Deep garnet-ruby color; cherry, raspberry, strawberry, plum, blackberry, sweet balsamic, vanilla, oak, tobacco on the nose and palate.
Dry; sleek tannins and acidity helps deliver a powerful dark-fruit experience. This is gran selezione—the highest ranking of Chianti, earned by 2.5 or more years of aging. That means it has fruit power, but also seductive smoothness. Medium body. As with most Chianti, certainly with this effort, the tinge of tannins and dark fruit cling to your cheeks well after the swallow. That is why you drink Chianti at this level. 14.5% ABV
The sangiovese grapes hand-harvested and had-selected. Fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats with skin maceration and regular, gentle pump overs. Matured for 36 months, 24 months in barriques. Still, the oak complements the fruit and does not overwhelm. That’s how oak is supposed to work.
Members of the Frescobaldi family have been major players in Florence and Tuscany for more than 700 years. They began producing wine in Tuscany in 1308—at the Castiglioni estate that produced this wine. Some Frescobaldi customers included Michelangelo and Henry VIII. At the high point of medieval Florence, the Frescobaldi family spread its influence as bankers, earning the title of treasurer to the English crown.
Later, with the flowering of the Renaissance, they became patrons of major works in Florence, including construction of the Santa Trinita bridge and the Basilica of Santo Spirito. In a foreshadowing of the Super Tuscan revolution, they began planting chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon, and merlot vines in the region in 1855.
In 2007, Lamberto Frescobaldi, the 30th generation of the family, became vice president and oversaw the renewal of the estates in the family’s extensive portfolio. In 2013, Lamberto became president of the company, taking over from his uncle Leonardo. Lamberto studied at UC-Davis and has worked to modernize the company and expand in the U.S. and other markets since the late 1980s.
Marchesi Frescobaldi Tenuta Perano Rialzi Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG 2019 is top-level Chianti-sangiovese experience. Generous and complex parade of dark fruit flavors. Harmonious, soft, round, rich, deep, elegant. Pair with pasta dishes; pizza; Italian fare in general (what grows together pairs together); beef, especially meat dishes with tomato sauce—meat stew; veal; lamb; sausage; wild game—wild boar; parmesan chicken; cured meat—charcuterie board, prosciutto, salami, green or black olives. Cheese—hard Italian cheeses; aged parmesan is the classic pairing; parmigiano-reggiano; asiago; mild colby; fresh mozzarella; cheddar; comte; aged gouda; manchego; pecorino. $50-55
Frescobaldi website, rich with photos and videos
