2018 Istine, Chianti Classico DOCG, Vigna Cavarchione, Gaiole in Chianti, Tuscany, Italy.
The 2018 Istine Vigna Cavarchione Chianti Classico is deep and concentrated with a dark garnet/crimson color in the glass and has a vinous full bodied palate of ripe Sangiovese fruits, showing black raspberry, plum, cherry and currant, along with classic minty herbs, tobacco leaf, savory tones, cedar and anise. Istine, which isn’t an old established winery in Chianti Classico, but does have deep roots here and I was excited to try their latest efforts, in particular this 2018 Vigna Cavarchione, from the Gaiole zone, which is delicious and compelling stuff. While Radda in Chianti, one of my favorite villages in Tuscany, is a charming medieval village, surrounded by towering walls and situated on a slope between the Arbia and Pesa valleys has very ancient origins, as does Gaiole in Chianti. There are numerous old Etruscan settlements in these areas and some of the names today still have their origins that date back to the 9th century BC. Gaiole in Chianti, which less picturesque that Radda, has many great wineries, with Le Miccine being one of my absolute favorites. This wine, with organic grapes sourced in Gaiole, set on what the winery says is marly limestone based soils and includes Galestro stones, near the historical village of Vertine, it is one of the youngest vineyards in Istine’s collection, was first planted in 2009 and 2010, and the first harvest here was 2013. This Vigna Cararchione, only about 250 cases made, was macerated and fermented in concrete vats, lasting almost two and half weeks, before being racked over to large Slavonian oak casks, where the wine aged 12 months before bottling, after which it rested in bottle for another year.
Istine’s Fronti family, after many years in the viticutural business, began to get closer to making their own wine when in 1982 they bought their first hectares of land, where they planted their set of vineyards, though they didn’t actually starting producing wine under their own label until 2009. They now own about 20 hectares of vineyards, mainly in the municipal area of Radda in Chianti and Gaiole in Chianti, where this wine comes from, but the Fronti’s also has vines in Gaiole in Chianti. These vineyards are not in a single plot, but are located in unique separate parcels, and they have been certified organic since 2016, as the wines continue to get better and better. My first serious, overseas, wine trip included an extensive tour of Tuscany and especially the southern hills of Chianti Classic with its beautiful and historic forested hills, castles and picturesque vines, which made an impression on me that still excites my thoughts and palate. As the winery notes, the territory of Chianti Classico’s terroir was legally recognized back in 1916 in famous the provinces of Florence and Siena. The main municipal areas or crus of the Classico zone include Castellina in Chianti, Gaiole in Chianti, Greve in Chianti and Radda in Chianti but also part of the municipalities of Barberino Val d’Elsa, Castelnuovo Berardenga, Poggibonsi, San Casciano Val di Pesa and Tavarnelle Val di Pesa. In 1984, the winery continues, the wine produced in this Tuscan region was among the first in Italy to obtain the full DOCG (Controlled and Guaranteed Designation of Origin) status, with a special consortium now governing Chianti Classico, which has tweaked the rules many times in recent times to promote mainly the Sangiovese grape and other native varietals. This Istine Vigna Cavarchione, 100% Sangiovese, is a very confident effort and will age easily for another 5 to 7 years, but is drinking exceptionally well already and I highly recommend this vintage.
($38 Est.) 92 Points, grapelive