Dispatch from Chianti 2007: the news is good and bad
VinoWire contributor Tom Hyland filed this report last night from Montalcino.
I tasted through several dozen 2007 Chianti Classicos and the result is good news/bad news.
What is good about 2007 was that it was a wonderful vintage with big extract, but healthy acidity. So the wines are much better balanced than those from 2006.
The bad: a few too many producers have tried to make a bigger wine than normal. Call them Riservas or Super Tuscans, but a few wines do not resemble a Chianti Classico.
Thankfully, enough producers did make excellent wines. Among the best are Querciabella, which has a wonderful elegance throughout and the delicious Castello di Volpaia, with unusual strawberry fruit and gentle tannins. Both wines should drink well for 5-7 years.
Other beautiful bottlings include Bibbiano and Badia a Coltibouno, both made in a lighter, more approachable style. Castello di Bossi, slightly fuller, but with great balance and complexity and the impressive Castellare di Castellina, San Pancrazio, and Isole e Olena, a very classy wine!
—Tom Hyland
Filed under: News
I just recently enjoyed a few 2006 Tuscan wines and found them to be quite nice. Tonight I opened my first 2007, a Banfi Rosso di Montalcino and was pleasantly surprised. I am now looking forward to a day of wine shopping for 2007 Chianti Classicos. Thanks