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2018 Chianti Classico

Podere Campriano
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When visiting Podere Campriano, up on the hill overlooking the small Tuscan village of Greve in Chianti, you feel as though you’ve entered your own small, quiet slice of Tuscan paradise. Your hosts, Elena Lapini, her husband Luca, and son Pietro, could not be more good-humored and generous. If you have time, they will offer you an assortment of their delicious, home-made salumi made from local wild pigs—an ideal mid-afternoon or early-evening snack. And, of course, they will pour you a glass or two of their humble, but soulful and pure Chianti Classico, which pairs beautifully not only with the family’s cured meats, but also with all kinds of pastas. 
    Take this quick recipe for Tuscan pesto, shared by Elena: In a mixer or mortar, blend a large bundle of sage, some mint leaves, and a handful of pine nuts or walnuts. Add a healthy portion of grated Parmesan and/or Pecorino, and then incorporate everything with a generous amount of your favorite extra-virgin olive oil. Mix with al dente pasta, adding a splash of cooking water if the sauce gets too thick. Grate more cheese over the top and serve with Campriano’s Chianti Classico.
     Just beginning to mature, the 2018 is in its sweet spot—pungently savory with herbaceous reminders of the Tuscan countryside, it is the perfect foil to this fragrant pasta that only takes a few minutes to whip up! From less than two hectares of pampered Sangiovese, this bottling evokes frutti di bosco, scorched earth, and a touch of spice, and offers the ideal introduction to this humble and charismatic family.

Tom Wolf


Technical Information
Wine Type: red
Vintage: 2018
Bottle Size: 750mL
Blend: Sangiovese
Appellation: Chianti Classico
Country: Italy
Region: Tuscany
Producer: Podere Campriano
Winemaker: Elena Lapini, Luca Polga
Vineyard: Planted in 1997, 1.46 ha
Soil: Galestro (Clay and Schist)
Aging: Aged 7-8 months in a combination of 10HL Italian oak botti and 5-7HL tonneaux of 4-5 passages, then in stainless steel tanks for 10-12 months
Farming: Organic (certified)
Alcohol: 13%

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About The Region

Tuscany

Map of Tuscany wine region

Perhaps no region is tied to Italy’s reputation as a producer of fine wine as much as Tuscany. Since Etruscan times, viticulture has played a prominent role in this idyllic land of rolling hills, and the Tuscan winemaking tradition remains as strong as ever today. With a favorable Mediterranean climate, an undulating topography offering countless altitudes and expositions, and a wealth of poor, well-draining soils, conditions are ideal for crafting high-quality wines. Add to that the rich gastronomical tradition—Tuscany is home to some of the country’s finest game, pastas, salumi, and cheeses—and you have the blueprint for a world-class wine region.

This is Sangiovese territory; in fact, it is arguably the only place in the world where Sangiovese reaches a truly regal expression. In spite of a rocky history with fluctuations in quality, traditionally produced Chianti has reclaimed its status as one of the country’s most reliable, food-friendly reds, while the rapid rise of Brunello di Montalcino shows the grape’s potential for grandiose, opulent reds allying power and finesse. Traditionally-minded growers have stuck to using only indigenous grape varieties and employing techniques like aging in massive wooden casks known as botti, creating wines of terroir that shine at the Tuscan table.

Tuscan wines have had a place in our portfolio since Kermit’s first visit in 1977. While the names of the estates have changed, the spirit of those first unfiltered Chiantis he imported live on through our current selections.

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Where the newsletter started

Every three or four months I would send my clients a cheaply made list of my inventory, but it began to dawn on me that business did not pick up afterwards. It occurred to me that my clientele might not know what Château Grillet is, either. One month in 1974 I had an especially esoteric collection of wines arriving, so I decided to put a short explanation about each wine into my price list, to try and let my clients know what to expect when they uncorked a bottle. The day after I mailed that brochure, people showed up at the shop, and that is how these little propaganda pieces for fine wine were born.—Kermit Lynch

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