How important is the vintage of a wine? How much can it change from year to year? If the vintage quality is determined by the conditions over the growing season, was there enough rain and was it warm enough to fully ripen the grapes? Did hail or frost affect the harvest? 2015 happened to be a terrific vintage for most of Europe, central Italy in particular, which is why this week’s wine, the 2015 Barone Ricasoli Rocca Guicciarda Riserva Chianti Classico, offers a taste of what a great vintage can be.
Tasting Notes: A blend of Sangiovese, with touches of Merlot and Canaiolo, this wine is brimming with notes of cherries and red berries, violets, tobacco and spices. Extended aging in oak has allowed the tannins to soften, giving this wine a silky texture and persistent finish.
Enjoy With: Pasta, Italian sausages, roasted lamb or game, grilled red meats and aged Italian cheeses are all classic matches.
Style: A medium-bodied red wine, fruity, earthy and complex.
Terroir/Region: The Barone Ricasoli property is located in central Italy’s Chianti Classico region of Tuscany. Chianti Classico represents the traditional vineyard region and the heart of Chianti wine country. There are 7 other sub-regions of the Chianti area which all display their own subtle differences in their expression of Sangiovese, the chief grape in Chianti’s red wines.
Producer: The family’s origins go back to the 7th century and include such family legends as Barone Bettino Ricasoli who served as the Prime Minister of Italy twice and who invented the “recipe” for Chianti. The current Barone, Francesco Ricasoli, has immersed himself in the family business, completely mapping the family’s 235 hectares of vineyards and converting them to more sustainable farming practices.
Availability: The 2015 Barone Ricasoli Rocca Guicciarda Riserva Chianti Classico is being released on April 27 into the Vintages section of your local LCBO and will also be available for online ordering. We suggest you pick up two bottles so you can discover the best part about a good vintage: how well it can age!
Check LCBO store inventory
Price: $24.95
LCBO#: #943613
Size: 750mL
Alcohol Content: 13.5% alc./vol.
