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 Bianco
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 of bottle aging
Climate trend
A rainy and mild winter came before a spring which started 10 days earlier than usual, with temperatures above the seasonal average in April. Between the end of May and the beginning of June, abundant rains guaranteed optimal water supply to the vines with vegetative growth earlier than average. Constant summer heat, with some days in August above 35° C, helped the perfect ripening of the grapes and a few days of light rain at the end of August sustained the ongoing early development of the vines’ phenological phases. Groundwater reserves and optimal temperature range were essential. As a consequence, 2011’s harvest began 10 days in advance and was carried out from the beginning of September until early October. Grapes were in perfect condition.
