Contrary to other well-known wine regions in Tuscany, Bolgheri has always stood apart: instead of being influenced by the hills and soils of the Appenines, Bolgheri has been shaped by the nearby sea. From the sandy loam with pebbles as well as clay, and limestone in the hills, the sea has left its imprint upon the land and circulates the air around the vineyards.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for 10 wines from the Ornellaia masterclass

The historical records indicate that, due to the proximity to the sea, Sangiovese was not well suited to Bolgheri. In contrast, it is the sea – providing luminosity and cooling breezes – that allows other grapes to excel. Enter international varieties.

Bolgheri and its vines are often compared to Bordeaux, but the wines never quite taste like Bordeaux. They might be French grapes, but the vine cuttings originated in Italy and have been in the region long enough that they deliver a distinct expression of Tuscany.

So where does Ornellaia fit in? It’s not the first famous wine from Bolgheri – that would be Sassicaia – but rather one established by another branch of the Antinori family in 1981. Vines were planted in 1982 and a wine produced in 1985 that quickly made its mark. But it would take another decade for the vines to become ‘comfortable’, according to Gravereaux.

Credit: Ellen Richardson / Decanter

Additional vineyards in Bellaria, near the Bolgheri hamlet, were added and planted from 1992. At higher elevation and facing the sea, these new vines quickly became significant to Ornellaia’s future.

During the 1990s, the estate gained a better understanding of what the vines were going to produce, and increased the number of micro-vinifications and plot selections, leading to what Gravereaux described during the masterclass as ‘the greatest shift in the estate’s evolution.’ In 1997, a second wine, Le Serre de Nuove dell’Ornellaia, was introduced, giving the winemaking team the freedom to select only the best components for Ornellaia. Today, Ornellaia is a meticulous selection sourced from over 70 different plots.

The early 2000s brought more changes: of ownership, of winemakers and, in some ways, of the wine itself – yet it remained true to its origins: a distinctly Tuscan expression of a Bordeaux blend of grapes. The last 20 years, under the stewardship of the Frescobaldi family and CEO, Giovanni Geddes da Filicaja have cemented Ornellaia’s place among Italy’s top wines.

From the 2013 vintage, the quest for elegance and expression of terroir became the focus: recent vintages of Ornellaia have a purity of fruit and freshness that has become a hallmark of the wine. The amount of Cabernet Sauvignon was reduced from 70-80% of the blend to 50-60%, with Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot making up the difference – which, in their increased percentages, allowed for a greater diversity of flavours and structure (both acid and tannins), as well helping to mitigate the effects of the changing climate through thicker skins and later ripening.

Another innovation in the last 20 years has been the Vendemmia d’Artista project. Every year since 2006, a single word is selected to describe the vintage, interpreted by a different artist each year, who is commissioned to create both a label and art installation. Large format bottles using the exclusive label are auctioned off, with proceeds going to the Solomon R Guggenheim Foundation to support its Mind’s Eye project, which enables the blind or partially sighted to appreciate artwork via verbal and sensory experiences. As Gravereaux put it, it’s Ornellaia’s way to ‘help communicate and interpret wine through art.’

White wines at Ornellaia

White wines have always been a part of the history of Ornellaia, but were somewhat neglected until the change in ownership. In 2008, Poggio alle Gazze dell’Ornellaia was re-introduced, a predominantly Sauvignon Blanc-based blend. And in 2013, the first vintage of Ornellaia Bianco was created; also largely Sauvignon Blanc-dominant, but a blend which has changed around from year to year, while the most recent vintages have settled on 100% Sauvignon Blanc.

Gravereaux insisted that Poggio alle Gazze ‘should not be considered as the second wine of Ornellaia Bianco.’ Rather, the technical team identified certain plots where the white varieties excelled, and felt that they could produce a wine deserving of the Ornellaia name. Both white wines have brought a differentiating factor to the winery and have been a resounding success.

The determination from this masterclass? Terroir at Ornellaia is key. The wines – 2020, 2013, 2011, 2008, 2003, 1998, 1993 and 1990, plus Ornellaia Bianco 2020 and 2014 – demonstrated a seamless continuity that, according to Gravereaux, ‘transcends’ blends and climatic conditions.

Ornellaia: ‘Four decades of a Tuscan icon’

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For centuries, Florence has been a magnet for travellers from all over the world – and while most come for its unrivalled Renaissance architecture, few leave without embracing the wine scene. The connection between the two is surprisingly deep-rooted, Tuscan wine producers having financed, built or owned some of the grandest palazzi of the historic centre.

Florence’s stunning 13th-century cathedral, famed for its vast, sweeping dome, is a focal point at the heart of the city and dominates the skyline from a great distance. Still today, the wine used at the most important masses is a sweet vin santo from the Chianti Classico area just south of the city.

