Il Palagio di Panzano.

Il Palagio di Panzano, in the heart of Chianti Classico. In the "Gran Cru" of "La Conca d'Oro".

WelDrunk,

If the dispute for the Chianti territory between the republic of Florence and the republic of Siena had taken place today, the two knights would have met right here most likely, near Panzano, in the Conca d'Oro, which is geographically equidistant from the two historic Tuscan cities.

The signal for the departure of the knights would never be entrusted to cockcrow but probably we would rely on much more sophisticated technologies. The famous black rooster mistreated and exasperated by the Florentines who then woke up way before dawn, could do very little today to anticipate the departure of the lily knight.

And the Florentines would certainly receive a formal complaint from the Animal Protection League today.

Things they change, what can I tell you.

But history is history, and let us not forget that, after this romantic and daring medieval dispute, these places have witnessed the birth and development of the Renaissance.

Even nowadays, everything around here is blessed with beauty and good taste.

You can still sense and breathe that Renaissance swing here, and Il Palagio di Panzano is most certainly an enduring example of it all.

And I must quote Leonardo Da Vinci here, because I could not do better than him in trying to convey this ultimate truth:

"But I believe that a lot of happiness is to the men who are born where the good wines are found."

The Palagio di Panzano, a Chianti Winery, run and managed by Chiantigiani DOC (or rather DOCG), for several generations, that produce a Chianti Classico very Chianti like. In a very Chianti way, (Chianti style).

The Sangiovese is the undisputed king here, with all the strength of its native land Conca d'Oro, and with all the energy and vigor of its berries; and the very few noble woods used in winemaking are only a frame to this beautiful Renaissance painting called Chianti Classico.

As a testimony and continuation of the long family tradition, the most precious vineyard, from which the Gran Selezione is made, was named by the owner after his granddaughters: Le Bambole, literally The Dolls.

Such a graceful name should never deceive the taster; we are still talking about pure Sangiovese here, made from selected grapes, from a selected vineyard in the selected sub-area "La Conca d'Oro" of the selected wine land called Chianti Classico. A Champion. A predestined child. The chosen one.

The comparative tasting between Chianti Classico 2014 and 2015 was very interesting indeed.

2014 is already balanced and ready, with fine and well integrated tannins, and thanks to the cooler season it is already very pleasant and elegant to the mouth. The characteristic hints of violet and cherry, the distinguishing features of a Chianti DOCG, with subtle hints of pepper and vanilla in the background, are definitely there.

2015 is the true expression of the terroir, with a beautiful complexity and finesse where, together with black cherries and the ever-present violet, with berries, currants and slightly balsamic notes of juniper and pepper, we can find an omnipresent strength and energy that are a guarantee for a significant evolution in the years to come.

The Chianti Classico Riserva 2015 is even wider and more complex to underline how, in an extremely suitable territory, in particularly favorable vintages and in particularly skillful hands, Sangiovese can truly yield important wines, with great structure and elegance that are very classy at the same time.

As the Chiantigiana tradition demands, Vin Santo is a must, but we know this is a wine to be enjoyed in silence, almost in awe so as to never unveil its precious secrets.