Fattoria di Lucignano: A Classic, and Very Traditional Chianti from the Colli Fiorentini

Fattoria di Lucignano is a small estate in the Comune of San Casciano, but not the Chianti Classico part. Rather, it's located in the Chianti Colli Fiorentini production area, towards Montespertoli, on good ground, which is clayey with much stoniness to guarantee drainage. The varietals are for the most part traditional, with Sangiovese predominating, and lesser amounts of Colorino and Canaiolo, though Riccardo Galli, the estate's agronomist, notes that in the past 10 years small amounts of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon have been planted too.

Fermentation is temperature controlled, in glass-lined cement vats, followed by prolonged macerations -- 10-15 days -- on the skins. The malolactic fermentation takes place at about Christmas time, and the wines are bottled in September; the cellar is old and cool, and Riccardo says that under these conditions cement vats are perfect for keeping the wines fresh.

They only bottle Chianti Colli Fiorentini, and in addition to making Chianti, make a vinsanto from Trebbiano and Malvasia that they dry on stuoie, the traditional mats, until the sugars reach a concentration of 350 g/liter (of must), at which point they are pressed, and go into caratelli, the small traditional vinsanto barrels. Fermentation is long and slow, with some of the barrels reaching alcohol contents of 20% (they use their own madri, or starters, which contain yeasts that have adapted well to the extreme conditions of vinsanto) with pleasingly low volatile acidities. The wines, tasted at Vinitaly April 2009:

Fattoria Di Lucignano Chianti Colli Fiorentini 2006
Lot L0904
Deep garnet ruby with black reflections and cherry rim paling to white. The bouquet is rich, with deft sour cherry fruit supported by savory accents and some bright, sour berry fruit acidity coupled with dusky shade and slight vegetal accents. Pleasant, and nicely balanced in a traditional key. On the palate it's medium bodied, with rich cherry and forest berry fruit supported by sour cherry acidity with underlying savory notes, and smooth sweet tannins that flow into a clean fresh sour cherry finish with a warm tannic underpinning. A pleasant food wine that will work very well with grilled meats or light stews, and also has the acidity necessary to go with fried meats and vegetables. Expect the bottle to go quickly.
88-90

I also tasted a barrel sample of the 2007: It's quite pleasant, and perhaps superior to the 2006.

Fattoria Di Lucignano Vinsanto del Chianti 1997 Tawny amber with orange apricot highlights. Pleasant to look at. The bouquet is rich, with dried fruit -- dates laced with walnut skins -- and oatmeal, with some sticky dark brown sugar and deft hints of dried mushroom. Considerable depth and finesse. On the palate it's full, with rich dried apricot fruit supported by pleasant sweetness and apricot acidity that gradually fades into warmth, while walnut skin bitterness emerges to provide a counterpoint, and the finish is very, very long. A great pleasure to drink, and one of the nicest things about it is that it's not extreme -- sweet but not too sweet, and rich but not cloying. Perfect with friends by the fire after a meal, or even on a patio in the evening.
88-90

A little more info on the Fattoria di Lucignano, from Marc De Grazia

Tessère: Interesting (& Quite Good) Wines from The Piave River

Raboso is an autochthonous varietal grown in the valley of the Piave River, in the Veneto, and Nicolas Belfrage feels that the name derives from the Raboso River, one of the Piave's tributaries. He is less inclined to believe another possible derivation that has been suggested, a corruption of the word rabbioso, angry, though good Raboso is at the very least Ticked Off when young.

Indeed, as Nicolas says, in "From Barolo to Valpolicella," the grapes are deeply colored, relatively low in sugars, and high in tannin and acidity, a mix that makes for inky wines that need time to get over having been made and become presentable. At least three years, according to the Disciplinare.

The Azienda Agricola Tessère was founded in 1979 by Ilario Bincoletto, and is now run by his daughters, Emanuela and Loretta, who introduced modern viticultural techniques, including planting to high densities while reducing yield per vine -- concepts the other farmers in the area laughed at until they tasted the wines.

At Vinitaly they were pouring three wines:

Tessère Barbarigo Raboso 2004 DOC
Deep pigeon blood ruby with cherry rim; close to poured ink. The bouquet is fresh and bright with warm underbrush and vegetal accents mingled with hardwood ash and green leather, coupled with spice. Powerful and rich. On the palate it's full, with rich, powerful spicy berry fruit supported by clean fresh acidity and by splintery slightly green tannins that flow into a bright fairly greenish finish. Quite nice, though it needs another 2-3 years for the tannins to soften, and it will always be a food wine, something to drink with hearty red meats, including stewed game. It will be very nice in the proper setting, and will age for well over a decade. In a word, impressive, and if you like this more aggressive style it's something to seek out.
88-90