Where to stay

Oscar-winning A Room with a View was filmed at the riverside Hotel degli Orafi by Ponte Vecchio bridge. Its spacious rooftop bar is a peaceful oasis, also open to non-guests, and serves intensely fragrant Chianti Classico from the owners’ historic Ormanni winery, where farmhouse accommodation is also available.

Where to eat

Florence has a great many relaxed trattorias serving local specialities such as tasty stews and soups, pasta and steaks. Trattoria Sergio Gozzi, a local lunchtime favourite,
is one of several around the Mercato Centrale. Heading towards the river Arno, on the ground floor of majestic Palazzo Antinori, home to the illustrious winemaking family for more than 600 years, at Cantinetta Antinori wine is the focus. The seasonal restaurant menu offers seafood and Florentine dishes including T-bone steaks, while the wine bar provides tastings and serves platters including charcuterie from Antinori’s own estate-raised speciality breed Cinta Senese pigs. Across the river, on the way to the Piazzale Michelangelo viewpoint, the friendly Enoteca Fuori Porta is also popular for its crostini and pici pasta with wild boar, and especially for its extensive, ever-changing list of wines.

Where to drink

Near Mercato Centrale, old-style Fratelli Zanobini, run by the Zanobini family since 1944, is one of the city’s many wine bar-shops. No food is served and there’s little seating, but it’s perfect for a glass, perhaps of their own Chianti Classico, after visiting the market. Among the many options in the Oltrarno district, just south of the river, Obsequium has about 2,000 wines, roughly half Tuscan reds, both well-known classics and from small-scale wineries. Try a thematic tasting or enjoy a bottle with a platter of Tuscan Pecorino cheeses.

Places to visit

Twenty kilometres south of Florence, the contemporary Antinori nel Chianti Classico winery built into the hills couldn’t be in greater contrast to the monumental city-centre Palazzo Antinori. Still in Chianti Classico, the family also runs the striking Badia a Passignano abbey estate, with its Michelin one-star Osteria, and low-key countryside resort Fonte de’ Medici at the heart of the Tignanello estate where the celebrated SuperTuscan is made.

Despite its fame, the Chianti Classico area between Florence and Siena maintains an authentic, rural charm with quiet villages, rows of vines patchworking the hills, abundant woodland and postcard-pretty stone farmhouses, many of which offer accommodation, tastings or meals. Just south of Greve in Chianti, where Expo Chianti Classico is held in the distinctive triangular piazza each September, one of the loveliest is Il Palagio di Panzano at Panzano. Monia Piccini, who grew up here, runs the winery and agriturismo with her husband Franco who restored the furniture, while Monia’s father renovated the centuries-old stone farmhouse set in a gorgeous panoramic garden. Book to stay or for a lunchtime tasting with food pairings to try characterful Sangiovese Chianti Classico from their 6ha under vine.

Closer to Florence, Fiesole is an easy trip from the city (20 minutes to the northeast by bus). Opposite Fiesole cathedral with its landmark tower, Bibi Graetz’s winery occupies a stylishly converted former hotel. Take a private tour to see where the artist’s old-vine red wines are made and try them along with white Ansonica from his Tuscan islands vineyards.

Credit: Silvio Palladino

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Earlier this year, Maremma Toscana DOC Vermentino Superiore was ratified by the Italian government. The new Superiore category represents an increase from a minimum percentage of 85% Vermentino in the pre-existing non-Superiore wines to at least 95%, as well as a higher minimum abv of 12.5% ​​and can be used for wines from the 2021 vintage onwards.

The Mazzei family, whose managing director, Francesco Mazzei is president of the Maremma Toscana consortium, has just released the first wine labeled as Vermentino Superiore from its Belguardo estate.

First released with the 2008 vintage as ‘Codice V’, Belgaurdo’s Vermentino – made from four different clones – has always been at the forefront of the denomination and began incorporating 20% ​​of amphora-vinified fruit from the 2016 vintage onwards.

A name change from ‘Codice V’ to ‘V’ coincides with the new Superiore labeling for this 2021 vintage. Other changes in this latest release include increasing the percentage of grapes vinified on the skins in amphorae to 50% and reducing the time on skins from nine months to six.

‘Despite the fact that the DOC Maremma regulations provide for a rather considerable number of grape varieties and wine categories, Vermentino in recent years has become the most important wine in terms of number of bottles produced and is the grape variety with the strongest growth trend, ‘Mazzei told Decanter .

‘Vermentino yields fresh, ready-to-drink wines, as well as ambitious, long-lived versions, which is why we have included the Superiore category in our portfolio. I think that with the addition of Superiore designation, in the next few years Vermentino will not only consolidate its role as the main player in the denomination, but thanks to its outstanding quality to quantity ratio, it will also positively influence the reputation of the Maremma Toscana, positioning it as a high-quality peer of the other Tuscan denominations .’

