Piemaggio - le Fioraie, Chianti Classico, Italy (2017)

TASTING NOTES

Classic Sangiovese done well, with characteristic tension between slightly dusty, tart and savoury fruit with acidity. Some leather, earth and a sense of the stony soils it was grown on give this wine poise without being showy. Great stuff.

The Piemaggio estate is located at Le Fioraie, a hamlet on the north-western side of the Castellina in Chianti territory, along the road to Poggibonsi, in the heart of the historical Chianti Classico. Piemaggio is the name of the farmhouse in the centre of the estate and traces its roots back to the 11^th century.

A pieve (church) from the era located at the property’s highest hilltop (maggiore) gives the estate its name. Vines cover 12 hectares worth of Piemaggio’s hillsides, all in the hamlet of La Fioraie, with Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Ciliegiolo, and Colorino planted in the classic alberese (sandstone) and galestro (limestone marl) soils of the zone, at elevations between 380 and 480 meters above sea level. Steady breezes and thick surrounding forests help mitigate drought and help ensure a properly long growing season.

Vineyard work here is typically organic. Fermentations take place in cement and aging takes place in a combination of concrete and used wooden vats of various sizes (between 500 liters and 25 hectoliters).