2022 Arillo in Terrabianca, Chianti Classico DOCG “Sacello” Tuscany, Italy.
I discovered this part of Chianti Classico back in 2022 while visiting Tuscany and driving between Bucine and Siena, with Terrabianca being the place we stopped at to explore, having had their wines in the late 1990s. So it was fun to see what the new owners have done here and rediscover this Chianti Classico all over again, and this 2022 Arillo in Terrabianca Sacello was a delicious experience at the most recent Slow Wine tour stop in San Francisco. This lovely garnet/ruby hued Chianti is all Sangiovese in character and has lively fruit on the medium/full bodied palate with crushed blackberry, dark cherry and strawberry leading the way, along with dried herbs, a hint of incense, anise, mineral tones, light florals and a loamy/stony element for accenting. There is a good sense of structure, and winemaker Vieri Vannoni has a brilliant job of harmonizing the pieces to make for an authentic, finessed wine, that still has some classic rustic charm and personality. Coming from rocky clay and marl soils and having some pretty lifted aromatics, this all tank raised Chianti Classico is a sublime, no pretense Sangiovese to enjoy with a meal, especially with wild boar and or porcini mushrooms, both local to this part of Tuscany, but it will also go well with a selection of hard cheeses like Pecorino di Tuscano.
Originally known as Terrabianca, the Arillo in Terrabianca winery is located in the heart of Tuscany northeast of Siena in maybe the most remote area of the Chianti Classico zone, in an area I first visited in 2012. Technically Terrabianca is located in the Radda in Chianti zone at 1,148-1,542 feet above sea level and has mostly whitish soils, hence the name Terrabianca, and giving the area its own distinctive character. The estate was acquired in 2019 by Adriana and Urs Burkard, a Swiss-Italian family, who have tightened up the ship here and now they own three Tuscan estates, including Terrabianca in Chianti Classico, Il Tesoro in Maremma and Colle Brezza in Val d’Orcia, in the Brunello area. Here in the hills of Chianti Classico, Arillo in Terrabianca makes Sacello Chianti Classico and Poggio Croce Chianti Classico Riserva from organic vines and the area is surrounded by forrest, this unique micro climate sees warm days and a real drop in temps at night due to the elevation, allowing for a very balanced wine as a result. This Sacello was 100% Sangiovese and (was) 100% stainless steel fermented and aged, with this 2022 being close to 8 months in vat before bottling to promote purity of place and transparency, drink this easy to love Chianti over the next 3 to 5 years. I do, also, look forward to trying the more serious bottlings here at Arillo in Terrabianca soon, and this wine got me wanted a return visit to Italy and in particular thee Tuscan hill towns.
($28 Est.) 90 Points, grapelive