What makes some wines really stand out from the crowd, how do they become so special that you want to enjoy them again and again?
I've come to learn that the most important factor in accomplishing an exceptional wine is in the wine's closeness to nature. This is often conveyed as the concept of terrior, the natural qualities of the place were a wine is cultivated and made. For dedicated winemakers this means finding the best grapes and the best growing and harvesting techniques for the soil, sun, wind and climate that nature renders to their chosen land.
I recall what one very famous French winemaker told me when I asked their secret to success, he said "we just try and get out of nature's way." This may be true in some idyllic plots in Burgundy, but in many other fertile yet less perfect wine places of the world it takes a bit more effort.
Creating a extrodinary wine can take generations as many second or third generation vintners will tell you. But what if you bring 30 generations to the table, or should I say the vineyard. That is what the Frescobaldi family brings, decades of experience and a passionate love for producing wine with natural balance that is true to their lands. These qualities are richly present in this wine that really makes me smile.
That night I was giving this wine it's second try to confirm that it was a bottle that I would recommend to friends. It passed the test with flying colors as Diana, my toughest critic, loved this wine as much as I did. She calls it a "Tuscan - Big Red." The 2009 vintage is arriving on the market now, but the 2008 that we had with this dinner is still widely available for very good price point. Don't hesitate to buy a case of this wine as it has vast aging potential. A day and a half later with leftovers it was still very good. Even went well with my Breyers Vanilla Fudge Swirl ice cream, but lets not go there.
My first taste of this wine was at the stylish and delicious Armani Restaurant hidden on the 3rd floor accessed through a private entrance around the corner from the Armani NY Flagship store at 717 Fifth Avenue. There Lamberto Frescobaldi, the winemaker and member of the 30th Frescobaldi generation as well as Alesandro
Lunardi, Director of the Frescobaldi US Market, presented three of their exquisite wines while we savored the wonderful culinary creations of Executive Chef Roberto Deiaco.
The evening celebrated the first time Marchesi de' Frescobaldi has placed the family name prominently on a label of their wines. I was there with a big group of fellow wine writers and connoisseurs. We were enthralled by the words of Lamberto and Alesandro with their inimitable Italian charm and passion for their wines.
They told us that the wine was known as Tenuta di Castiglioni, but they decided with the 2009 vintage that “it was appropriate to add the Frescobaldi name to this exclusive wine because it comes from the oldest Frescobaldi estate where the family began to cultivate vineyards and produce wines over 700 years ago." And that "the rich, elegant Tenuta Frescobaldi di Castiglioni is the estate’s iconic wine that holds fast to the qualities of its local terroir."
La Tenuta di Castiglioni - Marchesi de' Frescobaldi Photstream
They explained that the vineyard, which is located approximately 20 kilometers west of Florence, in Val di Pesa, along the Arno River, has soil "on gentle hills, and is characterized by a mixture of sand, clay and limestone." They say "the land offers a fitting home for the different vineyards cultivated with perfect exposure. The wine is very much characterized by this particular terroir and offers a great intensity of fruit."
Lovers of rich California red wines will find familiarity in this wine but also will delight in nuanced and pronounced characteristics that are undeniably Italian. Picture Giada de Laurentiis in her California cucina.
Two additional wines were poured from Tenuta di Castiglioni including a rare treat, Giramonte which is a unique wine that is highly allocated and possesses great richness, intensity and a silk-smooth finish." From the Chianti area they poured, Castiglioni Chianti which displays the pure qualities of its local growing area. "Smooth-textured and eminently fruity, it displays a fine and clean-edged structure."
Needless to say I recommend you seek this wine out. Find it on www.vinquire.com or www.wine-searcher.com. Enjoy.
