2017 Villa Saletta Chianti Superiore DOCG

The year 980 is the first year where the first sightings of wine making at Villa Saletta have been found. A whole history behind a winery, that's why they make their wines completely traditional. Since 2000, the winery has been owned by Guy and Julia Hands.

Only perfect berries are used, using small new barrels of Allier French oak with integral fermentation. Perlè barrels are also used to create a 'redox atmosphere'. This reduces the amount of oxygen the grapes are exposed to, so that the first drops of wine develop slowly on the skin. This preserves freshness and aroma while extracting color and roundness for an elegant and supple soft tannic structure.

With all wines, the must receives a full malolactic fermentation in new French oak barrels. This converts the pungent acidity into smoother, butterier flavours. It is one of the few Italian companies that does this full (and expensive) mallolactic fermentation on new oak and is a technique that is more associated with the (top) Bordeaux wines.

The DOGC Chianti Superiore is a blend of 90% Sangiovese, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Merlot and is produced according to the traditions of this Tuscan heritage. The grapes are picked variety by variety, lightly crushed and then fermented in stainless steel at temperatures between 26 ° and 28 ° C. The period of skin contact is about 10 days for Sangiovese and 15 days for Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The extraction techniques aim to maximize aroma and fragrance, soft and supple tannins, and emphasize acidity and savory, mineral character. The wine continues to mature in Slavonian oak barrels, after which it receives another year of cellar aging before bottling.

In the glass, this Villa Saletta Chianti Superiore has a ruby red color with violet hues. Fresh nose with an attractive cherry note, with dark blackberries. It has a full, intense aroma, reminiscent of floral and red fruit notes. On the palate the wine is fresh, smooth and well balanced with a complex consistency, reminiscent of hints of violets, cherries and vanilla. Polished and juicy at the beginning, it shows red berry fruit, in the final then clear aromas of wood, of caramel and hazelnuts, then dries slightly.

92/100 James Suckling