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Sangiovese domi- nates in all of Lionello Marchesi’s red wines. Old World Wines, New World Order: Lionello Marchesi Though Lionello Marchesi, an inventor and entrepreneur who has resurrected half a dozen wineries in Tuscany, does not sell his wines in Italy, they have found suc- cess and critical acclaim here in the New World. At Cantinetta Luca, a sister property to David Fink’s L’Auberge hotel in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, General Manager Guiseppe Panzuto’s exclusively Italian wine list offers 30 wines by the taste and glass, in addition to a deep inventory by the bottle. With just two wines from Tuscany being offered by the glass, competition for the spotlight is stiff, and Panzuto is currently pouring Marchesi’s Castello di Monastero Chianti Classico. A certified sommelier and professional wine judge, Panzuto selected the Chianti for its clean, traditional style and excellent value. “Monastero is not a heavy Chianti; it has a leaner style and a classic bouquet that shows very well. It’s a good ambas- sador for the region,” he says. And, at $5 a taste and $10 a glass, the label represents solid value for Panzuto’s clientele. The wines of Castello di Monastero, a renovated castle monastery that lies just outside Siena in the heart of the Chianti Classico zone, are a prime example of mid-range Chiantis that can over-deliver. Their popularity in Northern California is evident, both on-premise and with retailers like Molly Stone’s and J. J. Buckley, which stocks the Monastero Chianti Classico Riserva and Infinito, a 60% Sangiovese/40% Cabernet Sauvignon Supertuscan IGT blend. Marchesi, who refers to his Chiantis as “clay wines” for the complex expres- sion Sangiovese acquires from clay soils, notes the important role that crisp, medium-weight reds play at the table. “Chianti is very flexible; while it fully expresses terroir and vintage conditions, it is easier to pair with many ethnic foods than Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot.” In addition to Castello di Monastero, Marchesi owns two smaller estates: Coldisole, a jewel in eastern Montalcino that produces Rossi di Montalcino and Brunello, and his latest acquisition, Poggio alle Sughere in the Maremma area, which makes contemporary Sangiovese-based wines destined for the U.S. market. He began purchasing the estates in 1994 and has steadily improved both the vineyards and the technology in the cellars, resulting in a full-scale revival for each property. Sangiovese is the dominant variety in all of Marchesi’s red wines, but of the three estates, the soils and climate differ the most at Poggio alle Sughere which located in Morellino di Scansano, an area reclassified as a DOCG in 2007. Poggio runs along the eastern coastline of Tuscany, making it subject to more maritime influences than Montalcino and Chianti, and it has lighter clay soils with galestro (shale, compacted limestone-clay) and albarese (rocky limestone-clay). The Poggio alle Sughere 100% Sangiovese is bottled under screw cap and classified as Toscana IGT, with the ‘07 showing aromas of fennel, red cherry, rhubarb and star anise, bright acidity mid-palate and cool, lean tannins that finish with notes of saddle leather and cinnamon. “We produced this contemporary style for the U.S. market, but it is finding a good reception in other countries as well,” says Marchesi. — Deborah Parker Wong september 2010 / the tasting panel / PHOTO: DEBORAH PARKER WONG