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Kevin's comments: Top Chianti from John Matta, one of Tuscany's finest producers.
CHIANTI CLASSICO AGOSTINO PETRI CASTELLO VICCHIOMAGGIO, TOSCANA
The historical origins of Castello Vicchiomaggio can be traced back to the 5th century with period documents confirming the production of wine at that time. The present owners, the Matta family, acquired the property in 1964 and restored it back to its former splendour. The estate, with 150 ha, is one of the largest in the area, and of these, 32 ha are dedicated to the vine.
Castello Vicchiomaggio produces several styles of wine, from the traditional to the innovative. In order to achieve this, the estate has been carefully classified according to its soil type and exposure. Each wine is named after a specific vineyard area. All production and winemaking is supervised by John Matta who studied viticulture and oenology. The estate is totally family run, thus ensuring a unique and identifiable style of wine.
Vicchiomaggio is consistently classified amongst Italy's top estates and in 2002 John Matta was awarded the Tasca d'Almerita Trophy for Best Italian Producer of the Year. This was followed by the IWSC 2005 accolade for Italian Wine Producer Of The Year with the 2003 La Prima winning the Carpineto Trophy For Best Sangiovese in the same competition. A unique achievement for an Englishman!
RISERVA PETRI CHIANTI CLASSICO DOCG
Grapes: 90% Sangiovese, 5% Canaiolo and 5% Cabernet all from the Petri vineyard
Note: Matured in French oak barriques for 6 months and then in large oak barrels (25-75HL
each). Tradition and a little innovation combine to produce a wine of excellent structure with pure fruit tastes balanced by the richness of the oak. The vineyard is over 20 years old with very low yields and excellent grape quality, thus ensuring power and very good ageing potential. The wine can be drunk when released or matured further for several years.
Serve: At room temperature with grilled or roast red meats, game and mature cheese.
Taste: Enticing sweet, ripe fruit on the nose and a flavour of concentrated black cherries with rich, almost opulent tannins. A classic wine with great potential.
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