2022 Volpaia - Chianti Classico (750ml)

Volpaia is a fortified village dating to the 11th century, perched high on the Florence-Siena border in the heart of Chianti Classico. Raffaello Stianti, one of Italy's leading printers and bookbinders, purchased the estate in 1966 and gave it to his daughter, Giovannella, as a wedding gift in 1972 when she married Carlo Mascheroni; the couple spent the following decades restoring the village's ancient cellars and buildings while modernizing production. Their children, Nicolò and Federica, now help run the estate, which owns close to two-thirds of the village itself along with 114 acres of vineyards set among some of the highest elevations in Chianti Classico, farmed entirely organically.

The estate's vineyards sit between roughly 1,300 and 2,130 feet above sea level on sandstone-rich soils, an elevation and microclimate that gives Volpaia's Sangiovese a distinctly elegant, fine-boned character rather than sheer weight or power. This Chianti Classico is built primarily on Sangiovese with a small addition of Merlot, included specifically to soften the wine and help it round into balance within its first year, since the altitude here can otherwise leave the wine feeling rustic and closed early on. After fermentation, the wine ages in oak, moved through Volpaia's underground "vinoduct," a hidden network of stainless steel pipes connecting the upper and lower cellars within the historic village.

The wine shows ripe cherry, dried strawberry, dried orange peel, and spice over notes of crushed stone. The palate is medium to full-bodied, with firm yet finely grained tannins and vivid fruit through a lingering finish. It pairs well with grilled meats, tomato-based pasta, or aged pecorino.