Silvio Messana once said that his Chianti Classico 2011 represented a personal reference point for his involvement with the great wine style of the region. He recognised in it what he had always associated with a Chianti Classico - elegance, balance, slenderness, length, verticality and delicate and fine aromas. He worked for 11 years to achieve this result, which he only began to define precisely during this period. During these 11 years, he switched from conventional to organic viticulture, threw away the packs of pure yeasts and relied on the wild yeast populations of his surroundings, switched from new wooden barrels to used ones, discarded Merlot and opted for Canaiolo and Colorino as ideal partners for Sangiovese. He spoke to winegrowers in the region, tasted their wines and learnt how to do it, but also how not to do it.
Silvio's development continued even after the great 2011 vintage. He recently started a cooperation with a new cooper who is meticulously planning the switch from 500 litre to 1500 litre barrels with him. A small step, it seems, but one that will take his Chianti a further step towards personal perfection, as in previous years.
Data sheet
Grape variety: Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Colorino
Harvest: by hand
Fermentation: spontaneous | wild yeasts
Ageing: over 18 months in 1500 litre barrels
Filtration: no
SO₂: < 70mg/litre
Alcohol content: 12% vol
Closure: Natural cork
Drinking temperature: 16-18 °C
Perfect drinking maturity: from now - 2028
Bottle format: 0.75 litre
Membership: Renaissance of the terroir
Content and price per litre: 0.75 l/(€23.62/l)
Maxime: All winegrowers listed with Vinonudo work with compost, organic fertilisers and natural preparations in their vineyards and refrain from using herbicides, pesticides and artificial fertilisers.
