Don Vincenzo Gran Selezione DOCG 2013 Casaloste Organic Wine

Nutritional information per 100 ml

Contains negligible amounts of fat, saturates, protein and salt.

Sangiovese

Chance is said to have played a part when one of Italy's most important grape varieties developed from the two red varieties Ciliegiolo and Calabrese di Montenuovo. It did a good job: around 100,000 hectares in Italy are now planted with it.
Or was it divine providence after all? The name could certainly suggest so, as Sangiovese literally means Jupiter's blood. The demands this grape makes on its surroundings would be worthy of the name. It ripens late, remains on the vine for a long time and has thin skins, making it very susceptible to rot, which can be a problem particularly in cool, wet years. If the grapes ripen fully, however, they produce tannin-rich, fruity and elegant wines with aromas of sour cherries, violets, chocolate, liquorice and juniper berries. When drunk young, the wines are often marked by pronounced acidity, but over time the flavour profile rounds out, reaching its full expression in barrique. The best growing conditions are found in Tuscany, where it is therefore one of the most important grape varieties and a compulsory component of Chianti Classico, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Brunello di Montalcino. Sangiovese is also grown in Emilia-Romagna, Umbria and the Marche. Italian emigrants took the vine with them to Australia, California and Argentina.

2013 vintage

94/100 points Daniele Cernilli - The Ultimate Guide to Italian Wine 2019
94/100 points Falstaff
93/100 points Wine Spectator
17/20 points Jancis Robinson
17/20 points Vinum Best of Tuscany 2018
91/100 points Decanter 2018

Fattoria Casaloste

In 1992, Giovanni d’Orsi and his family left their native Naples behind, drawn to Panzano in the heart of Chianti Classico. Here, he took over the small Casaloste estate. With much of his own labour, he lovingly renovated its little house into a gem, then tackled the vineyards with equal ambition. His goal was to rank among Chianti’s top ten within a few years. His vision was to produce modern wines that did not deny their Tuscan origins. The foundation is Sangiovese, not always an easy grape. It must ripen fully, and yields should be kept low. A sensitive touch is needed to make the wines elegant rather than rustic. Alongside Giovanni, oenologist Gabriella Tani brought precisely this. Her experience and sure touch in all matters of wine helped tame the rather rough Sangiovese into wines full of elegance and finesse. Giovanni thus achieved in a very short time what takes others many years: putting his own ideas into practice at a very high level of quality, with impressive results. Casaloste wines have taken top places in every comparative tasting of recent years. Giovanni d’Orsi has therefore effectively achieved his goal, but resting on his success is not his style. He constantly strives to raise the estate’s already high standards further.