San Felice Il Grigio Chianti Classico DOCG Riserva 2016, Italy

Made only from the finest Sangiovese grapes carefully selected from the estate Chianti Classico vineyards, this Reserva represents the perfect blend of the traditional and the modern. It spends some 24 months in oak, with about 20% in small barriques, and one year in the bottle. The front label bears Titian’s famous portrait of a medieval knight in armour. 2016 vintage: Winter was quite mild and rainy; elevated temperatures at the beginning of April have caused an early flowering of at least 10 days; after a regular May, the summer months were very hot, with temperatures high above seasonal average, with periodic rains that helped to maintain a good vegetative balance avoiding water distress. The ripening of the grapes was very good as well as the average quality of the wines produced.Soil profile: Medium-textured, predominantly calcareous marl breakdown of Alberese and Galestro limestones, with abundant gravel-pebble mixture. 100% Sangiovese. Vinification & Maturation: Fermentation on the skins at 28-30 ° C for 18-20 days followed by malolactic fermentation in steel. 80% of the wine then matures for 24 months in 60- or 90- hl in Slavonian oak casks, and 20% in 225-litre French barriques, followed by a further 6 months or so in the bottle. Tasting: Deep ruby red color. Aroma: intense and persistent with the typical notes of sweet violet and wild red berries. An austere, full-bodied wine, with succulent tannins and fresh acidity. Enriched with an aromatic complexity that originates from a delicate dosing of wood.