2015 the ‘vintage of the century’ in Chianti Classico
The 2015 vintage has been widely lauded in Chianti Classico, with one producer going as far to dub it “the vintage of the century”.
Speaking to the drinks business during a recent visit to the Chianti Classico region, Francesco Mazzei, CEO of Mazzei said: “2015 is easily the vintage of the century so far. The weather was perfect – nothing was in excess.
“It was never too hot, we had good humidity in spring and a cooler August, which was good because June and July were hot. The quality of the wines is extraordinary.”
As to whether this will push up prices, Mazzei told db it was unlikely as it’s not the way they work in Chianti Classico.
“We could put the price up of Siepi as it’s sold on allocation, but it would only be by around 3-4% as I don’t believe in taking a Bordeaux approach to pricing,” he said.
Bernado Bianchi, chief winemaker at Colle Bereto, was equally effusive about 2015. “In my opinion, it is the best vintage in Chianti Classico of the last 50 years. We had amazing weather and the wines are very special. I’d compare it to 1985,” he said.
With regards to the new “Gran Selezione” quality tier in the region, Mazzei admitted that it was still only really understood by the trade.
A wine can only be labelled “Gran Selezione” if it is made with grapes from a single vineyard or the estate’s best grapes and is aged for 30 months including three in bottle.
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“It will take time for consumers to understand the concept, but it has generated a lot of curiosity from the trade and press in the UK and US.
“It’s a good motivation for producers to be more conscious about the potential of Chianti Classico, as they will be forced to step up their game and make better decisions,” Mazzei told db.
“The wines being made in the region have more character and identity now. They are more of a special occasion than an everyday wine so they have to be more interesting.
“The region was very reactive during the Super Tuscan phenomenon but things are changing. It has all the ingredients to keep developing its image and reputation – Gran Seleczione is ideal for that purpose,” he added.
Mazzei produces Chianti Classico under the Castello di Fonterutoli brand, which is represented in the UK by Maison Marques et Domaines.
Among the wines in its portfolio are a Chianti Classico Gran Selezione, Siepi – a single vineyard Sangiovese/Merlot blend, and Mix 36, a Sangiovese made from 36 different clones of the grape.
An in-depth look at the latest developments in Chianti Classico will appear in the June issue of the drinks business.
