Castello di Meleto Trebbio Chianti Classico Gran Selezione
WHY WE LOVE IT
- The grapes for this wine come from the Trebbio vineyard, in the Meleto subzone.
- The vines are grown at an altitude of 380-420m a.s.l.
- The soil composition is clayey with a good percentage of red sands to the northeast and an increasing presence of alberese to the south.
Varietal Composition: 100% Sangiovese
Elaboration: The Guyot training system is used. The clusters, selected in the vineyard and harvested by hand, are destemmed and crushed; the must thus obtained is sent to fermentation at a controlled temperature. Once alcoholic fermentation is complete, the wine will remain in contact with the skins for a period of about 15-20 days, followed by racking into concrete tanks to encourage decantation, where malolactic fermentation will subsequently begin. The wine rests for 27 months in 30 Hl French oak barrels.
Tasting Notes: Ruby red color with reflections tending to garnet with age. Aromas of ripe red fruit, morello cherry, spices and aromatic herbs. Round and velvety palate with direct but not aggressive tannins. Long and tasty finish.
PRESS
2018 – 94 Wine Advocate | 92 Wine Enthusiast | 91 Vinous | 90 Decanter
2019 – 93 James Suckling | 92 Wine Advocate | 90 Vinous
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.