“Vino Nobile” for HOW MUCH? 2013 Mori Giacomo Chianti Riserva Castelrotto
Posted on: 07/31/18 12:01 PM
We have a huge weak spot for really good Chianti–who doesn’t– especially when it is from a great producer (hello, Mori Giacomo) and sourced from a historical declassified Vino Nobile di Montepulciano (more on that below). The fact that this juice is under $25 makes our knees buckle. Oil up your manual pasta machine and calculate enough calories for a heavy amount of carbs because this baby is going make repeated nightly trips to your dinner table.
2013 Mori Giacomo Chianti Riserva Castelrotto
“The 2013 Chianti Riserva Castelrotto is another fabulous wine from Mori. A conscious decision to move towards a more restrained style with the Riserva has resulted in an absolutely stellar wine endowed with real class and personality. Freshly cut flowers, tobacco, herbs and bright red cherries add layers of nuance throughout. The Castelrotto is a Riserva built more on finesse than sheer power.” 91 Points, Antonio Galloni
More About the Wine
The Giacomo family have been cultivating vineyards here in Southern Tuscany since the late seventh century (no big deal). They were true farmers growing olives, wheat, producing vinegar and Chianina beef. But the juiciest part of the Giacomo story comes in the fact that prior to redistricting after WW2, the Moris made wine under the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano appellation instead of their current DOC Chianti. For us Italian nerds, that means you are getting what was historically classified as Vino Nobile. And you can feel that pedigree in this wine.
But regardless of its historical past, this is superb terroir: a mixture of sand, limestone and clay–a terrific combination to grow Sangiovese–and one Mr. Giacomo has expertly utilized to produce wine that is both elegant and dazzlingly concentrated.
It would be a crime not to mention the talents of Mori Giacomo himself, who is clearly a sensitive and smart winemaker and who made a variety of key decisions to lift the domain to stellar heights. First, he refurbished the ancient cave which has been dug into tufo rock, creating three different levels to ensure that all the wine can be racked and transferred entirely by gravity feed. He chose only low-yielding rootstock and the finest clones of Chianti’s indigenous Sangiovese and Canaiolo to resurrect his family’s 10-hectare vineyard. He has also spaced his vines tight, so as to force their roots to dig deep into the earth and yield maximum complexity. Lastly, he made the expensive decision to move to organic practices, which means twice as much time in the vineyard and zero use of chemical fertilizers, insecticides, or herbicides.
In the end, Mori’s moves have yielded terrific results and lovers of delicious Chianti (and the beautiful 2013 vintage) will enjoy this wine immensely.
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