Le Cinciole. Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 'Aluigi'

Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG 
Grape: Sangiovese 

2016 Fine smoky, damson and plum fruit. Peppercorn, flint, and mint. A wonderfully harmonious, profound wine.

2018 There is an exuberance to the breadth and purity of dark cherry and damson fruit: a great Gran Selezione that marries power to elegance.

Following our summer Tuscany and Central Italy tasting at St John's Smith Square, we now have a vertical tasting offer for you to enjoy comparing the different vintages and the change in style with the advent of Gran Selezione:
Le Cinciole. Chianti Classico Riserva 'Aluigi 2015 plus
Le Cinciole. Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 'Aluigi' 2016 and 2018

Le Cinciole producer page

This wine gave me a bit of a shock, Luca had not looked kindly on the ‘Gran Selezione’ category in the past: the rules were too close to those applied to a Riserva and less conscientious producers changed little but the name to inflate their prices.  Tighter regulations came in 2016 and Luca and Valeria joined the party, promoting their Aluigi (dedicated to Valeria’s father Luigi) to ‘Gran Selezione’; it is a wine that is only made in the best years, there was no ‘Gran Selezione’ in 2017.

This is a single vineyard Chianti Classico made entirely from Sangiovese, grown on classic galestro, a mix of clays and small stones.  The altitude gives huge temperature swings between day and night, a natural solution to keeping the flavours fresh.  The harvest is by hand, family and friends select the bunches that are then de-stemmed and crushed.  Spontaneous fermentation is in concrete tanks and ageing in botti grande (25hl French oak) for 2 years.