Castello Trebbio Chianti Rufina Lastricato Riserva 2017
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James
Suckling
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Winemaker Notes
Sangiovese grape shows here all of its power and elegance. Fascinating in the nose with a hint of dark cherries and spices. Aging it shows clear and strong notes of balsamic. At the palate shows compact yet soft and well blended tannins and a very pleasant and long finish.
Pair with pasta dishes with meat ragout, stewed game, grilled meat.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
An overachiever from Chianti Rufina, with a nuanced mineral note to the red plum and berry fruit. Fine, grilled spices and new leather, too. Quite juicy and fresh with an even palate and silky but fresh tannins. Drink now or hold.
Other Vintages
2015-
James
Suckling
The Castle, built before the XII century, is linked to the history of the Pazzi, a rich family of bankers during the Florentine Renaissance who, between the XII and XIV centuries, acquired ownership of all the land surrounding the castle, making it their stronghold. The historical “Pazzi Conspiracy” was hatched in these rooms. In fact, in an attempt to remove the hegemony of the Medici family, the most powerful family in Florence, and with the support of Pope Sisto IV, who was also interested in their fall for economic and political reasons, on April 26th 1478, Giuliano and his brother, Lorenzo de’ Medici, were attacked in Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral during Mass. The former was killed, while Lorenzo the Magnificent, although wounded, managed to save himself by taking refuge in the Sacristy of Masses. The ruinous epilogue of the story consolidated the power of the Medici family and sanctioned the end of the Pazzi’s authority.
In 1968, the Baj Macario family bought the Castle and the surrounding land, transforming a testimony of history into the flourishing winery and agritourism company that it is today. If it is true that people make the difference, Anna Baj Macario and her husband Stefano Casadei have certainly done so for Castello del Trebbio over the past thirty years. Their dreams have been transformed into projects that are now taking shape under the name of DCasadei, a company group which includes Castello del Trebbio, as well as the other group estates Casadei and Olianas, and which operates according to the principles of Biointegrale® sustainability.
Together they have been able to build an authentic, genuine reality, which, from the initial wine and olive production, has expanded its offer with the food line I Puri and the cosmetic line I Naturali.
Among Italy's elite red grape varieties, Sangiovese has the perfect intersection of bright red fruit and savory earthiness and is responsible for the best red wines of Tuscany. While it is best known as the chief component of Chianti, it is also the main grape in Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and reaches the height of its power and intensity in the complex, long-lived Brunello di Montalcino. Somm Secret—Sangiovese doubles under the alias, Nielluccio, on the French island of Corsica where it produces distinctly floral and refreshing reds and rosés.
Famous for its food-friendly, approachable red wines and their storied history, Chianti is perhaps the best-known wine region of Italy. This appellation within Tuscany has it all: sweeping views of rolling hills, endless vineyards, the warm Mediterranean sun, hearty cuisine and a rich artistic heritage. Chianti includes seven subzones: Chianti Colli Fiorentini, Rufina, Montalbano, Colli Senesi, Colline Pisane, Colli Aretini and Montespertoli, with area beyond whose wines can be labeled simply as Chianti.
However the best quality comes from Chianti Classico, in the heart of the Chianti zone, which is no longer a subzone of the region at all but has been recognized on its own since 1996. The Classico region today is delimited by the confines of the original Chianti zone protected since the 1700s.
Chianti wines are made primarily of Sangiovese, with other varieties comprising up to 25-30% of the blend. Generally, local varieties are used, including Canaiolo, Colorino and Mammolo, but international varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah are allowed as long as they are grown within the same zone.
Basic, value-driven Chianti wine is simple and fruit-forward and makes a great companion to any casual dinner. At its apex, Chianti is full bodied but with good acidity, firm tannins, and notes of tart red fruit, dried herbs, fennel, balsamic and tobacco. Chianti Riserva, typically the top bottling of a producer, can benefit handsomely from a decade or two of cellaring.