Monthly Archives: May 2026

May 21, 2026 · 2:43 am

The Wines of San Salvatore 1988

Falanghina, a white wine from Campania, is my favorite wine to enjoy with seafood. One I particularly enjoy is the Falanghina from Azienda Agricola San Salvatore 1988.  Recently I was invited  by Serena Valeriani from Miriade & Partners to a lunch featuring the wines of San Salvatore and, since I was unfamiliar with the rest of their wines, I was only too happy to attend in order to learn more. Thr lunch was held at Audace Ristorante in NYC.

The speakers were Giuseppe Pagano, Founder and CEO, and Elena Spadoni Waxman, the Brand Ambassador, who also acted as a translator for Mr. Pagano.

I was very impressed by Mr. Pagano who was not only very enthusiastic about his winery but also about the history and geography of the area were his winery is located. He explained the geography and terroir and spoke about the history going back to the ancient Greeks.

Azienda Agricola San Salvatore is located in the middle of the National Park of Cilento, near Paestum in the Campania region of southern Italy. In 2006 Giuseppe Pagano, a successful entrepreneur and hotelier in the Paestum region of Campania, created San Salvatore 1988.  The winery is named for Giuseppe’s firstborn son, Salvatore, who was born in 1988.

San Salvatore has quickly become one of Italy’s most environmentally-conscious azienda agricolas. There are 149 hectares devoted to organically farmed agriculture, including vineyards, olive groves, and crops that support their 550-head of water buffalo.

They make mozzarella, yogurt and gelato from the buffalo milk. Mr Pagano  said there was also a restaurant on the property.

The Wines

Campania Falangina IGP 2023 made from 100% single variety Falanghina from the Cannito vineyard planted in 2008 at 150/210 meters. The exposure is south, southwest and the soil is of medium texture and deep. The training system is espalier with Guyot pruning.  The average age of the vines is 19 years. After manual harvesting the finest bunches, the grapes are softly pressed and subjected to cold maceration for 6 hours at 4C. Fermentation is in stainless steel tanks at a low temperature. Before bottling, the wine ages on the lees for 6 months in stainless steel tanks. The wine has hints of citrus fruit, green apple, a touch of pineapple and a note of apricot.

Paestum Fiano IGP 2021 Pian Di Stio made from 100% Fiano. These grapes come from a special cru in the Stio vineyard chosen annually. The vines are at 550/650 meters and the exposure is south. Soil composition is clay and limestone. There is 6 hours of cryomaceration followed by a soft pressing of the grapes and fermentation in stainless steel. Aging is in French oak barriques and in bottle for 6 months before release. This is a complex wine with hints of peach, green apple, vanilla, almonds a hint of fig and a touch of honey.

Campania Rosato IGP 2024 Vetere made from 100% Aglianico from an ancient terroir, in a vineyard in the shadow of the temples of Paestum, in the heart of the Cilento National Park. This wine takes its name from Magliano Vetere, a small town in the Cilento National Park near San Salvatore’s Cannito vineyards where the organic grapes used to make this wine are grown. The vines are at 150/210 meters and were planted in 2008. The exposure is south/southwest and the soil is clay and limestone. There is a cold maceration for 6 hours, followed by a soft pressing of the grapes with brief contact with the skins to extract the smallest amount of color and elegant refined aromas. Elena described it as ,“A rosé with a Provençal color yet one that speaks of the entire Cilento Region.”  She also said Mr. Pagano went to Provence to see how the rosè was made there.  The wine has hints of red fruit, strawberries, rasperries with a touch of violets and a note of citrus fruit.

Paestum Aglianico  IGP 2016 Omaggio a Gillodorfles made from 100% Aglianico. Mr Pagano said this wine is named for Gillo Dorfles, an Italian genius of the 20th Century. He was in love with Paestum and with the majesty of its history. He spent his summers here enjoying art, the sea, the temples as well as the vineyards of San Salvatore.  He was a professor of aesthetics at the University of Milan and Trieste and an artist. Above all, he was in love with Paestum and its majesty. Mr. Pagano decided to dedicate sixteen vintages of this wine to him.

The vineyard was planted in 2005 at 150/210 meters with a south/southwest exposure. The soil is clay and limestone. Fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks for 30 days. Aging: 24 months in new French oak barrels, 1/3 Allier, 1/3 Nevers and 1/3 Troncais. The wine has hints of cherry, blueberry, blackcurrant, blackberry, violet a hint of juniper and a touch of chocolate.

Pastrami Aglianico IGP 2017  Omaggio a Gillodorfles this is a very intense wine with hints of red fruit, cherry, blueberry, raspberry with a touch of spice and balsamic notes.

