Nina's has something new from Rignana: the Bianco Toscana!
Nina in Chianti and Cosimo from the Fattoria di Rignana taste the new Bianco Toscana IGT
White wine lovers will be delighted with this news: the 2018 vintage is the first white wine from Fattoria di Rignana! Its name: Bianco Toscana IGT. And as we all know, this is indeed something special, as white wines are rarely produced in Chianti Classico. And the very special thing about this white wine is that it is made from Sangiovese grapes. In fact, it is made from the same grapes that are normally used to make Chianti Classico.
As connoisseurs of Tuscany and friends of Nina know, a Chianti Classico must consist of at least 80 percent of the autochthonous Sangiovese grape variety. And as you know, it is quite red... unlike the new Bianco. So today I'm going to tell you how the red grapes are turned into this excellent white wine and why this white wine is a real summer must!
A Tuscan white wine made from Sangiovese grapes
Until now, Fattoria e Villa di Rignana has been known as a producer of top-quality red wines and as a source of fruity, fresh rosato. Winemaker Cosimo Gericke is now entering completely new territory with his white wine. And I can say this much right away: He has done an extremely good job!
The decision to include a white wine in the range had several reasons for Cosimo: On the one hand, the trend is towards white wines that are well suited as an aperitif or as a light, summery accompaniment to food (see Rosato...!). On the other hand, the regeneration of the vineyards in Rignana is in full swing. As a result, there are many young vines whose grapes are not yet full-bodied enough to produce the Chianti Classico that we are used to from Rignana.
But instead of letting the young grapes be grapes, Cosimo vinifies the Sangiovese grapes into white wine using a special production process - which is not new, but is used relatively rarely. And it works as follows: The grapes from the young vines and the grapes from other vines that are ripe earlier are harvested relatively soon and pressed immediately after harvest, so that there is no further contact between the skin and the grapes. In other words, the production step that otherwise leads to the pink color of Rosato or the red color of Chianti Classico is simply omitted. The cool fermentation ensures that the fruit aromas of the grapes are preserved. The wine is then transferred to steel tanks to mature. And voilà: The Bianco Toscana is ready!
The Bianco Toscana IGT is pale yellow in the glass and fragrant on the nose
White, white, Bianco Toscana!
The first thing you notice about Bianco Toscana is that the wine is almost transparent white in the bottle. Well chilled in the glass, the nose and palate enjoy a pleasant fruity freshness, the full flavor of juicy pears, a hint of flowers and a delicate note of nuts and citrus fruits. A real treat!
The Bianco from Rignana is versatile: whether as an "aperitivo" on a warm summer evening with friends or with a light meal. It's always best to keep one or two bottles in the fridge as a precaution - friends might drop by unexpectedly. It could suddenly turn into a beautiful summer evening. Or it could simply be any other occasion for which a Bianco is suitable. Well, actually always...
The vineyards of the Fattoria di Rignana are regularly renewed