Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/552044
{ SOMMjournal.com } 97 A SOMM'S VIEW With all this talk about a Renaissance in Chianti Classico, we decided to talk to someone on the other end of the bottle to see how things are changing on the restaurant side of the equation. Advanced Sommelier Eduardo Bolaños is some- what of a closet expert in all things Italian, having cut his teeth at Pizzeria Mozza, and is now the Sommelier in residence at Terroni in Downtown Los Angeles. His assessment of Chianti Classico? "This is a region every- one 'knows' but not a lot of people really understand," Bolaños explains. "There is a sort of 'seeing the trees through the forest' phenomenon happening right now; it is a matter of identifying producers who are making honest, qualitatively driven Chianti, while avoiding the wines that aren't made with such care and ultimately give the region a bad name." Bolaños provided notes on these wines: DIEVOLE Year of establishment: 1090 (Yeah, you read that right: May 10 th , 1090 to be exact.) Average annual production: 260,000 bottles Total vineyards: 80 hectares (198 acres) Planted varieties: Predominantly Sangiovese, with small plantings of Canaiolo, Ciliegiolo, Colorino, Trebbiano and Malvasia Bianca Soil Type: Calcareous soil with an abun- dance of pebbles and stones, as well as clay, sand and marl Winemakers: Alberto Antonini and Giovanni Alberio PODERE IL PALAZZINO Year of establishment: 1973 Average annual production: 70,000 bottles Total vineyard extension: 20 hectares (49 acres) Planted varieties: Predominantly Sangiovese, with small blocks of Canaiolo, Colorino, Malvasia Nera and Malvasia Bianca Type of viticulture: Certified organic Soil Type: Medium texture with a preva- lence of Alberese (clayey schists) Owners: Alessandro and Andrea Sderci MONTEROTONDO Year of establishment: 1959 Average annual production: 8,000 bottles Total vineyard extension (hectares): 3.5 Planted varietals: Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Malvasia Nera and Colorino. Type of viticulture: Certified organic Soil Type: Sandstone, skeletal (rock frag- ments, gravel, and laterite) Owner/Agronomist/Enologist: Saverio Basagni THE ESTATES Podere Il Palazzino 2008 Grosso Sanese Chianti Classico DOCG 100% Sangiovese Dried cherries and strawberries, herbal (cut rosemary and sage). Nice astringency, no volatility. Podere Il Palazzino 2010 Argenina Chianti Classico DOCG Sangiovese, with a small percentage of indigenous red varieties Firm tannins (this wine sees no oak, so it is all grape tannins), dried tomatoes, dried cut-herbs, rhubarb compote. Monterotondo 2011 Vaggiolata Chianti Classico DOCG 85% Sangiovese, 10% Canaiolo, 5% Malvasia Nera Dense fruit and massive tannins dominate this super traditional, rustic Chianti. Monterotondo 2011 Serentina Riserva Chianti Classico DOCG 95% Sangiovese, 5% Malvasia Nera Sweet red fruit rounds out the warm, nutty tannins of this wine. Oak is prominent but not overbearing. Dievole 2013 Chianti Classico DOCG 100% Sangiovese Ripe red fruit—cherries, strawberries and just-ripe plum—strike a nice balance against the firm tannins of this wine. Warm, youthful and bright. These wines are Imported by Marc De Grazia Selections. Moment of Truth:"I think Sangiovese is better than Nebbiolo. Nebbiolo has been historically more consistent in delivering high-quality wines, but when it is done right, Sangiovese shines brighter." —Eduardo Bolaños, Sommelier at Terroni in Downtown Los Angeles. IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME PHOTO: KAREN MONEYMAKER PHOTO: KAREN MONEYMAKER