Mr. Pagano said that the 2016 was a exceptional year for Aglianico while 2017 was very warm and produced wines which had jammy fruit and will be ready to drink sooner. They were very different wines.

Paestum Aglianico  IGP Jungano 2021 made from 100% Aglianico. This wine is named for the town of Giungano where the San Salvatore winery is located. The vineyards are at 150/210 meters and were planted in 2008. The exposure is south/southeast and the soil is clay and limestone. Grapes are vinified at a controlled temperature. The wine is matured in stainless steel and aged for a year in stainless steel and wood. The wine has hints of cherry, blackberries, violets and spice.

It was my pleasure to meet Mr. Pagano and taste a range of his wines.  I am happy to report that I enjoyed them as much as his Falanghina.

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May 14, 2026 · 2:56 am

Chianti Classico Today: Master Class

Last week as part of  the Chianti Classico Grand Tasting in NYC there were two Master Classes.

I attended one of then with the interesting title, “Tradition Thrives on Innovation: Techniques & Traditions Defining Chianti Classico.” The speakers were Jeff Porter on Zoom from Torino and Randall Restiano who was present at the event.  

Giovanni Manetti, President of the Chianti Classico Wine Consortium and owner of Fontodi  spoke about Chianti Classico.  He introduced the Master Class and the topics to be discussed and the 6 wines which we tasted.

Some of the topics discussed included the use of Terracotta Amphora, Whole Cluster Fermentation, The Art Of Blending, and Clonal Selection.  I will discus these topics in relation to the wines.

THE WINES

Chianti Classico “Dino” 2022 Fontodi made from 100% Sangiovese from various vineyards within  the property.  Produced in the “Conca d’Oro” of Panzano.  There are 6,000 vines per hectare. Fermentation and maceration are in terracotta amphora with indigenous yeast for at least 3 weeks. The wine is aged for 18 months in terracotta amphora. It has hints of red cherry, cranberry, plum, with a touch of violet and a hint of leather.

Terracotta amphora

Micro-oxygenation: The porous clay allows subtle oxygen exchange, helping with fermentation and color stability in red wines.

Temperature Regulation: Terracotta offers natural thermal insulation, keeping liquid cool through evaporation, which slows and steadies fermentation.

Neutral Aging: Unlike oak, clay does not add wood tannins or flavors, allowing the pure, earthy characteristics of the wine to shine.

Aging Potential: Wine in clay tends to have a brighter mouthfeel and is ready to drink sooner.

Chianti Classico Riserva “Le Vigne” 2022 Radda in Chianti and  Gaiole in Chianti Istine made from 100% Sangiovese and the training system is guyot. The vineyards are at 400/500 meters and each vineyard is vinified separately. 90% of the wine is fermented in concrete and 10% is whole clusters done in steel. Fermentation is for 15 days then pressed off and aged in tonneaux. The submerged cap maceration lasts for 45 days. The wines are then separated into 20 hl oak barrels for 12 months.  The wines are then blended together and aged for 12 more months in 30 hl Slavonian oak. Then it remains in the bottle for 12 months before release. The wine has hints of cherry, raspberry, and cranberry with a touch of violet and a note of spice.  The winery is certified organic.

Whole Cluster Fermentation

  • Entire grape bunch goes into the tank intact: berries + stems + rachis
  • Structurally influential technique
  • Clusters on the bottom are crushed by the weight of the others and juice runs out and fermentation can start
  • Intact berries begin intracellular fermentation
  • Stems interact with juice and release tannins, potassium, & aromatic compounds
  • As more berries burst stems are submerged and become part of the extraction process

What does it do to the wine?

  • Can add lift aromatically
  • Can increase tannic structure–more linear and less dense than wood or seed tannin
  • Can give grip or tension without weight
  • Potassium will slightly raise the pH, soften perceived acidity

Chianti Classico Gran Selezione “Villa Calcinaia Vigna Bastignano” 2016 Conti Capponi made from 100% single vineyard Sangiovese.  Location is in Graven Chianti-Montefoiralle. The vineyards are at 280 mt. Spontaneous fermentation takes place in open-top tonneaux with 50% whole clusters and maceration lasts for 18 days. Then the wine is racked off  into 10 hl Slavonian casks and aged for 20 months with 2 to 4 rackings. The wine is then bottle aged for 12 months.  It has hints of  strawberry, violets, red cherry and a touch of cardamom.

