Tuscan wines: 2 days between Montepulciano and Montalcino with Carpineto

I was pleased to see the two instagrammers again Simone Roveda (on Instagram @winerylovers) and Stefano Quaglierini (on instagram @italian_wines), with whom I had a wonderful time at Capannelle in Chianti Classico last summer when we were judges for their Wine Contest 2018 [if you like you can read the article by clicking HERE]. Let's cut to the chase: here are my tasting notes. I write a lot -much more than others- and I'm very very slow while I'm tasting... but if you read my blog, you know that if synthesis is fundamental when talking about wine marketingan unfolding is a gift when it comes to oenological emotions.

Tuscan wines/Sample 1: Farnito Brut, Carpineto

Technical notes: This sparkling wine is obtained from a cuvée of different vintages of base wines from grapes Chardonnayolder ones have been refined for a longer or shorter time in oak casks valuable. Long Charmat Methodageing on the lees in autoclaves for at least 8 months and a refinement of others 8 months in bottle before being marketed.

Price: Cost €20 in the wine shop.

My tasting: It is a beautiful intense straw yellow, with a perlage that forms an abundant and evanescent froth, fine, quite numerous and persistent. The nose is intense, with strong notes of ripe banana, vanilla and exotic fruit. In the mouth it is very consistent, with the same exotic fruit notes becoming even more important. The bubble is creamy, it is quite fresh and soft, long on the finish. I do not agree with the suggested serving temperature of 18-20°C, which is absolutely excessive for a wine with such intense aromas and barely balanced acidity, so I recommend serving it at around 8°C.

Impressions: Not good value for money because it is still a Charmat Method, albeit a long one. Overall lacks the elegance that characterises all Carpineto production and which I found in almost all the other wines tasted. I preferred the last vintage, which I awarded in my guida sparkling wines 500 Bubbles in 500 ed. 2018.

Tuscan wines/Sample 2: Farnito Chardonnay Toscana IGT Bianco 2017, Carpineto

Technical notes: This white wine is made from grapes from a small plot at 350 metres above sea level of 2 hectares south of Florence. The must ferments at a controlled temperature in oak barrels with selected yeasts. It is subjected to repeated stirring, then in January it is cleaned of lees and placed in the same barrels where it rests for about 4/5 months, after which it is bottled and refined in the bottle for a few months.

Price: Cost €15 in the wine shop.

My tasting: It is a beautiful, bright, intense straw yellow with delicate rose gold reflections. The nose is intense and elegant, with notes of candied pear, candied orange peel, summer honey, candy, vanilla. In the mouth it is soft, fresh, consistent and savoury. Pleasantly increases salivation. Discreetly long finish.

Impressions: A discreet bottle to uncork either as an aperitif or during a meal with white meats or fish with a distinctly sweet tendency such as shellfish.

Tuscan wines/Sample 3: Farnito Cabernet Sauvignon Toscana IGT Rosso 2013, Carpineto

Technical notes: This red wine is obtained from grapes grown on the farms of Gaville (Florence) and Chianciano (Siena). The must ferments in separate vats according to origin and at a controlled temperature. Maceration on the skins lasts about 15 days. In spring, after malolactic fermentation, the wine from the various parcels is blended and placed in oak barrels where it remains until January of the following year, the month in which it is bottled. It rests for at least 8 months before being put on the market.

Price: Cost €20 in the wine shop.

My tasting: It is a beautiful deep ruby red with slight garnet reflections at the edges. On swirling the glass it forms particularly close regular arches. The nose is very spicy, with interesting notes of cocoa, cherries and undergrowth. In the mouth it has a marked acidic vein: it is fresh and with tannin present that can be felt in the gums. Soft, with a good structure and great length.

Impressions: A very pleasant bottle, which lends itself well to barbecued meats and fatty fish.

Tuscan wines/Sample 4: Farnito Camponibbio Toscana IGT Rosso 2010, Carpineto

Technical notes: This red wine is made from the grapes of a large vineyard called Camponibbio located in the southern part of the Chianciano estate (Siena). This vineyard is divided into 9 plots in which different grape varieties are cultivated in different clones. For each vintage we select grapes from sangiovese, cabernet sauvignon and merlot that best responded to the seasonal trend in %, which precisely changes annually according to the climate. It ferments at a controlled temperature (25-30°C) for about 15 days. The cellar staff perform frequent pumping over with the aid of pumps to respect the solid parts formed by marc and grape seeds. It matures in French oak barrels of various sizes for a period of at least 12 months. It is refined for at least 6 months in the bottle.

Price: Cost € 25 in the wine shop.

My tasting: It is a beautiful, deep, impenetrable ruby red. Unfortunately, the glass does not work well and I am unable to assess the consistency and the arches. The nose reveals pleasant notes of coffee, black pepper, black cherry in syrup, rose, dark chocolate that fade into a balsamic finish. In the mouth it enters elegant and with a marked acidic vein: it is very fresh, but also very smooth. Discreetly long finish. It has nice tannins, with a slight green tinge. 

Impressions: Very very pleasant and easy-drinking bottle. It seems a wine younger than its age.

Tuscan wines/samples 5-10: Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva DOCG, Carpineto - vertical tasting of 5 different vintages

Technical notes: This red wine is made from at least 70% Sangiovese (Prugnolo Gentile) grapes and the remainder from Canaiolo and other authorised varieties. It ferments at a controlled temperature (25-30°C) for about 15 days. The cellar staff perform frequent pumping over with the aid of pumps to respect the solid parts formed by marc and grape seeds. It matures for at least 24 months in large Slavonian oak barrels (5,500 litres) and in French oak barriques (225 litres). It is refined for at least 6 months in the bottle

Sample 5: Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva DOCG 2013

Price: Cost € 25 in the wine shop.

