Tasting Notes
The most important wine for the estate, our Chianti Classico Riserva is meticulously crafted from the best Sangiovese grapes coming from our vineyards. Fermented and aged in French oak, then refined in the bottle for at least a year. Rich and elegant, it has a deep, garnet red color with swaths of mineral cherry fruit, layered with tobacco and dried herbs all underlined by a firm grip of refined tannins. It pairs well with pastas with red sauces, roasted and grilled meats, game, aged cheeses. We recommend waiting at least 5 to 6 years from vintage for consumption; can be cellared for 10 – 12 years.
HARVEST METHOD – Manual in small baskets, immediately brought to the cellar for de-stemming. Manual berry-by-berry selection (triage) before slight crush and filling of temperature-controlled fermentation tanks (30 hl French oak vats).
CHARACTERISTICS
Color: Deep ruby red
Aroma: Elegant fragrance of red fruits and spices
Palate: Well-balanced, velvety, excellent structure, prolonged concentrated finish
Serving: Serving temperature of 18-20 °C (65-68 °F). Uncork at least one hour before drinking, preferably two.
FOOD PAIRINGS – Pastas with red sauces, roast & grilled meats/game, cheeses, and traditional Tuscan cooking
ABOUT PODERE CIONA
Podere Ciona is a boutique winery and agriturismo owned and operated by the Gatteschi family. Nestled among silvery olive trees, woodland forests, and manicured vineyards, our estate offers world-class wine and accommodations in an 18th century Tuscan farmhouse and cottage. Located near the historic town of Gaiole in Chianti, our vineyards and accommodations sit high on a hilltop, between 1,600 and 2,050 feet (490 and 625 meters) above sea level, and overlook the lush, rolling hills of the spectacular Chianti Classico wine-growing region. From our country estate, you can easily reach the cultural jewel of Tuscany, Renaissance Florence, and the medieval town of Siena, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Our estate lies on a south-facing hill between 1,600 and 2,050 feet (490 and 625 meters) above sea level, with an altitude difference of over 400 feet (120 meters) between the highest and lowest vineyards. It comprises 13 acres (5.4 hectares) of vineyards, 2 acres (0.5 hectares) of olive groves – about 120 trees – and 100 acres (40 hectares) of woodland, primarily oak and chestnut. We also have fruit trees, chickens and two vegetable gardens (beehives coming soon), with the intent of diversifying cultivation and self-producing as much as possible.
Podere Ciona is currently producing: a Chianti Classico DOCG (Denominazione di Orgine Controllata e Garantita) line of Annata, Riserva and – starting with the 2016 vintage – Gran Selezione; a Supertuscan IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica) Le Diacce – based on Merlot – and a younger IGT based on Merlot and Alicante grapes, Semifonte; a small quantity of Sangiovese Rosé. In the near future, a small bottling of a Cabernet Franc IGT will be made as well.
We purposely keep our yields very low – on average one bottle per vine – in order to produce a superior wine. Harvesting is done exclusively by hand, grapes are processed within 30 minutes of picking and a berry-by-berry selection is carried out before the fermentation vats are filled. Alcoholic fermentation takes place both in stainless steel and French oak vats (according to the grape selection), while ageing is done exclusively in French oak of different sizes: barriques & tonneaux (a mix of Allier, Nievre, Tronçais and Vosges oaks) and large 15 to 30 hL casks.