Chianti Classico Isole e Olena made from 90% Sangiovese and 10% Colorino. Location San Donato in Poggio. The vineyards are at 380/400 mt. The grapes are destemmed and fermented in steel tanks with 2 weeks of maceration with pump overs. The wine is racked off into 17/23hl casks and aged for 12 months. It remains in the bottle for 12 months before release. The wine has hints of red cherry, plum, strawberries, with a of touch of drued herbs and a hint of coffee.

Chianti Classico Riserva Vigneti La Selvanella 2021  Melini made from 100% single vineyard Sangiovese Grosso. Location Radda in Chianti. First produced in 1969. The vineyards are at 330/600 mt and divided into 29 1.5 ha plots The grapes are destemmed and fermented in stainless steel and cement tanks for 3 weeks. Maceration with submerged cap (Piemontesina) for 3 months Each plot is harvested, viinifed  and aged separately and then blended. The wine is aged in large 122 oak vats for 3 years, then in bottle for 1 year before release. The wine has hints of red and blue fruit, raspberries, blueberries, iris and toasted almonds.

Clonal selection

  • This is where Chianti Classico get “microscopic”. It is not just which grape, but which version of that grape tells the best story
  • Within Sangiovese, there is not 1 identity – some clones give aromatics, other structure, some ripen earlier, some deal with drought and heat better.
  • The work is matching plant material to place
    Massal V Nursery clones.

Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Selezione 2021  Sergio Zingarelli Rocca Delle Macie. Location Castellina in Chianti, Certified Organic. Made from 100% Sangiovese. The vineyards are at 330/340 mt. Fermentation takes place in steel tanks for 10 days with a 30 day maceration. Malolactic fermentation is in concrete. The wine is aged in 25hl French oak of which 50% is new and then 20 months in bottle before release. The wine has hints ripe red fruit , cherry, plum, cassis with a touch of cedar and a hint of spice.

The Art of Blending

Historic Technique (da sempre)

Today, Blending is about shaping a wine into what the house is looking to express the vineyards

Chianti Classico DOCG-Annata & Riserva-Minimum 80% Sangiovese and 20% other reds

The Grand Selezione as of 2023 and mandatory as of 2027 a minimum of 90% Sangiovese, and 10% of Indigenous grapes. The UGA has to be on the label.

My impression:. I was very happy to see the direction that Chianti Classico is now taking, that is, using cement and amphora and aging the wine in everything from 500 liter to 122 hectoliter oak barrels without any barriques.

The 6 wines I tasted are a true expression of Chianti Classico and are very food friendly.  My kind of wine!

 

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May 7, 2026 · 1:23 am

The Chianti Classico Grand Tasting in NYC

The Chianti Classico Grand Tasting in NYC is an event that I look  forward to every  year.  Ever since I visited Florence and Tuscany back in 1970, I have enjoyed drinking Chianti Classico.  When I attend the Grand Tasting, I can meet and speak with the producers, restaurateurs, wine sales people, and friends, all of whom are lovers of Chianti Classico.

The Wines and the People of Chianti Classico

Vecchie Terre Di Montefili Gran Selezione  2021 made from 100% Sangiovese from hillside vineyards at 500 meters. The soil is Alberese  and the training system is cordon and guyot. The 3 hectare vineyard was planted in the 1980’s. Hand harvested with selection in the vineyard. Spontaneous fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks. No added yeasts.  The wine ages for 22 months in 20 HL casks (botti). This is a structured and balanced fruity wine  with hints of red cherry, blackcurrants, ripe plum with a note of cinnamon and a touch of cloves.

I had visited the winery a few years ago and tasted the wine with Serena Gusmeri, the winemaker. To my surprise and delight Serena was at the tasting pouring the wines and we spoke about the wines. Serena  believes in as little interference in the winemaking process as possible and she believes that the grapes should speak for themselves. The vines are very old and they produce a wine that is very concentrated and can last for 20 years or more.  This concentration and longevity come from the grapes themselves and not from anything that is done during the winemaking process. My kind of wine.

Chianti Classico Grande Selezione “La Pieve” 2021 San Felice Made from Sangiovese and other native vines from their finest vineyards. The soil is of medium texture with a predominance of clay of calcareous-marly origin, derived from the disintegration of Alberese and Galestro.  The training system is cordone speronato and guyot. Harvest is the 4th week of September.  Alcoholic fermentation in steel tanks, with maceration for 22 days at a temperature of 28– 30°C. Malolactic fermentation and aging in wood for 24 months. Refinement in French oak tonneaux of 500 liters. Bottle aging for 8 months. This is a full bodied wine with hints of violet, black currants and spice with a touch of tobacco and a hint of licorice. This is a true expression of Chianti Classico.  This wine will age for 10 to 15 years.

