CHIANTI DOCG RISERVA I SODI DEL PARETAIO 2021

Product Info

Badia di Morrona, Tuscany

A beautiful example of traditional Tuscan Sangiovese, this is a wine with a little more depth, maturity and time behind it. The 2021 I Sodi del Paretaio Riserva comes from Badia di Morrona, a historic estate in the rolling hills around Terricciola, between Pisa and Volterra.

The word Riserva is important. In Italy, it is a regulated designation that indicates a wine has been aged for longer than the standard version of the same DOC or DOCG wine before release. The extra time allows the fruit, acidity and tannins to come together, creating a wine with greater depth and complexity. In this case, the Sangiovese spends 18 months maturing in large oak casks before bottling.

I Sodi del Paretaio Riserva is made from 100% Sangiovese, the great red grape of Tuscany. The 2021 vintage shows lovely freshness and ripe red fruit, with aromas of raspberry, redcurrant and subtle forest-floor notes. On the palate it is juicy and generous, with beautifully integrated, mature tannins and a long, satisfying finish. Falstaff awarded the 2021 vintage 92 points, noting its combination of ripe fruit, freshness and well-integrated tannins.

Badia di Morrona has deep roots in the Tuscan landscape, with the Gaslini Alberti family having long been associated with the estate and its wines. The vineyards sit among the hills of the Pisa area, where Sangiovese is particularly well suited to the combination of soils, elevation and Mediterranean climate. The estate has made I Sodi del Paretaio as an expression of classic Chianti for decades.

This is a wine for a proper Italian meal rather than simply a glass on its own. It is beautifully suited to salumi, aged cheeses, red meats, lamb, game and slow-cooked dishes where its acidity and mature tannins can really shine.

A classic Tuscan Riserva with the structure to cellar for a few more years, but already drinking beautifully. A wonderful bottle to open when you want something a little special.