Our Chardonnay is the brainchild of Fabrizio Bianchi, who – in the mid-1970s – decided to plant these vines on the winery’s land outside of the Chianti Classico denomination. Inspired by the great white wines of Burgundy, it was initially fermented entirely in wooden tanks, but since 2000 the volume of oak-fermented grapes has been steadily decreasing – with 70% of the grapes now fermented in stainless steel tanks. There is a large stock of our Chardonnay in our cellar, illustrating this wine’s ability to stand up to the passage of time
Designation
I.G.T. Toscana Bianco
First year of production
1990
Grape varieties
100% Chardonnay
Training system
Guyot and spurred cordon
Vinification
Two thirds of the grapes are vinified in steel vats at controlled temperature, the remaining part in French oak "tonneaux" where it remains on the lees for about 6/7 months
Ageing
One year of bottle aging
Climate trend
The 1997 vintage was characterized by a late spring frost (April 17) that reduced production in the Il Poggio Vineyard, although only to a limited extent. Afterward, the growing season was regular and this permitted the estate to harvest grapes that were perfectly wholesome and fully ripe with an extremely high sugar level and completely developed polyphenols. Among other aspects, the 1997 vintage was the first in which the estate used cone-shaped stainless steel vats rather than cylindrical containers.