My tasting: It is a beautiful deep and consistent ruby red: it forms very close regular arches. The nose is fine and notes of jammy red and black fruits prevail. Notes of pipe tobacco, leather, bitter cocoa, violets and raw meat are also discernible. In the mouth it is consistent, very very elegant, with fresher fruit than that perceived on the nose. The tannin is still a bit to round off. Great freshness, good structure and interesting sapidity. I would have liked it even longer on the finish.

Impressions: Certainly today it is an infanticide, but the tasting already 'betrays' its great depth: it will certainly be a vintage that will surprise us with special effects as it evolves in the bottle.

Sample 6: Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva DOCG 2011

Price: Cost € 25 in the wine shop.

My tasting: It is a very concentrated, impenetrable ruby red. On swirling the glass it forms particularly close and regular arches. The nose is completely different from the previous one, very intense. I recognise notes of wild berries, strawberry jam, fresh and dry hay, green pepper and cloves. In the mouth, it is very fresh, with some vegetal notes and a somewhat rude tannin. Overall, it is shifted to hardness. The finish is long, but less pleasant than the previous one.

Impressions: Of the samples offered during this vertical tasting, it is definitely the one I liked least. I found it neither clean nor balanced nor elegant.

Sample 7: Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva DOCG 2010

Price: Cost € 25 in the wine shop.

My tasting: It is a beautiful, slightly transparent ruby red with garnet highlights at the edges. The nose is elegant, delicate, with fine aromas of mountain herbs, coffee, wild strawberry, milk chocolate and leather. In the mouth it is very consistent, fairly soft, fresh, with a good structure and well-blended tannins, not at all intrusive. Discreetly long on the finish with a hint of cherries in spirit.

Impressions: Very very pleasant and easy-drinking bottle. It seems a wine younger than its age.

Sample 8: Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva DOCG 2007

Price: Cost €45 in the wine shop.

My tasting: It is a beautiful, almost impenetrable ruby red. It forms fairly regular and close arches. The nose is delicate and very elegant, with notes of rose, fresh chocolate, black cherries in alcohol, raspberry jam with a hint of extra virgin olive oil, cocoa, undergrowth and a finish that oscillates between ethereal and balsamic. In the mouth, it is well balanced between freshness and softness. The tannin is perfect and the finish is very long, with an interesting sapid and mineral vein.

Impressions: The second best sample of the tasting, with extraordinary evolutionary potential. In 10 years' time I am sure it will surprise us even more than the 1995 vintage.

Sample 9: Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva DOCG 1995

Price: Cost 100 € in the wine shop.

My tasting: It is a beautiful semi-transparent garnet red colour with insistent orange highlights at the edges. On swirling the glass, it forms very close and regular arches. The nose is elegant and very balsamic, in which I recognise notes of porcini mushroom, violet, dried rose, blackberry, morello cherry under spirits, Mediterranean scrub and white pepper. In the mouth it is incredibly fresh, with round, soft tannins and a distinct mineral accent. Great structure and very long on the finish.

Impressions: Certainly the best sample in the tasting, a rare wine to fall madly in love with. Like a beautiful and elegant woman, it hides its years very well thanks to its great charm. 

Sample 10: Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva DOCG 1989

Price: Cost 100 € in the wine shop.

My tasting: It is a beautiful, semi-transparent garnet red with less pronounced orange reflections than the '95. The nose is elegant and delicate, with notes of both fresh and jammy berries. Graphite, English rose flowers, raw chocolate and black pepper are discernible. In the mouth it is slightly less clean than the 1995, but still very fresh. Soft, nice structure and great length.

Impressions: A bottle of great organoleptic value, to be tried with a selection of important cheeses.

Tuscan wines: what should we pair with them for dinner?

The perfect Valentine's Day dinner? If you decide to make a trip to beautiful Montepulciano next year, have no doubts and choose Le logge del Vignola. We had a really great time, and they even pampered us maidens with a red rose! Elegant but not too formal service, I felt very comfortable. Intimate ambience, perfect for couples. Well, there were 11 of us... and we still had a really great time.

Here is the menu (and kudos for the choice as well as the execution!):

Appetiser: The crispy egg with slightly spicy turnip tops, cream of Valdichiana PDO jumper and black garlic.

First: Maremma meat risotto whipped with Franceschi Vermouth, sausage, blue cheese and purple cabbage.

Second: Veal belly on celeriac puree, grilled champignon mushrooms and pine sauce, fried cardoons.

Sweet: The chocolate sphere with Vin Santo mousse on Cantucci parfait and absinthe flame.

Special mention to the Vin Santo and the small pastry, which together were orgasmic. The company was so pleasant that it made everything even better! Laura was delightful then to give us little heart-shaped notepads!  When do we do it again? 😍 

What are you saying? Am I saying goodbye without telling you what I tasted good in Montalcino? Of course, let's talk about it tomorrow! For today I want to leave only one protagonist: Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.

Cheers 🤩🍷

Chiara

P.S. Thanks to all the Carpineto staff for being fantastic and for the invitation.

P.P.S. As always, thanks to Sony Italy and to Photo Universe for the wonderful RX100M4 with which I took all the photos! (If you want a professional compact camera with which to take photos in dark environments with beautiful rendition Buy it now on Amazon at this link: today it is practically half price, from € 1050 to € 579!)

Do you know the Carpineto winery? Have you been to the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Preview this year? Tell me in a comment!