Monsanto Chianti Classico “IL Poggio”  made from 95% Sangiovese and 3% Colorino and 2% Canaiolo. The training system is guyot and spurred cordon. The soil is sandstone content with limestone. There are 5,500 plants per hectare. Fermentation lasts for 15 days with pre-fermentation maceration lasting 3 days in temperature controlled truncated-cone vats with indigenous yeasts.  Delestage and pumping over lasts for 22 days. The wine is aged in 38 HL French oak barrels for 18 months. The wine has hints of black cherry, blueberry, cassis, coffee, tobacco and a note of violets. This is  a wine that can age and one of my favorites. I have a long history with Monsanto going back almost 40 years and the wonderful 1977 vintage. I visited the winery and met the owner, the legendary Fabrizio Bianchi, in 1983. Today the winery is in the hands of his daughter, Laura Bianchi.

At the event pouring the wine for Monsanto was Giulia Cecchi, daughter of Laura Bianchi and Andrea Cecchi ,CEO of Cecchi.

Andrea Ceechi holding the Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2021 “Valore Di Famiglia” Cecchi made from 100% Sangiovese Made from the historic Cru Paragone vineyard in Castilian in Chianti. The soil is limestone and clay (alberese) with significant pebble content on steep slopes.  A minimum of 30 months total aging, including 15 months in oak tonneaux, followed by 3 months in concrete vats and at least one year of bottle resting. The wine has hints of blackberries, black cherry, rasperries, and  spice with a touch of walnut and a hint of balsamic. I have know Andrea Cecchi for a number of and it is always a pleasure to see and to speak to him. In the background of the photo is another friend,  Dino Tantawi, founder of Vignaioli Selections.

Carobbio Chianti Classico

Back in the 1980’s with Susan Westmorland and John Simmons we tried to buy this winery.  I believe back then it was called Villa Carobbio and the label was very different. We visited the winery and met with the owners in NYC but we could not come to an agreement.

Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo Panzano 2022 Fontodi made from 100% Sangiovese from the Vigna del Sorbo vineyard with a southwest exposure and 55 year old vines.  There are 3,500/6,000 vines per hectare and the training system is guyot. Fermentation and maceration is in stainless steel with indigenous yeasts for at least 3 weeks. The wine is aged in French oak barriques and large casks for 24 months. The winery is certified organic.  The wine has hints of black cherry, black currants, blackberry, plum and a touch of spice.

This is a family winery is headed by Giovanni Manetti, who I have know for a number of years. He is also President of the Chianti Classico Wine Consortium. 

Ruffino Chianti Classico Gran Selection Riserva Ducale Oro 2021 made from about 85 % Sangiovese with some Merlot and Colorino. As I was tasting this wine my mind went back to the 1947.

Chianti Riserva Ducale Ruffino 1947 made from 70% Sangiovese, 15% Canaiolo, 10% Malvasia and Trebbiano and 5% Colorino, Ciliegiolo and Cabernet. Made by using the governo method. Once common in Tuscany, governo is a secondary fermentation created by the addition of dried grapes 10-15%, or the must of dried or concentrated grapes.  Colorino was usually the grape of choice to be dried. The best grapes from Ruffino’s vineyard were used for the Riserva Ducale, which spent at least three years in large oak casks. The Riserva Gold Label is a selection of the lots of the best vintages of the Riserva Ducale. The wine was  well over 50 years old when I drank it and it was fantastic

Chianti Classico 2022 Riserva Chianti Classico  Tenuta Perano (Frescobaldi) Made from Sangiovese and Merlot. The vineyard is at 500 meters. Grapes are carefully selected and harvested by hand. Fermentation is in stainless steel at a controlled temperature. The cap formed on the surface is broken frequently to ensure perfect polyphonic extraction.  The wine is aged in oak barrels for 24 months and for a time in the bottle before release. The wine has hints of violets, red berries, and leather with floral notes and a touch of pepper. $46 I have always enjoyed all the wines made by Frescobaldi.

Chianti Classico 2024 Banfi made from mostly Sangiovese and small amounts of Canaiolo Nero and Cabernet Sauvignon. The soil is calcareous and well structured. Fermentation takes place with traditional skin contact of 8 to 10 days. The wine is aged for a short time in large casks of French oak. Bottling takes place the summer after the harvest. The wine has hints of cherries, plums and violets with a note of leather. Banfi has for many years been a leader in Italian Wine

Nest Time  the Master Class I attended at the Grand Tasting:        Tradition Thrives on Innovation: Techniques & Traditions Defining Chianti Classico. Hosted by Jeff Porter on Zoom from Torino and Randall Restiano

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