Tenuta Le Calcinaie Chianti Colli Senesi 2020

One of our all-time favorite winery visits was with wine grower Simone Santini at his vineyard, Tenuta Le Calcinaie, near San Gimignano. We tasted his full range of organic, classic Tuscan wines, and across the board, both the whites and reds were ripe, pure, energetic and utterly charming, just as the winemaker is! Le Calcinaie has 12 hectares covered with vines with perfect exposure, beautifully tended. This Chianti is made of 100% Sangiovese planted to soils rich in calcareous and galestro marl in the zone of San Gimignano. Simone's vineyards here were first planted in 1973. Fermentation and maceration occur over 10 days, followed by aging for 6 months in a combination of stainless steel and large oak casks. Certified Organic. Look for black cherry, blackberry, purple flower, wild rosemary and mineral aromas. The palate is fine, well balanced, quite soft, medium-bodied, quite fresh and a pure joy to drink. Serve with cheeses & charcuterie, pasta dishes with meat sauce and pizza in particular. Drink now through 2027. Only 1,600 cases made, a mere 100 cases imported.

“Tenuta le Calcinaie is a breakout winery in this report. Their Vernaccia-based wines all performed beautifully. I look forward to tasting more from this small estate in the future.” –Wine Advocate