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Named one of the best new hotels of the year in Travel + Leisure’s 2023 It List, this restored 18th-century borgo is the embodiment of ‘approachable luxury’. American owners and seasoned hoteliers Scott and Shannon Kircher also own a hotel in the Caribbean, where they pride themselves on offering a ‘barefoot luxury’ experience. You’ll find the same ‘at home’, relaxed and informal vibe here – the size (21 rooms and suites) gives it an intimate feel, pop music plays in the restaurant, and Shannon and Scott enjoy stopping to chat with guests.

Don’t be fooled though. The hotel, which opened its doors in September 2022, and is named after the patron saint of winemaking, offers a level of comfort and service, and attention to detail, to rival the most upmarket hotels in the region. It’s not as flashy as some Tuscan hotels, and given the smaller scale you won’t find a spa or a choice of restaurants, but what’s there is perfectly done, and aimed very much at the discerning wine lover.

Tuscan countryside chic

The accommodation and communal areas have been styled in a rustic fashion, with beams and exposed brickwork featuring heavily, and olive green and neutral tones. Tuscan countryside chic. The area itself is relaxed too, off the well-trodden Tuscan tourist trail but not too far removed.

We’re in the heart of the Montepulciano wine region, around 10 minutes from the town of the same name  – UNESCO-recognised vineyard vistas stretch all around, particularly special viewed from the terrace with fire pit, drink in hand. The region, which has attracted investment from top names such as Antinori and Frescobaldi, is home to the famous Vino Nobile wines. Famous, but not as famous as Chianti or Brunello, point out the owners, who feel the region is sidelined even in wine courses specialising in Italy.

They’re passionate about introducing guests to local growers, and educating them in the wines of the area, and have linked up with the Wine Scholar Guild to provide a twice-yearly five-day ‘Tuscan Wine Week’, an opportunity for guests to learn about the wines of Montepulciano and the wider Tuscan region. The programme includes private tours and tastings, including visits to Montalcino, a five-course winemaker dinner, and a special session just on the wines of Montepulciano. Guests can dip in as they wish, paying for some or all of the activities.

Outside of the set Wine Weeks, winemaker dinners take place monthly, and the excellent concierge service can arrange visits to local growers as well as estates around Tuscany. Or guests can explore under their own steam, using the complimentary e-bikes for the closest wine estates. Boscarelli, just a stone’s throw away, has a working wine farm feel and a respected range of wines – don’t miss the straight Vino Nobile Riserva. Other estates open to tourists range from Avignonesi, which has an established hospitality programme, to La Combarbia, a one-man operation where the owner speaks no English but does receive visitors.

Explore local wines from your restaurant table

Beyond wine, guests can use the concierge service to book organic olive oil and pecorino cheese tastings at local farms, cooking and cocktail-making classes, and tours of the region by foot, horse, Vespa, or hot air balloon. Or if that all sounds too energetic, the pool deck is a suntrap, and just steps away from the glass-walled restaurant overlooking the gardens, Il Ciuchino, and the Flying Monk bar. You can always explore the wines of the area from your restaurant table – don’t miss the moreish white wine made from the rare Pulcinculo grape, found only in the Montepulciano region, or enjoy a wide choice of Tuscan reds with traditional dishes such as peposo, a hearty beef stew made with red wine and black pepper.

Franky, the talented and enthusiastic food and beverage director, has started working with the Coravin wine preservation system to provide a good line-up of by-the-glass options. He’s also planning wine flights, including verticals and themed groupings such as Sangiovese, in its red, white and rosé forms. He’s equally passionate about cocktails, and the list on offer at the bar includes classic serves alongside creative, seasonal craft cocktails. The goal is to make it the best bar between Rome and Florence, a destination in its own right.

It’s an attitude that permeates the whole hotel. Only in its second proper season, and as unshowy as it is, Borgo San Vincenzo is already making a name for itself, and on the evidence of recognition already won, it will only help bring more attention to the wines and estates of this lesser-known part of Tuscany.

See the Borgo San Vincenzo website for more details.

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Robert Mondavi was brilliant at creating prestigious joint ventures, such as Opus One in Napa, and Seňa with Eduardo Chadwick in Chile. But less well known was Luce in Tuscany.

Srcoll down to see tasting notes and scores for a vertical of Luce from 2000-2020

In the 1970s, Mondavi had toured Italy with his son Tim with a view to creating an Italian brand, but it wasn’t until 1995 that his plans came to fruition and he formally collaborated with the Frescobaldi family to found Tenuta Luce. The Frescobaldis had bought the Castelgiocondo estate in Montalcino in 1989, and the Luce vineyards were in the same location.

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You may be thinking that you don’t need an excuse, but National Chianti Day gives wine lovers a good reason to open a bottle of Chianti or Chianti Classico. The idea came from importers, Santa Margherita USA – which represents Chianti Classico estates Santa Margherita and Lamole di Lamole – and aims to highlight the qualities of the famed area in Tuscany.

The wines vary widely in price and quality, from quaffable Chianti to ageable Chianti Classico Gran Selezione. Below, we pick out some great bottles to try at all price points.

