Riecine La Gioia 2020

La Gioia is the wine Riecine built its reputation on, a selection of the finest Sangiovese from across the estate's Gaiole vineyards, declassified to Tuscan IGP so the cellar has a free hand. The galestro and alberese soils of these high Chianti hills give the variety its structure and acidity, while the warm 2020 season and cooler nights ripened the fruit fully, hence the 15% alcohol and the wine's depth. Ageing runs twenty-four months in barrel. The extended time in wood, with its slow ingress of oxygen, polymerises the tannins into a finer, more supple structure and adds spice and a savoury frame, while the long elevage builds the complexity expected of a wine made to age. The colour is a deep ruby, the nose layered with blood orange, violet, dark cherry, tobacco and sweet spice, and the palate is full and firm, the ripe tannins carrying a long finish. Organic farming sits behind it. Serve at 17 to 18C and decant an hour ahead. It suits roast lamb, game and mature cheese.