Our Chardonnay is the brainchild of Fabrizio Bianchi, who – in the mid-1970s – decided to plant these vines on the winery’s land outside of the Chianti Classico denomination. Inspired by the great white wines of Burgundy, it was initially fermented entirely in wooden tanks, but since 2000 the volume of oak-fermented grapes has been steadily decreasing – with 70% of the grapes now fermented in stainless steel tanks. There is a large stock of our Chardonnay in our cellar, illustrating this wine’s ability to stand up to the passage of time
Designation
I.G.T. Toscana
First year of production
1990
Grape varieties
100% Chardonnay
Training system
Guyot and spurred cordon
Vinification
Two thirds of the grapes are vinified in steel vats at controlled temperature, the remaining part in French oak "tonneaux" where it remains on the lees for about 6/7 months
Ageing
One year
Climate trend
The drought in the summer months did not affect the development of the bunches: the spring rains allowed the vines to draw on good reserves of water and mineral nutrients during the driest months. Furthermore, temperatures, although remaining high during the day, dropped at night, with a temperature range that allowed the Sangiovese to develop regular phenolics.
In mid-August, even prolonged rain events occurred, thus guaranteeing milder temperatures and an additional water reserve of great importance for optimally achieving the ripening of the grapes. Finally, the health status of the bunches brought to the cellar was very good: the prolonged heat and modest humidity from the early hours of the day facilitated the management of health protection, keeping the risks of disease very low. The Sangiovese harvest began around September 15th and ended, as usual, after about a month.