Our 12-strong selection showcases the variety to be found in the Chianti and Chianti Classico zones, from the rare and very expensive Ipsus Gran Selezione (try with lamb chops served slightly pink), to the newly classified Terraelectae wines, designed to represent the peak of Chianti Rùfina production.

It’s not all budget-busting big hitters however, we’ve also included some good value options such as I Veroni’s I Domi Chianti Rùfina, available in the US for $15.99, and Frescobaldi’s Nipozzano Chianti Rùfina Riserva, available in the UK at Tesco for £16.

Chianti & Chianti Classico: What’s the difference?

There are two Chianti denominations: Chianti DOCG and Chianti Classico DOCG. While the former constitutes a vast 13,800 hectares of vines (2019), the latter is concentrated on the original pre-expansion zone between Florence and Siena, totalling 5,269ha of vineyard (2019).

Chianti Classico was a subzone of Chianti from its inception in 1967 until 1996, when it was granted its own separate DOCG. The vineyards here are typically at higher altitudes than those of Chianti DOCG.

Chianti: What’s in the blend?

While Chianti DOCG wines must be a minimum of 70% Sangiovese, Chianti Classico DOCG wines demand a minimum of 80%. Both DOCGs permit the use of local and international varieties: Canaiolo Nero, Ciliegiolo, Colorino, Foglia Tonda, Malvasia Nera, Mammolo, Pugnitello, and also major international varieties, such as Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah.

Chianti DOCG permits a maximum of 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and/or Cabernet Franc, and a maximum of 10% of white varieties Malvasia and Trebbiano. Chianti Classico DOCG is no longer permitted to include white varieties in the blend.

Ageing Regulations

Chianti DOCG wines can be sold from 1 March in the year after vintage, meaning that many examples are consumed in their youth as simple, fresh reds.

Chianti Classico DOCG wines increase minimum ageing to around 12 months, being sold from 1 October in the year after vintage. This can give the wines greater complexity, cohesion, and helps to round off the raw edges of youth.

Classification hierarchy

Chianti DOCG has three classifications: Chianti, Chianti Superiore and Chianti Riserva. It also has seven subzones (such as Rùfina) which each have their own, stricter requirements including lower yields, longer ageing and higher alcohol.

Chianti Classico DOCG also has three classifications: Chianti Classico (known as ‘annata’), Chianti Classico Riserva and Chianti Classico Gran Selezione.

Recent changes to the Gran Selezione regulations include increasing the minimum required Sangiovese content from 80% to 90%, and introducing 11 subzones.

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Just ahead of the release of Brunello’s highly anticipated 2019 vintage, Castiglion del Bosco’s winemaker, Cecilia Leoneschi, has announced that Elena Penna and Luca Currado have teamed up with the estate’s long-time consultant, Beppe Caviola.

Earlier this year, the duo resigned from renowned Piedmont property Vietti, which they sold in 2016 to American businessman, Kyle Krause. According to Currado, the seed for this new collaboration was planted by Caviola, who was the couple’s external consultant at Vietti for many years. Their mandate at Castiglion del Bosco is to hone the estate’s cru project.

One of the founding members of the Brunello di Montalcino consorzio in 1967, Castiglion del Bosco has been on an upward trajectory since Massimo Ferragamo purchased the underperforming property in 2003.

Spread over 2,000ha in the northwest of the zone, the property boasts 62ha of vineyards with varying exposures and altitudes. Currado refers to it as ‘one of the most beautiful terroirs in Montalcino’.

Elena and Luca Currado pictured with their children, Michele and Giulia. Credit: elenaspirits.com

Beyond the estate’s potential, Penna points to the skill and ambition of Leoneschi, who has been at the property since 2003, staying on after Ferragamo sold it in 2022.

‘The first thing I did was identify the parcels within the vineyards of the estate,’ said Leoneschi: Campo del Drago was released as a single-vineyard Brunello in 2003 and the estate has recently introduced three cru Rosso di Montalcino, an uncommon approach in Montalcino.

Conversely, crus, or Menzione Geografica Aggiuntivas (MGAs), are well entrenched in the Langhe. ‘We are fostering the “Piedmontisation” of the zone,’ joked Currado, whose father was among the first to label a site-specific Barolo with the 1961 vintage.

Currado believes his ability to distinguish superior sites and nurture a recognisable identity with consistent quality will further Castiglion del Bosco’s aspirations. He already has well over a decade of experience working with Sangiovese at Querciabella in Chianti Classico.

Besides lending their palates to the winemaking process, Penna and Currado’s consultation is ‘360 degrees’, said Penna. ‘We bring 30 years of experience on the commercial side too.’

By all accounts, the couple will also be helping Castiglion del Bosco launch a new cru Brunello in the future.

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Different parts of Italy – as well as other areas of Europe – have faced severe storms, heatwaves, wildfires and floods so far in 2023, leading to devastation of infrastructure and loss of life in some cases.

