2018 Bertinga - Toscana Rosso IGT (750ml)

Bertinga is a genuinely new project in a region where nearly every parcel worth having was claimed centuries ago. Founded in 2015 by Russian wine importers Maxim Kashirin and Anatoly Korneev, whose company had been bringing Italian wine into Russia since 1994, the estate began when the pair managed to acquire the storied Bertinga vineyard from Castello di Ama, one of the few top-tier sites in Chianti Classico still available for purchase. Rather than bottle their wines as Chianti Classico, the founders chose to release them as Toscana IGT, arguing that the appellation felt too broad a frame for a project built around a handful of tightly defined, single-vineyard sites. They later expanded to include the Adine and Vertine vineyards nearby, all farmed organically at elevations reaching up to 800 meters around the town of Gaiole in Chianti, with consultant Stéphane Derenoncourt guiding both viticulture and winemaking.

This wine is a Sangiovese-Merlot blend drawn primarily from the Bertinga vineyard itself, on soils shaped by the layered geology particular to Gaiole, where Macigno sandstone, galestro, and tufa sit within a short distance of one another. The two varieties are vinified separately from carefully selected parcels before blending, then aged to bring out the wine's savory richness and structure.

The wine shows dark fruit and spice framed by savory earthiness, balanced by real tension and elegance. The tannins are structured, built to evolve and reward patience. It pairs well with grilled or braised red meat, aged pecorino, or wild boar ragù.