- Chianti Classico 2012

Castellare - Chianti Classico 2012 (88 TSW)

My tasting notes:

In the glass a dark (light transculent) ruby red color.
On the medium+ nose aromas of cherries, raspberry and sweet plums with hints of tobacco, graphite and leather.
On the palate dry, medium+ bodied with medium+ acidity and well interwoven tannnins. Very nice and round mouthfeel with great balance and structure. Nice medium+ warm aftertaste.

The Castellare estate is one of the best examples of tradition in the area. The winery’s owner, Paolo Panerai, has closely studied the world’s best wineries and applied this understanding and experience to viticulture in Italy.

Unlike what is now common in Tuscany, no mixing is done here. The Chianti Classico, the Chianti Classico Riserva, the "Il Poggiale Riserva" from one parcel and the Super-Tuscan "I Sodi di San Niccolo" only use native grape varieties.
The Castellare property, located in Tuscany’s Castellina in Chianti, has become a virtual refuge for wildlife, including many of the birds pictured on their labels. With each vintage, the Castellare label shows a different bird, symbolizing the estate’s commitment to environmentally sound cultivation. The birds selected for the labels are among the rarest creatures in Chianti, and represent birds threatened by extinction, mostly due to synthetic chemical products and hunting, both of which are forbidden on this property.

In the town of Castellina, one of Chianti’s best locales, Castellare’s vineyards are at 1200 feet elevation – only a few Chianti Classico vineyards are higher. The vineyards of this 80-hectares property are found in a natural amphitheater in the heart of the Classico region. Barely 33 hectares of which are wine-growing areas. At Castellare, the yield-per-acre is very low, far lower than the maximum level allowed by Chianti Classico DOCG rules, which enhances the concentration of aromas and flavors.