In vineyards, extreme weather phenomena have added to winemakers’ concerns around the impact of climate change. Italy’s wine harvest may shrink in 2023, said agriculture group Coldiretti, citing recent storms and intense heat linked to climate change.

Extreme weather in Italy: A new normal?

Two anticyclones originating in North Africa – the first dubbed ‘Cerberus’ and the second even more ominously, ‘Charon’ – caused temperatures to soar across southern Europe in June and July, trapped under an oppressive and persistent heat dome.

According to the Copernicus Climate Change Service, parts of Greece, eastern Spain, Sardinia, Sicily and southern Italy reached temperatures in excess of 45°C.

On 24 July, a weather station in Sardinia recorded 48.2°C, close to the record-breaking 48.8°C recorded in Syracuse in Sicily in 2021.

The heat came as UN secretary general António Guterres declared, ‘The era of global warming has ended. The era of global boiling has arrived.’

In recent years, droughts and floods have also become more common in Italy. The 2017 vintage was notoriously hot and dry throughout large swathes of the country, while last summer, the government declared a state of emergency following the worst drought in the country’s history to date.

In the spring of 2023, flooding devastated parts of the country, particularly Emilia-Romagna, where half of the region’s average annual rainfall was reported to have fallen in just 36 hours.

A flood-damaged vineyard in Bagnacavallo, Emilia-Romagna. Credit: Francesca Volpi / Bloomberg via Getty Images

Storms hit northern Italy

More recently, in July, severe storms swept through northern Italy.

Trees were uprooted in Trentino-Alto Adige and electric storms lit up Lake Garda on 24 July, the thunder still rumbling overhead well into the following day with outbreaks of hail reported in Friuli, Langhe and Roero.

The impact on vineyard areas remains uncertain. In its harvest forecast, Coldiretti said potential yields looked stable overall across Piedmont, Lombardy and Veneto, despite the recent storms.

‘Northern Italy has been hit with a frequency of which there is no memory.’

Elisabetta Currado, wine & marketing consultant at Castello di Gabiano and Villa Cambiaso, both in Piedmont, told Decanter, ‘In a matter of minutes, hail can destroy a crop, sometimes even compromising production for the following years. From early July to the present, northern Italy has been hit with a frequency of which there is no memory.

‘You see these black clouds coming in carrying ice that falls, hitting random areas in spots depending on the currents that are created. It’s just a matter of luck. So far we have seen hail pass us by, but it didn’t hit us; we just held our breath until it passed.’

She added, ‘This summer, hailstorms struck at a stage called pre-closing bunch, and in other cases with the berries almost fully ripe (invaiatura). In half an hour of hail, water and wind, some [producers] were more unlucky – as happened in some areas of the Langhe and Roero, where they completely lost production.’

Eduard Bernhart, director of the Südtirol Wein / Vini Alto Adige consortium, told Decanter, ‘We had some hail… everywhere a little bit, but not huge damage at the moment.’

Mildew pressure

Grapes affected by downy mildew. Credit: Lorenza photography / Alamy Stock Photo

For some vineyards in Sicily, mildew has been a significant issue following heavy rain in May and June. The island claims the largest surface area of organically farmed vines in Italy, which makes disease pressure, such as downy mildew, harder to control, and although the subsequent period of extreme heat saved bunches, for others it was too late.

Benjamin Franchetti, of Passopisciaro on Etna, and also Tenuta di Trinoro in Val d’Orcia in Tuscany, said, ‘Especially in Sicily we have had severe issues of peronospora [downy mildew], unseen in the past 20+ years. We expect production to be almost halved for 2023. After months of rain we are now experiencing extremely high temperatures. Let’s see.’

‘The 2023 harvest will be one of the most difficult of the last years,’ commented Arianna Occhipinti. ‘Beside the recent big wave of heat, we had heavy rains in May and June, important for the flowering of our grapes. The start of downy mildew may impact our upcoming production for about 30-35%; the sulphur and copper treatments (the only treatments we carry out in the vineyard) in higher concentrations, were not enough to contain the problem. The 2023 harvest will be lower in quantity but higher in quality.’

‘It is still difficult and premature to make accurate estimates about the quantity and quality [of the 2023 harvest]. Sicilian wine growers know how to manage the effect of climate change, focusing on quality and not quantity,’ underlined Assovini Sicilia president, Mariangela Cambria, who also co-owns Etna winery, Cottanera.

Franchetti added, ‘In Tuscany it has not been as bad. The unusually high levels of rain alternating with very high temperatures have not caused any serious issues. For now we have been spared from the hail and winds which are causing havoc in the north of Italy… for now.’

Some producers in Tuscany anticipate a smaller harvest in 2023, although it is early days and estimates vary considerably, according to a report this week by winenews.it.

It said the Consorzio Chianti Classico currently anticipated losses of around 10-15%, the Consorzio Brunello di Montalcino expected 5% losses and the Consorzio Bolgheri e Bolgheri Sassicaia estimated hypothetical losses of perhaps as much as 20%.

