Vin Santo del Chianti Classico Riserva – 2003

Description

Vin Santo del Chianti Classico Riserva – 2003

Symbol of Tuscan joviality and hospitality, this wine is obtained mainly from Trebbiano and Malvasia grapes, with a small percentage of Canaiolo rosa and San Colombano. In September, after collecting the grapes by hand and placing them in wodden basket of 13 – 15 kilos, they are taken to the “Appassitoio”, an old granary building now transformed into a grape drying room, where they are lying above racks and hang up on steel wires. It is an unbelievable scene to see the ceiling covered with grapes! The grape drying process is continually checked to make sure that no mould or other diseases catch on. In march the grapes are pressed together with their stalks pneumatically. The quantity of juice is never higher than 15% of the grapes themselves but the sugar content in some years can be as high as 300 to 400 grams per litre. After the pressing the precious juice is placed in casks of 30 – 50 – 80 – 100 – 150 – 225 litres made of 5 different woods: acacia, cherry, mulberry, chestnut and oak. The casks are not filled to the brim, to avoid wasting some of the liquid during the fermentation, but are topped up and sealed with wax the following years. Then, for eight to ten years they are left untouched.

The Vinsantaia (Vin Santo storage) is above the cellar and beneath the roof. It is an ideal place for this kind of wine with temperatures varying in winter and summer. Expecially just after the pressing of the grapes, this part of the winery, plays a big rule, since the gists start to to their work with high temperature which in july and august can arrive also at 50 °C. Then comes the opening day of the barrel, after at least 10 years which is usually in the Easter week, at the end of the waning moon. A special day that has been long awaited! Candy apricot, figs jam, caramel, white chocolate, vanilla, almond, honey, dried orange are the scents present of this masterpiece of the Tuscan sun!

The Vin Santo Riserva can be drunk as a sweet meditative wine or as a sweet wine to drink with spoon cakes as créme brûlée, cheese cake, mousse.

The Vin Santo “not Riserva” is a lighter product indicated for the tuscan cookies “cantuccini” and same other tuscan cakes.

Average production per year: 3000 bottles 500 ml
Serving temperature: 16°C
Alcoholic content: 17%-19%

Our Vin Santo Riserva has received on summer 2012 silver medal on Decanter.
There is not any other Vinsanto on that selection.