Straccali Chianti Straw Flask 2003
Product Details
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Grapes are harvested from vineyards located in the heart of Chianti~ in the provinces of Florence and Siena.
Grape Varieties
Sangiovese 90%~ Canaiolo 10%
Vinification
In accordance with the best tradition of Chianti~ this wine undergoes a process called "Governo alla Toscano." This is a second fermentation which adds body~ alcohol and richness thus making it more appealing at a young age. The wine undergoes maturation in oak barrels for at least 6 months.
Color
Ruby red.
Bouquet
Intense~ vinous characteristics.
Taste
Dry~ elegant~ well-structured.
In 1978 Italo Zingarelli, founder of the Rocca delle Macìe estate in Castellina in Chianti began what has become a long and fruitful relationship with the Straccali family that continues to this day. United by a respect for tradition and heritage and a shared ambition of achieving the dream set out by Giulio Straccali many decades earlier, together the two families have pursued the same objective.
Today, Straccali offers a full range of regional wines from Tuscany and Umbria. Straccali's sterling reputation stands for outstanding quality wines and exceptional value.
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.