Making adjustments

Rising temperatures and increasing occurrences of drought in recent years have caused winemakers to rethink how to manage their vines and how to treat the grapes in the winery.

Many producers, from Piedmont to Bolgheri to Sicily, have stated that harvest today is around one month earlier than 20 to 30 years ago, highlighting the increase in temperatures and consequent advanced ripening of the grapes compared to the 1990s.

Marilisa Allegrini, of the eponymous Valpolicella family, told Decanter recently during a visit to the family’s Villa della Torre property in Fumani that the viticultural team would usually carry out a green harvest at this time of year.

However, the sporadic storms interrupting periods of extreme heat have forced them to wait and see what happens. Allegrini pointed out grapes that had succumbed to sunburn and, although she explained that they currently have an overproduction, they can’t yet risk dropping too much fruit in case of further losses from either sunburn or mildew.

Even if storms do not directly damage fruit, they can still create extra work for producers. ‘The pruning of the hailstormed branches has to be done,’ Currado said. ‘Even when damage seems limited, the vine still suffers from a slowdown in vegetative activity and must be treated with disinfectant products to heal scars and prevent mould and funghi from entering the vine.

‘Effective natural products are now available that can be used even on farms like us that work organically. Avoiding the ineffective anti-hail cannons, the only useful prevention is coverage with anti-hail nets, along with insurance. However, they represent a cost justifiable only with highly profitable productions.’

Canopy management is a technique that has become fundamental to ensuring healthy grapes. Whilst in the past the leaves could be cut back to expose the bunches to the sun for even ripening, in today’s warmer climates the leaves surrounding the bunches can instead be utilised to cast shade and prevent sunburn.

Strategically selected leaves can also be removed to slow down the process of photosynthesis, helping to curtail the swift advance of sugar ripeness in relation to physiological ripeness.

Additionally, cover crops between rows of vines can help to shade the ground and prevent the reflection of sunlight, which can occur on lighter soils, in addition to the benefits such crops can bring to a vineyard’s biodiversity and increasing nitrogen levels in the soil.

In his Barolo 2017 vintage report for Decanter Premium, Aldo Fiordelli noted that producers in that infamous drought year reduced the maceration time to avoid over-extraction. Some producers also opted for commercial yeasts over indigenous strains, he noted, to better cope with the higher potential alcohol of the wines.

During a masterclass hosted by Gaia Gaja on the family’s Bolgheri estate, Ca’ Marcanda, in 2022 in London, Gaja explained that the estate was transitioning from cordon to Guyot training in order to produce grapes with less concentration and more freshness.

Gaja noted that while Guyot training was associated with higher volume production, climate change has enabled the estate to produce quality grapes using the system.

Italy’s hillsides and mountains are also key if temperatures continue to rise, and some denominations, such as Brunello di Montalcino, have already amended or deleted pre-existing restrictions on maximum altitude for viticulture. Elsewhere, producers are seeking high altitude vineyard sites even if they are not accepted within the DOC/DOCG; it’s possible that we will see an increase of IGT bottlings from producers in the future.

Finally, east-facing vineyards are gaining a voice as traditional south-facing exposures risk producing over-ripe fruit. Capturing the morning sun while avoiding the worst of the afternoon rays helps producers to retain elegance and complexity in their wines despite rising temperatures.

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Who would have imagined that mature Vernaccia di San Gimignano could offer an almost Burgundian combination of luscious creaminess and mouthwatering salinity at age 25?

The 1997 Carato by Montenidoli left assembled professionals in awe during a masterclass held as part of the annual anteprima event in San Gimignano earlier this year.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for 10 ageworthy Italian white wines

Vernaccia di San Gimignano was the first Italian white wine to carry the Riserva designation, so the fact that it ages gracefully should be no surprise. Its actual potential, however, isn’t always evident when sampling young examples, which often hit the market too early and display either simple fermentative aromas or unintegrated oak.

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‘I feel more similar to Trebbiano Toscano than to Sangiovese because it is an underdog, like me,’ said Monteraponi owner, Michele Braganti during the first vertical tasting of his Trebbiano Toscano.

‘I am the youngest of three siblings, and when I continued to fail exams at law school, my parents let me take over Monteraponi instead of entering the successful family business. It was a sort of punishment,’ Braganti recalled.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for a 10-vintage vertical of Monteraponi Trebbiano Toscano

Monteraponi is an acclaimed winery but the road to get here was not easy.

See tasting notes and scores for a 10-vintage vertical of Monteraponi Trebbiano Toscano

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Major recent releases have included the 2020 vintages of top-tier SuperTuscans – a category to track in recent years. Data suggests, though, that the overall market had a relatively quiet first quarter of the year (see below).

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Marchesi Frescobaldi said today (25 May) that it has acquired Poggio Verrano in the Tuscan Maremma, a coastal area in the southwest of the region.

