Drinking Chianti in Chianti

Siena is a glorious Tuscan city, markedly smaller than Florence but with its own storied history and fantastic architecture, food, and wine. Lisa had visited Siena 40 years ago (!) and Gary had never been, so we were eager to spend four days exploring its narrow streets and broad piazzas.

Known worldwide for the Palio di Siena, a twice yearly bareback horse race that dates back to 1633, the city was already preparing for the first Palio on July 2. Colorful flags and even more colorful costumes were everywhere, and drummers from each of the city’s wards practiced nightly outside our hotel.

For the Chianti leg of our trip we moved from the city center to a country estate a few miles outside Siena. Ca Bianca Tuscany Relais is a boutique hotel housed in a 17th century Manor. Stunning grounds, outdoor pool, fabulous restaurant, and knockout views of Siena–a perfect way to be “in Siena” without being in Siena.

SIENA FINDS
Hotel: Ca Bianca Tuscany Relais, [photo right]
An historic country estate with all the modern amenities and conveniences.

Restaurant: Osteria Del Gatto, Siena
Typical menu of Tuscan favorites in a no-frills setting. Try Pappardelle al Ragu di Chianina and Pollo all’ Arrabbiata. Small selection of well-priced local wines.

Wine Shop: Enoteca Toscana,
Radda in Chianti
The one day it rained, we ducked into a wine shop/bar that stocked the 2019 Castello di Ama Chianti we couldn’t even buy at the winery! We shipped home a case of wine. And the shop smelled so good we also bought the red wine diffuser Fabrizio [owner] uses, to always remind us of Tuscany.

WINERIES

Castello Di Volpaia, Radda In Chianti (Siena)
111 acres/220,000 bottles/year
Founded 1966
We first crossed paths with Castello Di Volpaia in 2010 at the Newport Mansions Wine and Food Festival [photo below left], where we tasted the 2007 Chianti Classico Riserva. The wine was amazingly well-integrated, with just the right amount of fruit, mineral, acidity and smooth tannins. In 2020 we paired Volpaia’s 2015 Chianti Classico Riserva ($40), which ranked #3 in the Wine Spectator’s Top 100 of 2018, with Gary’s house-made Bolognese [below]. Once again, we were impressed with this consistently elegant and satisfying wine.

To say we were excited to visit Volpaia would be an understatement. And we were not disappointed. In fact, it was one of the high points of a trip filled with unforgettable moments.

Our guide, Raveene, first walked us through the 12th century village of Volpaia [population 50], which gives new meaning to the term “company town.” And it does, in fact, take a village to make its wine. “A labyrinth of stainless steel pipes runs below the village [photo, below left]. Known as a wine-duct, this maze of pipes allows the wine to move by means of gravity from higher to lower parts of the village,”¹ down to the eventual bottling area.

In a gorgeous tasting room [photo below, right] Raveene poured seven wines, from Vermentino to Vin Santo. Of course, the Chianti Classico Riserva was in the mix 2021 as was Balifico, a Toscano blend Gary deemed “The Next Tiganello,” that being the standard bearer Super Tuscan, which regularly gets 98 points from wine critics. We shipped home bottles of the top three wines we tasted.

Wine	Grapes	Notes	Price
Volpaia Vermentino 2024	Vermentino	Beautiful floral nose with notes of citrus. The palate is Vermentino perfection, full of grapefruit, minerality, and smooth tannins with just the right amount of acidity.	$18 Click Wine
Chianti Classico Riserva 2021	Sangiovese	Scents of leathered humidor, smoke, and finest pipe tobacco, with hints of a fresh black cherry reduction. A beautiful wine that stays silky smooth throughout the tasting. Textbook standard for Chianti Classico Riserva.	$45 JJ Buckley
Volpaia Balifico 2021	65% Sangiovese 35% Cab Sauv	Medium-to-full bodied Toscana blend with ruby-to-black plum color. Scents of fine pipe tobacco and leathered cigar humidor; hints of black cherry reduction. Simply amazing on the palate with concentrated velvety red fruits, baking spice and even some licorice. Tiganello better watch out!	$105 Liquor Cave

Castello di Ama, Gaiole in Chianti (Siena)
185 acres/300,000 bottles/year
Founded 1976
Like Volpaia, Castello di Ama was not new to us. We tasted, and raved about, the 2018 “Ama” Chianti Classico DOCG at Vino Italiano in Waltham, MA. It was a special Chianti Classico and we were excited to visit the winery. One the one day of rain of our entire trip, the clouds and fog gave a moody look to the strikingly beautiful, contemporary grounds of the winery. Once inside, we discovered our “private tour” was actually a group tour with eight other wine lovers from the US, Canada, and Europe..

Sara, our guide for the tour and tasting, was very knowledgeable and patient with the barrage of questions we all threw at her. Our tasting was limited to three wines, far fewer than at other wineries. But we were once again drawn to the Chianti Classico [2021] and can happily recommend this vintage, which is available in the US.

Wine	Grapes	Notes	Price
“Haiku” Toscana IGT 2020	50% Sangiovese 25% each Cab Franc & Merlot	Notes of white pepper, fresh loam and black cherries on the nose. Delicious black and red fruit notes on the palate with some tamed tannic structure. But the finish is abrupt and dry. Needs another 2-3 years in t he bottle. Wine critics have given it 95 points based on…hope for the future? We find it hard to score wines that aren’t ready to drink.	$62 Empire Wines
Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG San Lorenzo 2021	80% Sangiovese 10% each Black Malvasia & Merlot	Toasty oak/vanilla nose with hints of leathered cigar humidor and green pepper. Fresh black cherry reduction. In the glass, harmonious mix of silked tannins, black fruits, and a long, pleasant finish. Best of the three-wine tasting.	$50 Station Plaza Wine

1. “To Tuscany” travel site ↩︎

Next Up: Sublime Sardinia