La Chimera Vinsanto D.O.C. del Chianti Classico
Made from Trebbiano and Malvasia grapes harvested in October and left to dry until early February, Castello di Monsanto’s Vinsanto is produced according to strict traditions. The must is stored for a decade in small casks, which are exposed to the elements in the Vinsantaia throughout summer and winter. No technological analysis is performed – all that’s required is infinite passion for a great Chianti tradition. This sweet wine is not just for desserts, its acidic structure gives an outstanding elegance and persistence, enabling it to stand up to unusual food pairings.
Designation
Vinsanto
First year of production
1970
Grape varieties
50% Trebbiano and 50% Malvasia
Training system
Guyot
Vinification
Withered grapes on racks
Maturazione o invecchiamento
12 years in 50 and 100 litre casks made from chestnut, oak, and cherry wood.
Ageing
One year of bottle aging
Climate trend
The 1962 vintage was certainly one of the best of the decade, along with those from 1964 and 1967. At Castello di Monsanto, Chianti Classico wines were produced in accordance with the most traditional rules: with the use of white grapes Trebbiano and Malvasia, no de-stemming of the grapes and application of the “Governo alla Toscana” technique. After an exceptionally warm and dry September, harvesting began in the second week of October and the grapes, transported to the winery in large tubs, were turned into must directly in wooden vats without being de-stemmed. Fabrizio Bianchi recalls that in 1962 “the cap was punched down with wooden clubs and, once fermentation was completed, the vats were hermetically sealed until the end of November or beginning of December. To induce a second fermentation, encourage the malo-lactic transformation and reduce acidity, grapes previously dried on racks were added. At the beginning of spring… in the moon of March, as they would say at that time… the wine was transferred into chestnut casks.”
