Reviews

Chianti Classico 2007
«Vinnaya Karta» №4(105) September 2009

Lovers of wines from classical Tuscan areas Chianti Classico and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano can expect excellent news this year.

The latest ready vintages are being released on the market — 2007 Chianti Classico and 2006 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Both deserve praise.

The middle of February in Italy is traditionally marked by Tuscan wines. The region’s leading consortiums organise tastings of both young unaged wines of the latest vintage as well as ready wines which are being released on the market. I seldom spend time on young samples simply because I see little point in tasting hundreds of wines which change their taste profile during long months of aging (1+ year) before hitting the shelves. Such analysis could be of interest for wine professionals, by the en primeur system doesn’t work in Italy. Do consumers need this knowledge? Certainly, not. Meanwhile, the wine scene in Tuscany is so diverse that, for instance, two days of tastings in Florence are not enough to Chianti Classico. This year there were 358 ready wines from that area alone. So let’s concentrate on new Chianti Classico and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano releases and on the latest news from Florence and Montepulciano.

It was my fourth tasting in Florence this year, but for the first time I found special links between Chianti Classico and Russia. Did you know that our country is becoming an important importer for the region? Three years ago Russia wasn’t even mentioned in the list of leading export markets for Chianti Classico. It was hidden under the heading ‘Others’. In 2007 we took over Austria and Netherlands, having got a 2% slice in a total sales pie and last year increased the share to 3%. Russia still has a way to go to catch up with the US (29%), the major foreign market where more wine is sold than in Italy itself (27%), but it is worth remembering that out of 37 million bottles of Chianti Classico more than a million are shipped to our country.

Another hot news is that there is now a Russian wine estate in Chianti Classico. No, the owner is not Mr Abramovich who visited Tuscany before with a gossip of a possible winery acquisition. Fattoria di Montemaggio was bought with vodka money. The estate belongs to Valeria Zavadnikova, daughter of Beluga vodka owner, and she personally presented wines in Florence. It was her who had an idea to buy a wine farm in Tuscany, and she did all search. Fattoria di Montemaggio is in Radda, a historic Chianti Classico commune. Vineyards grow on a tenth part of a 70-hectare estate and have excellent conditions for producing quality wines — i.e. galestro and alberese soils, south-western exposition and altitude of 450-600 metres above sea level. The family will soon finish decorative works in the main farmhouse and has already invested in production facilities. Andrea Paoletti, known for his work in Ornellaia and a number of other high-profile estates, consults both in the vineyards and the winery. His protégé Illaria Anichini is general manager. Valeria Zavadnikova brought to the tasting Montemaggio Chianti Classico 2006 and Chianti Classico Riserva 2004 which were made by previous owners. The wines have very good quality level which I hope will increase with the Russian ownership.

But what about 2007 vintage? It is declared excellent. There were no reasons for concern during the growing season. Winegrowers say that it was easy to work. Though vineyards ‘woke up’ very early, the harvest was ready only a week in advance and had excellent stuffing for producing high quality wines. Besides, yields were more generous than in previous years. Uncompromising estates were cutting surplus bunches in summer to achieve desired concentration of flavours. If vineyards are healthy, though, and yields are maintained at the acceptable for quality production level, an extra bunch on the vine in 2007 didn’t have a negative effect on the wine’s quality. One peculiarity of the grapes this year is high sugar content which, as will be noted further, influenced general style of wines. There were no particular problems in the wineries either. All vinification stages were carried out evenly, and final key parameters such as alcohol, acidity and polyphenols confirmed optimistic forecasts for excellence in wines.

– We can now definitely talk about superb results of 2007. Wines are comparable in quality with 2006 vintage (assessed as outstanding — E.S.), though it certainly has distinctions. Vineyards developed in harmony, vines didn’t suffer from water stress, they had enough nutrition. For the third year in a row September had a sharp difference of day and night temperatures which favourably affects aromatic richness and tannic ripeness. In general, one can say that in 2007 wines have livelier tannins than in previous vintage, but they will certainly soften and calm down, — believes consultant Andrea Paoletti who works in several Chianti Classico estates.

– Wines of 2006 and 2007 have much in common, though there are differences in structure, — echoes Emanuela Stucchi Prinetti from Badia a Coltibuono. The estate practices organic winegrowing, and Emanuela says that vineyards were ‘particularly receptive’ to organic care in 2007.

Even quality on all levels is the main impression after the tasting. In this respect Chianti Classico 2007 are comparable with Bordeaux 2005 when only lazy didn’t produce good wine. The wines feature intense fruit, with ripe, expressive red and black cherries. High sugar content resulted in elevated alcohol in wine. Its average figure is 13,55%, second highest after 2003 in the past five vintages. But because general acidity levels are also higher (the highest in the 2003-2007 period), alcohol is routinely balanced. Rather, it highlights generous flavours and makes wines more open and accessible which will make Chianti Classico 2007 appealing for consumers. The wines also boast good structure and ripe tannins. Excellent parameters for alcohol, acidity and extract and, more importantly, their balanced presence give grounds to say that 2007 wines will be long lived.