Castello di Meleto Chianti Classico Riserva

Castello di Meleto Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG

WHY WE LOVE IT

  • Chianti Classico Riserva is the result of grape selections from 5 sub-zones of Casi, Meleto, Poggiarso, Moci and San Pietro.
  • The grapes used are a hand-picked collection of the best.
  • Original plantings began in 1999. The result is a combination that best holds together the real soul of Meleto, the variety of its terroir and its microclimates and the magnificent complexity of the most iconic wine in the area: the Sangiovese.

Varietal Composition: 95%Sangiovese, 5% Merlot

Elaboration: The bunches, selected in the vineyard and harvested by hand, are destemmed and lightly pressed, the must thus obtained carries out the fermentation spontaneously in steel tanks. The fermentation continues for 12/15 days at a temperature of 22/24° with a post-fermentation maceration of 7/15 days, batonnage is carried out before the aging in wood. Aging lasts 21/24 months and is carried out half in 30 hl Slavonian oak barrels and the other half in 50 hl French oak barrels.

Tasting Notes: Ruby red with garnet reflections. Perfumes of ripe fruit, aromatic herbs and spicy and peppery notes. Full, complex and persistent mouthfeel with soft tannins.

PRESS

2017 – 90 Wine Spectator | 93 Vinous

2018 – 90 Jeb Dunnuck

2019 – 92 Wine Advocate | 92 Vinous | 92 James Suckling | 93 Wine Spectator

2020 – 92 James Suckling | 92 Jeb Dunnuck

PRODUCER BACKGROUND

Castello di Meleto produces wines exclusively from estate-owned grapes. 70% of the grapes are harvested by hand, a choice influenced by two factors: the slope of land that at points reaches extreme levels and the commitment to selecting only the best fruit. With vineyards extending over 160 hectares, only the best grapes are selected for the wines bearing the Castello di Meleto brand. The bunches destined for these flagship wines undergo a rigorous first and second selection: the first in the vineyard at the time of harvest and the second on the sorting table, where each bunch is manually checked by expert operators. Perfectly healthy grapes allow for reduced sulfur dioxide use and spontaneous fermentation, triggered by indigenous yeasts present on the grapes. This reflects Castello di Meleto’s commitment to respecting the work carried out in the vineyard and minimally intervening in the cellar.