Tessère Rebecca Raboso Passito 2003 Veneto IGT
This is an IGT because the appellation doesn't yet allow for the production of a Raboso Passito, though it soon will. Impenetrable pyrope -- poured ink. The bouquet is closed; determined swishing brings up deft red berry fruit supported by prune sweetness and tingling greenish accents; with time it opens beautifully and the fruit is joined by mace and nutmeg that work very well. On the palate it's full and rich, with powerful spicy cherry prune fruit supported by considerable dry tannic warmth that flows into a clean savory finish whose acidity leaves the palate very clean. Quite pleasant, and will drink very well with cheeses, or far from the table.
2 stars

Tessère Piave Merlot DOC 2007
Lot 9056/2
Lively black cherry ruby with black reflections and white rim. The bouquet is bright, and brambly -- much livelier than Merlot often is -- with brambly greenness supported by teeth-squeaking acidity and warm sour cherry berry fruit. On the palate it's bright, with lively sour cherry fruit supported by brisk berry fruit acidity and fairly green peppery tannins that flow into a greenish tannic finish. It's scrappy, and a far cry from the smoother softer character one (I, at least) generally associate with Merlot; it has adapted well to the territory and is, well, a bit rabbioso. It will work well with flavorful fatty foods, for example grilled meats including sausages and ribs, and if you like the style you will like it very much.
1 star

In short, three fine wines that are closely tied to the land, and display terrific character. I was impressed.

For more information about Tessere, see their site, at www.tessereonline.it

An Overview of Badia A Coltibuono

Badia a Coltibuono, one of the historic estates of Chianti Classico, recently held a vintage presentation in Florence. I will be writing further about the estate shortly -- they will be presenting a Vertical at Vinitaly-- but wanted to give my impressions of the current vintage.

The wines:

Badia A Coltibuono Chianti Classico DOCG 2007
Lively ruby with pale rim fading to white. The bouquet is bright and fresh, with lively berry fruit -- cherry and some red currant -- supported by bramble and spice, with hints of gum Arabic and underbrush, and fresh acidity; with swishing the gum Arabic fades to reveal jammy accents. Pleasant, and very, very young, but then again it is a 2007. On the palate it's fresh, with lively cherry fruit supported by moderate brambly acidity and brambly tannins that flow into a clean scrappy tannic finish. Quite deft, a food wine that will work well with simple grilled meats, light stews, and also has the acidity necessary to work well with fried meats and vegetables. Expect it to go quickly.
2 stars

Badia a Coltibuono Chianti Classico DOCG 2006
Lively cherry ruby with cherry rim. The bouquet is fresh, with cherry fruit and some savory spice, and underlying underbrush and hints of sea salt. Nice balance, and with more swishing hints of dried porcini mushrooms and sundried tomatoes also emerge. Pleasant to sniff. On the palate it's medium bodied, and smooth, with fresh berry fruit supported by moderate acidity and dusky bitterness that flows into a clean bitter tannic finish. It's rounder than the 07, and this is not just grater age -- the 07 is scrappier and more aggressive. The 06 is quite easy to drink -- the Italian that comes to mind is beverino, which is quaffable -- and it will work well with simple grilled meats or light stews. A second bottle will come in handy.
2 stars

Badia a Coltibuono Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2006
Lively cherry ruby with cherry rim. The bouquet is fresh, with fairly rich cherry fruit supported by berry fruit jam and some brandied cherries, as well as green spice from wood. Nice, though still displays the directness of youth, and is still developing. On the palate it's ample, with fresh cherry fruit supported by clean tannic spice and some sea salt, which leads into a clean fresh berry fruit finish. Pleasant, and though it needs another year or two to get its bearings, it will drink nicely with stews or roasts; it's one of those wines that probably won't stand out at a tasting, but that people will select it to drink with the meal that follows. Expect it to age nicely for up to a decade.
2 stars

Badia a Coltibuono Sangioveto IGT Toscana 2006
Deep cherry ruby with cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, with brandied cherry fruit supported by underbrush and some cedar, with underlying peppery spice. On the palate it's ample, and smooth, with moderately rich berry fruit supported by slight acidity, and by smooth sweet tannins that flow into a delicate cherry finish. Ruffiano (a street urchin) is the Italian word that comes to mind; it's quite approachable in a softer more international key, and if you like the style you may want to drink it by the glass. If you're more traditionally minded you'll prefer the Riserva.
2 stars

Badia a Coltibuono Vinsanto del Chianti Classico DOCG 2003
Tawny amber with apricot reflections. Delightful bouquet, with rich dried dates mingled with hints of figs, walnut rinds (in June, when they're green), sticky brown sugar, alcohol, and hints of oatmeal, supported by apricot acidity, while a fellow taster finds (correctly) cocoa powder.. In short, a great lot going on and an absolute delight to sniff. On the palate it's languorously full, with deft date and dried apricot fruit supported by dried apricot acidity and rich walnut skin bitterness that flow into a bitter walnut and dried fruit finish that lasts and lasts, with the sweetness gradually fading. Quite pleasant, and if you're not already a vinsanto fan it will convert you.
90-91

Bottom line: Pleasant, very approachable wines that will do a fine job of complementing what they're served with. For more information on Badia a Coltibuono, visit their site: http://www.coltibuono.com