Casaloste Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG

Casaloste Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG

A red highlight from the best grapes

Only the best grapes are used for the Chianti Classico Riserva from Casaloste. To be precise, 95 per cent of the autochthonous Sangiovese grape variety is rounded off with five per cent of a blend of Merlot and other grapes. After careful manual harvesting, the grapes are transferred for vinification to small stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature. The fermentation process continues in French oak barrels for up to 14 months. This is followed by five months in the bottle before the Riserva gets ready for consumption. The result is a deep ruby red in the glass that reminds the nose of a basket full of red forest berries and oak bark. On the palate: a perfect balance of tannins and acidity. And one thing can be said at this point with a clear conscience: this wine will become even better and better with every additional month it is given in the bottle. Perhaps one should plan to have more that one bottle of Riserva in reserve…

Fattoria Casaloste: a wine juwel in Panzano in Chianti

If you take the slightly winding path along a small stone wall, which leads from the main road towards Casaloste, you cannot imagine what a small but fine wine jewel awaits you here, amidst the hills of Panzano in Chianti. Giovanni Battista d’Orsi is the owner of this winery, which describes itself with the motto "La piccola fattoria dei grandi vini" - the small winery with great wines. Together with his wife Emilia, this experienced agronomist and oenologist runs the Fattoria Casaloste. Actually, the two are from Naples, but during a visit to Chianti Classico they discovered Casaloste and fell head over heels in love with this spot. To cut the long story short: They bought the vineyard, moved to Panzano and from then on put all their passion into the wine making. Casaloste has a total of 19 hectares of land, 10.5 of which are planted with vines and two with olive trees. The result: around 60,000 bottles of wine are produced every year here.

Red wines with personality and greatness

Red wine, red wine and again red wine… that is the motto of the Fattoria Casaloste. In addition to the long-running Chianti Classico, they produce other organic wines which achieve excellent points in international wine rankings. For example, the Chianti Classico Riserva makes the heart of wine lovers beat faster with its 95 per cent Sangiovese to which are added five per cent Merlot mixed with other varieties. There have also two different Gran Selezione in Casaloste - both 100 per cent Sangiovese. On the one hand the Chianti Classico Gran Selezione "Don Vincenzo", for which the grapes come from a single vineyard, and the Chianti Classico Gran Selezione "Casaloste", which is made from grapes from different vineyards. The Inversus Toscana IGT’s name says it all! Here the ratio of grapes is the exact opposite of Chianti Classico: 90 per cent Merlot and 10 per cent Sangiovese are used for this wine. And what should not be missing from a real Tuscan meal, apart from the red wine, is a first-class olive oil, for example the extra virgin olive oil from Casaloste.

"Bella Napoli" meets "bella Toscana"

Even if Emilia and Giovanni are today fully connected with Panzano, you can feel and see at Casaloste their origin from Naples. For example, on some wine labels you can see the Vesuvius or the stylized Gulf of Naples. But also at the winery you can feel the typical Neapolitan flair. For example, San Gennaro, the saint patron of the city of Naples, has a permanent place at Casaloste. Thank God Emilia and Giovanni are convinced that the saint patron of Naples also holds his protective hand over Panzano! In other words, even if it rains and hails everywhere around thanks to San Gennaro in Panzano the sun smiles from the sky. Or another peace of attachment to the Neapolitan roots is the Don Vinzenco, the name of the Gran Selezione who was the father of Giovanni. The wellcoming  hospitality at Casaloste is also typical "Napoli": two small, lovingly furnished apartments and a pool surrounded by olive trees invite guests to spend their holidays on Casaloste in Panzano in Chianti.