No fee has been disclosed for the deal, which comes less than a year after Frescobaldi unveiled its new Tenuta Calimaia estate in Montepulciano.

Poggio Verrano estate was founded in 2000 by Francesco Bolla, fourth generation of the Bolla winemaking family.

The Frescobaldi family has been producing wine in Tuscany for around 700 years, and today’s family-run Marchesi Frescobaldi includes several estates across the region.

This includes Maremma-based estate Tenuta Ammiraglia, located near to Poggio Verrano.

‘We have enormous respect for what Francesco Bolla and his family have been able to accomplish in the Maremma,’ said Marchesi Frescobaldi president Lamberto Frescobaldi.

‘I have personally followed the concrete progress that Poggio Verrano has achieved, since I pass by that estate every time I go to our Ammiraglia estate.’

Francesco Bolla said: ‘The global wine scene has become increasingly complex and complicated, and I became convinced that new energies were needed to confront this phenomenon.

‘I am therefore very pleased that Poggio Verrano will now be a star in the Frescobaldi family’s wine production galaxy. I am sure that my friend Lamberto and his expert team will increase its lustre with new achievements and further accolades for the estate’s iconic wine, Dròmos.’

Bolla added that his family ‘will maintain ownership of the historic building complex and the olive grove, so we will continue to enjoy the Maremma’.

News of the acquisition follows a separate announcement earlier this month that Italian wine group Le Tenute del Leone Alato, owner of several estates in northern Italy, has acquired biodynamic wine producer Duemani on the Tuscan coast.

Duemani was founded in 2000 by renowned Italian winemaking consultant Luca D’Attoma and partner Elena Celli.

It has 13 hectares, with vineyards in Riparbella and Castellina Marittima, and is planted to Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah and Grenache. D’Attoma continues to be Duemani’s winemaking consultant, following the deal, the parties said. 

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Morellino di Scansano is possibly Tuscany’s most under-the-radar and underrated wine. As a DOCG – Italy’s top level of denomination – with impressive general levels of quality and annual production in 2021, according to its regional consorzio, of 9.2 million bottles, it ought to be far better known. (The Brunello di Montalcino DOCG states ‘an average of 9 million bottles’ a year.)

Somehow, however, Morellino di Scansano misses out on the collective renown of Tuscan wines. The reasons could be that its emergence is relatively recent, and that it is from a part of Tuscany that is a long way from tourist hotspots. It is probably also true that its mysteriously lowly market positioning works against wider recognition.

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Michaela Morris, Sara Bachiorri and Michelle Cherutti-Kowal MW tasted 109 wines with 10 Outstanding and 93 Highly recommended.

Ageing Chianti Classico: panel tasting scores

109 wines tasted

Exceptional 0

Outstanding 10

Highly recommended 93

Recommended 6

Commended 0

Fair 0

Poor 0

Entry criteria: producers and UK agents were invited to submit their Chianti Classico wines, at Riserva or Gran Selezione level, including both a latest-release vintage and an older vintage of their choosing

When hunting down Chianti Classico’s finest wines, it is essential to explore both the Riserva and Gran Selezione classifications. The latter was only introduced in 2014, although the oldest examples hail from 2010 due to producers being able to backdate their labels. Furthermore, several producers have yet to embrace this category, choosing still to declare their top Chianti Classico as a Riserva.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for the top-scoring the Ageing Chianti Classico wines

Ageing Chianti Classico panel tasting scores

The judges

Michaela Morris is a wine writer, judge, educator and speaker. Based in Vancouver, she is a VIA Italian Wine Expert, and teaches about Italian wine across Canada and abroad.

Sara Bachiorri is in the buying team at merchant WoodWinters. A DWWA judge since 2013, Sara was formerly head sommelier at The Glasshouse in Kew, then Chez Bruce in southwest London, followed by a stint at Italian specialist merchant FortyFive10°.

Michelle Cherutti-Kowal MW is a widely published wine writer, consultant, educator and WSET lecturer. She is a regular judge and contributor for Decanter, and from 2023 is the DWWA Regional Chair for Tuscany.

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Tenuta di Trinoro is one of those wine estates that’s impossible to pigeonhole. Located in the almost deserted rolling hills of Sarteano in the Val d’Orcia in southern Tuscany – a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2004 – the wines made here represent one man’s struggle (and now his son’s) to make things work in the face of what, at first, must have seemed like insurmountable odds.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for a 13-wine Tenuta di Trinoro vertical & others

Before Andrea Franchetti’s arrival, the Orcia valley wasn’t considered suitable for vines. There were some scattered ancient Sangiovese vines to be found here and there, but the Val d’Orcia’s rolling hills were, and still are, characterised by fields of crops – cereals and legumes – as well as olive trees and dense woodland.

A taste of Trinoro: Tenuta di Trinoro vertical & others

Tasting notes are in vintage order, youngest to oldest, by wine cuvée.

