Felsina Chianti Classico Riserva 2009 750ml

Winery: Felsina

Varietal: Sangiovese

Sangiovese grapes have been grown in their native Italy and several other countries for a very long time now, with many experts claiming that they were even enjoyed by the ancient Etruscan civilization, long before the spread of the Roman Empire which helped raise the profile of this dark colored and flavorful varietal. It isn't difficult to understand their enduring appeal – the Sangiovese grape varietal delivers wines which are the epitome of finery, soaking up delicate and complex oak and vanilla flavors from the barrels they are aged in, or leaving light, refreshing strawberry notes on the tongue when drank young. Whilst many traditional wineries prefer to use these acidic grapes for single variety wines, many have experimented with blending them with other fine varietals in order to balance out their combination of high acidity and light body. The results have often been truly special, and Sangiovese continues to impress today as much as it did centuries ago.

Region: Tuscany

Tuscany is probably Italy's most important and widely respected wine region, with a history which stretches back almost three thousand years, and a set of fine grape varietals which produce some of the most delicious quality white and red wines in the world. Sangiovese and Vernaccia varietal grapes are grown all over this expansive region, and the way they are handled, aged and processed varies from town to town. The beautiful hot climate of Tuscany helps these grapes reach full ripeness, despite the fact the soil of the region is generally problematic for the vintners who work there. Despite this, there is a dedication to quality and flavor in Tuscany which is more or less unmatched anywhere else in Italy, and a great mix of strong tradition and willingness to experiment and think outside the box which has been a wonderful recipe for success in the region.

Country: Italy

For several decades in the mid to late twentieth century, Italy's reputation for quality wines took a fairly serious blow. This was brought about partly due to lack of regulation in certain regions, and too much regulation in others. This led to several wineries in the beautiful and highly fertile region of Tuscany making the bold move to work outside of the law, which they saw as responsible for the drop in quality in Tuscan wines. They believed that they had the expertise and the generations of experience necessary with which to make truly excellent, world class wines, and set about doing just that. These 'Super Tuscans', as they came to be known, quickly inspired the rest of Italy to improve their produce, and now, Italian wine producers in the twenty-first century are widely recognised to be amongst the best in the world. Regulation and law began to change, and wine drinkers across the globe woke up to the outstanding wines coming out of Italy, which are continuing to improve and impress to this day.