Castellare di Castellina I Sodi di S.Niccolò 2020

Castellare di Castellina farms in the heart of Chianti Classico country in Tuscany, working its hillside vineyards with respectful, low-intervention agriculture. I Sodi di S. Niccolò takes its name from the steep, hard-to-work plots the estate calls sodi. It is built on Sangiovese with a portion of the local Malvasia Nera and bottled as IGT Toscana. The galestro and clay soils and the warm days with cool nights give Sangiovese its hallmark high acidity, firm tannin and bright red fruit. The wine ages a long 30 months in barrel followed by 12 months in bottle, an extended élevage in which slow oxygen exchange through the wood polishes the tannins and builds tertiary leather, tobacco and dried-herb complexity while the bottle time integrates it all. Expect a deep ruby colour, a nose of ripe cherry and plum over dried herbs, leather and spice, and a structured, savoury palate with fresh acidity, fine-grained tannins and a long finish. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees and decant an hour ahead. Made for the Tuscan table.