Gagliole Colli della Toscana Centrale Gagliole 2017

All grapes for this wine come from Vigna Grande, the highest vineyard of the Conca d'Oro in Panzano. From in this pure Galestro vineyard you look down on Rampolla, La Massa, Fontodi, etc., among others. The blend here is 98% Sangiovese with 2% Cabernet-Sauvignon. The bunches are picked by hand and taken in small boxes a hundred metres down to the cellar, where there is then a rigorous selection of the best grapes. The grapes were not de-stemmed and fermentation takes place partly in barrique and partly in large oak tronconic cuves. The maceration is 25 days for the cuves and up to 45 days in the barriques. The wine then matured for a further 18 months in French oak barrels, 20% of which were new and 80% 2nd passage. Attracting oenologist Paolo Salvi, the man who made Monte Vertine great, the aim here is simply to make the finest wines in Chianti Classico. A unique combination of the finesse of old Sangiovese with the power of Panzano. After the absolutely superb 2016, we certainly did not expect this level in this somewhat more difficult 2017 year due to drought! What a wine, it seems like at Gagliole they take another small step forward every year! We now place this estate at the absolute top of what top Sangiovese is made in Chianti Classico. NOT TO BE MISSED!

Vinous (Antono Galloni): "The 2017 Gagliole is a wine of pure and total seduction that really captures the essence of the house style today. Freshly cut flowers, red berry fruit, mint, spice and rose petal give the 2017 striking aromatic intensity to play off its mid-weight personality. The natural richness and radiance of Panzano come through, but those elements are tempered by what is a super-classic style. In a word: impressive." 95/100