Have to think about that for a bit. Not that you were comparing the two, but I kind of see CC and Nebbiolo being more on par with each other. The wines and the regions are so different that it is hard to get an exact match. But I would say that single vineyard riserva wines would be closer to Barolo and Barbaresco. They all offer good value and full deep rich wines that reward aging. Nice to have so many good options.
Bill, if you haven’t had the 97 recently, you are in for a real treat. Really it its stride about 5 years ago, but still should have plenty of gas left in the tank .
I have not, and I am looking forward to it!
I think it’s pretty clear from the CC fans in this thread that Classicos (normale, riserva, single vyds) age wonderfully - and I think they are largely under appreciated by the wine drinking public. And I love Felsina’s wines also. And there’s a largely unknown property that’s also great - Manucci Droandi. Cheers. ok no more"ands".
Felsina is now on my short list to purchase; sounds like a fantastic Chianti. What vintages should I be looking for?
Really, any of them. If there’s been a bad basic wine here, it’s been at least a decade. Anything 04 onward?
The 09’s and 10’s can still be found on retailers’s shelves. Some vintages are more fruit forward and some are more"classic". I know 04 and 06 are considered classic not sure after that maybe 10? But really they each have their special charms.
Mattias, it was the normale CCR, and I’d just bought it a few months before (though from a good retailer), thus my very pleasant surprise that it was so good. The people I drank it with were astonished that it was 25 years old.
With one caveat. My experience with buying older Felsina’s in the US ('80s and early '90s) is that many of them seem to have been stored poorly along the way. Oddly, Fontodi seems to have fared better. Anyone know if who the respective importers were at that time?
Vinifera Imports for both wines at that time.
Does anybody know if the 2010 Rancia Riserva is just showing up at retail, or if it came earlier and is largely sold through?
Ah well, there’s one plausible theory shot down. It must just have been the luck of the auction draw.
Not so sure you, might be on to something.
The 2010 Rancia is available at retail. Not in my market yet.
Any word on how the 2010 Rancia and Fontalloro compare to 2007 and 2008? Anyone taste these?
Also, as far as bad Felsinas, I had a 1994 CC (from Garagiste) that was utterly, undrinkably corked. Might have been a nice wine otherwise. Oh well.
N
Good illustration that there are bad bottles of a particular wine, and then there are bad wines (the whole bottling).
I think the 2010 is a great vintage in Chianti. The locals seemed to be raving about 2009, but I find the 2010 a bit more delineated, sculpted, and ultimately floral. The Felsina is a great wine, but maybe more than any of them needs some time, although 1-4 hours of air, it does show what it might be capable of. The 2009 and 2010 Isole e Elena make an interesting contrast, with the 2009 more fruit-driven, slightly bigger and more concentrated, but lacking some of the floral and bright cherry flavors that the 2010 is showing already.
A steal on the world wine scene, that is for sure…
I love this thread. Gary, good to see you back in full swing posting. Bill, you seem to be in the best mood I have seen/heard from you in ages. Glad you guys are doing well. I am in the middle of moving to Colorado, but I have to say that I totally agree that good Chianti is the best value in high quality wine today. I buy a case every year of the Monsanto CCR, Felsina CC, Felsina CCR, Felsina CCR Rancia, Fontodi CC, and Montevertine. I also buy some of the Rocca di Montegrossi, San Felice, Rocca di Castagnoli, Casaloste, Fonterutoli. I also recently picked up a case of the Nozzole CC for only $13 per bottle. Salut!
Good luck on the move. I can’t imagine having to move in this weather. Chianti is on a roll. Some great wines at great prices. Just hard to beat. Three of my go to producers are rolling into the 2011 vintage - Isole e Olena, Felsina and Rampolla. I have been buying up the last cases of each to stay in the 2010 as long as possible. Tasted the Rampolla 2011 and it was very good. Not expecting some great drop in quality.
I also enjoy Rampolla and Isole e Olena. I hope these attractive prices on great Chianti persist!
Byron
Slight thread drift; I know the 10 Flaccianello is getting all word reviews and press, but it would seem the Fontodi Vigna Del Sorbo would be very well suited to this vintage as well (2010).