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The newly released Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2020 vintage shows – in some examples – the region’s tough, tricky tannins poking through; however, the best examples convey the warmth of the summer through plush fruit and ripe tannins while preserving the fresh acidity and perfume of the cool finish to the growing season.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for the top-scoring new Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2020 & Riserva 2019 wines

Top-scoring new releases in 2023:

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‘Full of adrenaline’ is how Matteo Vaccari of Cigliano di Sopra described the newly released 2021 Chianti Classico annata. That rush of excitement was palpable throughout the entire ‘Chianti Classico Collection’ anteprime event in Florence this year – and without any Covid restrictions, it was back to a full house.

My verdict after trying well over 200 wines across the annata, Riserva and Gran Selezione categories? Quality continues to soar – as does the number of certified organic wines.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for Michaela’s favourite new Chianti releases

Chianti Classico 2023 reports:

Chianti Classico Annata: New releases in 2023

Chianti Classico Riserva: New releases in 2023

Chianti Classico Gran Selezione: New releases in 2023

Chianti Classico: Top recommendations and best-value picks from 2023’s new releases

The wines are listed first by top recommendations then by best-value

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It’s the first time that Masseto has released wines for auction directly from its ‘Caveau’, lying deep beneath the SuperTuscan winery’s vines, and strong bidding emphasised the allure of this Merlot label that is sometimes described as Italy’s answer to Petrus.

Each of the 46 lots surpassed pre-sale high estimates, according to Sotheby’s, which hosted the online auction from 12 to 27 April.

Top lot was a 15-litre ‘nebuchadnezzar’ of Masseto 2010, one of 20 produced and which also came with a winery visit, lunch and tasting for up to six guests.

It sold for €56,250 (£49,674, $61,800), including buyer’s premium, far above the pre-sale high estimate of €18,000 to €26,000.

This sets a new record for any bottle of Masseto sold at auction, according to Sotheby’s.

Large-format bottles were prominent among the best-selling lots in the auction. A six-litre ‘imperial’ of Masseto 2001, with private winery visit tasting for four guests, sold for €15,000 (high estimate: €11,000).

‘In 2022, once again, is this the greatest Masseto ever?’ wrote Serena Sutcliffe MW, honorary chair of Sotheby’s Wine, in a tasting note for the 2001 vintage.

Two lots, each featuring a six-litre imperial bottle of Masseto 2010, sold for €13,750 and €12,500 respectively (high estimate per lot: €10,000), while an imperial of Masseto 2016 sold for €15,000 (high e: €8,000).

Total sales in the auction hit €376,625, Sotheby’s said.

It added, ‘As the lots began to close, a flurry of bids resulted in a final total far beyond a pre-sale estimate in the region of €200.000, with collectors across Europe, the Americas and Asia competing to purchase one or more of the extremely limited number of 132 bottles on offer in varying formats.’

Amayès Aouli, Sotheby’s head of wine, Europe, added, ‘These standout results, not least the record price for the nebuchadnezzar, are testament to the quality of the wine produced by Masseto and the unprecedented opportunity to acquire bottles directly from the Masseto Caveau.’

Masseto CEO Giovanni Geddes said, ‘We are truly proud of the results that went beyond our expectations. We would like to thank all wine collectors and buyers for their enthusiasm showed towards our wines. This is the best recognition Masseto can receive.’

Provenance can be a key factor in determining prices for fine wines at auction.

Among several measures to emphasis ‘watertight provenance’, Masseto said all the bottles from the Caveau will be presented in handcrafted oak cases, which are numbered and contain a certificate of origin signed by Axel Heinz, estate director.

Each bottle also carries a ‘Prooftag’, attesting to the wine’s authenticity.

A hardcore group of top SuperTuscan wines have been garnering more of the spotlight on the fine wine secondary market in recent years, as previously reported by Decanter.

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At the apex of Chianti Classico’s quality pyramid, Gran Selezione continues to garner most of the denomination’s attention, disproportionate to its 6% share of the region’s total production.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for the top-scoring new Chianti Classico Gran Selezione releases

Yet it’s difficult not to be transfixed, as the number of new Gran Selezione bottlings has increased considerably in the last couple of years. There are a host of reasons for this, exemplified by several of my recommended wines such as Brancaia, Arillo’s Terrabianca, Riecine’s Vigna Gittori, and Le Cinciole’s Aluigi. Conversations with many other producers promise even more new Gran Selezione to come.

New Chianti Classico releases 2023: Top scoring Gran Selezione

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Long before the Gran Selezione category was introduced, Riserva was the repository for top Chianti Classico. Now sandwiched between the former and a battalion of impressive annata, Riserva’s relevance relies on a strong sense of purpose.

This year, there are plenty of Chianti Classico Riserva releases with a clear identity among the latest 2020 and 2019 vintages.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for the new-release Chianti Classico Riservas

New Chianti Classico releases 2023: Top Riserva picks

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