Farnetella Chianti Colli Senesi 2014
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Suckling
James
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Earthy with dried herbs and some fruit. Fruity palate, medium to full-bodied with a clean finish.
Other Vintages
2013-
Suckling
James -
Spectator
Wine
The vineyards at Farnetella are all hand harvested and are farmed with the same attention and precision as those at Felsina. Organic, sustainable agriculture is practiced and they have incorporated some of the principals of biodynamics as well. Also, as at Felsina, the entire production is made from estate fruit.
The wines at Farnetella range from the soft and approachable Chianti Colli Senesi to the more structured Poggio Granoni. The Chianti Colli Senesi has more flesh and is perhaps more approachable than the Felsina Chianti Classico, but it is by no means less complex. It offers tremendous quality at its price point.
Among Italy's elite red grape varieties, Sangiovese has the perfect intersection of bright red fruit and savory earthiness and is responsible for the best red wines of Tuscany. While it is best known as the chief component of Chianti, it is also the main grape in Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and reaches the height of its power and intensity in the complex, long-lived Brunello di Montalcino. Somm Secret—Sangiovese doubles under the alias, Nielluccio, on the French island of Corsica where it produces distinctly floral and refreshing reds and rosés.
Famous for its food-friendly, approachable red wines and their storied history, Chianti is perhaps the best-known wine region of Italy. This appellation within Tuscany has it all: sweeping views of rolling hills, endless vineyards, the warm Mediterranean sun, hearty cuisine and a rich artistic heritage. Chianti includes seven subzones: Chianti Colli Fiorentini, Rufina, Montalbano, Colli Senesi, Colline Pisane, Colli Aretini and Montespertoli, with area beyond whose wines can be labeled simply as Chianti.
However the best quality comes from Chianti Classico, in the heart of the Chianti zone, which is no longer a subzone of the region at all but has been recognized on its own since 1996. The Classico region today is delimited by the confines of the original Chianti zone protected since the 1700s.
Chianti wines are made primarily of Sangiovese, with other varieties comprising up to 25-30% of the blend. Generally, local varieties are used, including Canaiolo, Colorino and Mammolo, but international varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah are allowed as long as they are grown within the same zone.
Basic, value-driven Chianti wine is simple and fruit-forward and makes a great companion to any casual dinner. At its apex, Chianti is full bodied but with good acidity, firm tannins, and notes of tart red fruit, dried herbs, fennel, balsamic and tobacco. Chianti Riserva, typically the top bottling of a producer, can benefit handsomely from a decade or two of cellaring.