Wine: On the Grapevine

Italian Standard

Italy offers the greatest variety of quality wine. That is the considered opinion of Ian D’Agata, co-author of the annual D’Agata and Camparini Guide to Italy’s Best Wines. He is also the regional chair for Italy for the annual Decanter wine awards, which means he knows lots about Italian wine.

This leads us this week to discussing inexpensive but quality wines from Italy. The Fattoria Casabianca wine estate – 654 hectares in the Murlo municipality in the province of Siena in central Italy – is one such example. The property is soon to be certified organic.
Casabianca produces a range of Chianti Colli Senesi DOCG wines. DOCG is the Italian wine world’s way of designating wine quality via geographical region and name. It is based on winemaking zones with particular traditions and future potential. The system of “denominazione di origine controllata” (DOC) or denomination of controlled origin, is a translation of the French AOC. Italy has about 300 DOCs. The Italians added another acronym to define even higher quality wine by putting a “G” at the end of DOC standing for “garantitia,” or guaranteed. This is reserved for the most elite wines.

“Sangiovese is the most famous grape in central Italy”

Fattoria Casabianca has three levels of red wine. The introductory Chianti Colli Senesi DOCG 2013 is 80% sangiovese with the balance a mix of merlot, cabernet sauvignon, canaiolo and colorino, and has soft and chalky tannins and a nose of fresh but slightly unripe cherries. Today, sangiovese is the most famous grape in central Italy. Its name comes from the Latin “sanguis Jovis,” or blood of Jove (Jove was another name for Jupiter, the king of the Roman gods). Colorino is used primarily as a way to impart depth of hue in a red.

The Casabianca reserve red is a very fruity wine, with pronounced flavours and aromas of mocha coffee and cherry plus quite marvellous length. It is another marvellous wine that is very reasonably priced, retailing for under 10 euro in Europe.
The company’s flagship wine is the Chianti Colli Senesi Riserva DOCG Belsedere 2008. It is 100% sangiovese, and offers aromas of black and red fruits plus liquorice and tobacco and plenty of spice. The tannins are especially inviting and the wine hangs around in one’s mouth for what seems like an eternity. Drink with strong meats.

For bespoke wine education for groups of six in a Brighton home,
contact Annabel – annabel.jackson@gmail.com