Terrabianca Chianti Classico Scassino 2011
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Wine Spectator
A powerful, broad red, featuring cherry, almond, leather and tobacco flavors. Balanced and beginning to show maturing elements of woodsy mushroom and spice. Excellent length. Best from 2017 through 2025.
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1998-
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Arillo in Terrabianca is located in the heart of Tuscany. It was acquired in 2019 by Adriana and Urs Burkard, a Swiss-Italian family. They own three estates: Terrabianca in Chianti Classico, Il Tesoro in Maremma and Colle Brezza in Val d'Orcia. Their goal with the brand is simply to make soulful wines with a strong identity and sense of place, all with respect for the environment.
While Terrabianca, the land and winery, have had a long history, the Burkard family only came into the picture a few years ago, renaming the winery Arillo in Terrabianca and bringing new energy and enthusiasm into the fold. As it is a family brand, the owners chose to reinterpret the Burkard family's coat of arms, commemorating it on the logo. The "Arillo in Terrabianca" label shows two stars and a castle on three hills with an oval reminiscent of the shape of a grape, "arillus" in Latin. The castle represents the strength of the family; the two stars (one for each son, Gregory and Ricardo) represent the future and continuity; and the hills symbolize the three estates: Terrabianca, il Tesoro and Colle Brezza.
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.
One of the first wine regions anywhere to be officially recognized and delimited, Chianti Classico is today what was originally defined simply as Chianti. Already identified by the early 18th century as a superior zone, the official name of Chianti was proclaimed upon the area surrounding the townships of Castellina, Radda and Gaiole, just north of Siena, by Cosimo III, Grand Duke of Tuscany in an official decree in 1716.
However, by the 1930s the Italian government had appended this historic zone with additonal land in order to capitalize on the Chianti name. It wasn’t until 1996 that Chianti Classico became autonomous once again when the government granted a separate DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) to its borders. Ever since, Chianti Classico considers itself no longer a subzone of Chianti.
Many Classicos are today made of 100% Sangiovese but can include up to 20% of other approved varieties grown within the Classico borders. The best Classicos will have a bright acidity, supple tannins and be full-bodied with plenty of ripe fruit (plums, black cherry, blackberry). Also common among the best Classicos are expressive notes of cedar, dried herbs, fennel, balsamic or tobacco.