” version to see a different point of view, but certainly of a very high level.

Sergio Bolzoni