2024 Molino di Grace - Toscana IGT Il Volano (750ml)

Il Molino di Grace sits in the heart of Panzano in Chianti, on an estate where grapes have been grown for more than 350 years, even though its winery itself only dates to the late 1990s. American-born, London-based Frank Grace purchased the property, including its nineteenth-century windmill, in 1995, and went on to build a state-of-the-art cellar alongside a striking collection of sculptures and contemporary art. The estate farms its twenty hectares organically and biodynamically, tilling only every three years and relying on indigenous yeasts and hand-harvested fruit to express what the family describes as the soul of Chianti Classico.

Il Volano is a Toscana IGT blend built primarily around Sangiovese, rounded out with a portion of Merlot, giving it more flexibility than the estate's DOCG wines governed by stricter appellation rules. The grapes undergo about twenty days of maceration at a controlled temperature with gentle extraction and frequent punch-downs, coaxing color and structure without heaviness. The wine is designed as a lighter, more immediate expression of the estate's style, meant to be enjoyed sooner than its Chianti Classico counterparts.

The result is a ruby red wine with dark cherry, red currant, and berry fruit layered with notes of fresh herbs and a touch of eucalyptus. Medium-bodied with silky tannins and good structure, it makes an excellent partner for pasta with meat sauce, roasted game, or salty aged cheeses.