Chianti Classico, historically the wine of Italian aristocracy, has reclaimed its place as the crown jewel of Tuscany.  Castello di Albola, with its 500 year history of producing Chianti wines, offers a fresh, modern approach to a classic wine, using only Sangiovese from their estate vineyards, which sit at the highest elevation in the region.  The altitude imparts pronounced aromas and acidity, structured tannins and overall elegance to the wines.  Earning critical praise for their wines, Castello di Albola seeks to produce wines that will fit everyone’s budget while keeping their winemaking standards high, a reflection of their historical roots.

Castello di Albola, Courtesy of Zonin 1821

Castello di Albola vineyards, Courtesy of Zonin 1821

Castello di Albola, Courtesy of Zonin 1821

From the heart of the Chianti Classico region, in Radda in Chianti, the medieval village of Castello di Albola crowns the highest hills.  Here, the 900 hectare estate is home to a villa, a winery, 125 hectares of grape vines and 4,000 olive trees.  This centuries-old property has produced wine since 1480, belonging to a procession of Tuscany’s most aristocratic families, but a fresh infusion of capital and winemaking prowess came in 1979, when the Zonin family bought the estate.  With a focus on viticulture, renovating existing vineyards and planting new ones, Zonin ushered in the new age of Chianti for Castello di Albola.  Today, 90% of the vineyards are planted to Sangiovese, the rest to Cabernet Sauvignon and Canaiolo, and two white varietals, Chardonnay and Malvasia del Chianti Classico, which are grown in the cooler vineyards.  The renovated wine cellar, built on two levels, serves a dual purpose, one above ground to process the grapes, the second underground for storage and aging of the wines.  The historic underground cellars, originally excavated over 150 years ago, and some more than 400 years old, now hold large Slavonian oak barrels and 500L French oak tonneau.  Castello di Albola produces eight wines, four Cru (Il Solatio and Santa Caterina single vineyard, one Chianti Classico DOCG Riserva, and one Acciaiolo IGT), three Selections (Oso blend, Chianti Classico DOCG, Poggio alle Fate white) and one Vin Santo.

Alessandro Gallo, winemaker for Castello di Albola

Winemaker Alessandro Gallo visited Los Angeles in the Spring, and met with wine writers, he poured a lineup of their modern expression of Chianti Classico, all 100% Sangiovese, and the Gran Selezione Santa Caterina plus the Vin Santo.  Gallo, no relation to the famous family, has led the charge of producing stylish, distinctive Chianti Classico that evokes the high altitude of the vineyards, bringing a fresh perspective to the wines.  Head winemaker since 2004, Gallo has the experience and vision to bring Castello di Albola into modern times, not just making a premium wine but also one that can be drunk everyday.  Gallo mused, “While I’m excited about the possibility to improve the single vineyards, and create a great wine, we have to give good value in our wines.”   Santa Caterina, a single vineyard wine produced since 2013, is “easy, elegant, a little more powerful than the Riserva but it’s so drinkable.”  Two vintages were compared, 2013 and 2015, both well-integrated with a “good combination of tannin and acid”, elegant and intense wines with the 2015 highly rated by Wine Spectator, the 2013 a beautiful wine with the benefit of age (SRP $90).

The workhorse wine for the estate, the Chianti Classico DOCG (SRP $16), is a fresh, mineral expression, elegant and velvety.  The 2015 vintage was very good in Tuscany, producing a red-fruited, violet-nosed wine; 2016 was an ideal year, producing a fresher, more crunchy fruit wine, aromatic and well-balanced.

The Chianti Classico DOCG Riserva (SRP $18-21) needs long, slow maturation for the tannins, so these wines see a minimum of three years aging in a combination of Slavonian and French oak barrels.  The 2012 vintage was hot, but the high elevation helped with freshness, while the 2014, which was a wet year, produced a lighter, more delicate expression.  Both wines were intense, with notes of wild berries, tobacco, and licorice, with a long flavorful finish.

Winemaker Alessandro Gallo discusses winemaking strategies for Castello di Albola

When asked how Gallo deals with a difficult vintage, he responded, “You work more in the cellar, you have to manage it by hand.  For example, 2014 was wet and cool, while 2017 was more concentrated because of frost, heat and drought, in these cases, the vines produce less fruit in difficult vintages.”

We finished with the Vin Santo del Chianti Classico DOC 2006 (SRP $28), this perfumed sweet wine, made of Trebbiano and Malvasia Bianca, was intense and complex, with notes of apricot, figs, dried fruit, and honey, a classic way to finish a meal with dessert in Tuscany.

According to Gallo, quality and finesse are growing in the region, with Chianti Classico becoming more stylish and elegant, offering good quality and value.  For Castello di Albola, Gallo believes “the strength today of the estate is in the vineyards, making Chianti Classico with only Sangiovese, from different estate vineyards, at different altitudes with different soils, but it’s always Sangiovese.  We work a lot in the vineyards because we believe that to make a great wine, you have to have great grapes.”  Castello di Albola has accomplished that, offering pure pleasure at a price you can afford to pour everyday, delicious by the glass or with food.