Having survived Day 1 of VinItaly in reasonably good shape all things considered, it was with very little reluctance that we boarded the train to Verona to kick off Day 2.  Spirits were high, after all we were starting our day at the Chianti Classico Consorzio tasting, which is a bit like the Brunello Consorzio tasting but perhaps a little easier on the palate…or not, as we quickly found out.  The goal here was to work through a large swath of wines from the outstanding 2006 and 2007 vintages, both roof rattlers in Tuscany, but with their own unique profiles. 

The 2006’s are in general a deeply fruited yet stoic bunch, cooler customers but perfectly balanced with a fine tension between fruit, acid and tannin.  Wine built for the long haul but with enough generosity that they can be enjoyed now, thanks in no small part to the insane amount of quality replanting that has taken place over the last 20 years using only the finest, low yielding, terroir-pushing clones of Sangiovese.  For my tastes this is the finest vintage since 1997 in Tuscany, with 2004 and 1999 nipping at its heels though not at the same level.  These wines taste like what many a Tuscan vintner was probably looking for when they went through all this torture to make their respective estates that much better.  The big pay-off you might say.

And what about those 2007’s?  Story time.  I have one daughter at home that’s a bit like the 2006’s, balanced, poised, smart, kind, a little reticent, and empathic, all from a very early age. I also have another daughter at home.  She’s younger but already, how do I say this politely, a bit of a pole-dancer.  She’s freakishly in touch with her body, outgoing, flirty, trouble just exuding out of her pores because she’s so darn cute and, at six, shaking that money-maker. The kind of girl where I’ll be answering the door with two baseball bats, a firearm, perhaps one of those big maces from the Middle Ages.  She’s also smart, perhaps smarter than my older daughter, just wound very differently.  This is 2007 in Tuscany.  Joyous, slinky, pole-dancers that are only too eager to please.  On the ‘yum scale’ you’d say the vintage is better than 2006, they’re that dirty, naughty, freaky-nasty.  Full of fruit, color, extract, with low acids but enough freshness to carry all this deliciousness, they make you smile when you drink them and also regret the morning after, because they are not shrinking violets.  You really do want to slip these wines dollar bills, hoping for one more dance.  Crazy good wines, but in the long haul maybe not the 2006s, which are finer-tuned, more Zen and perhaps built for some improvement in the cellar.  But, then again, as show-stopping as the 2007’s are right now who’s going to care?  The debate may in fact be moot.

So we started in on the wines.  I checked off a list of about 70-80 once again (we only had about 90 minutes) and our help this time was on the ball, smiling (at least at the start) and only too happy to work at our frenetic pace.  About 20 wines in, we realized something was a little different this time.  The intensity and concentration of these wines was like nothing we’d encountered during this tasting before.  What strides the Chiantigiani have made in the last decade!  This was painful but fun.  Many of our favorites made show-stopping wines in 06/07, including ridiculously good wines from such players as Fontodi, Felsina (the 2006 Rancia is wine of the vintage type quality), Querciabella (awesome 2007), Castello di Ama (pricey but worth it…this year), and Monsanto.  There are also a nice load of one-offs, wineries that produced a regular bottling that was just OK and Riserva that was awesome, or vice versa.  These included Volpaia (incredible 2006 Riserva), Paneretta (2006 normale was splendid) and a trio of brilliant 2007’s from Badia a Coltibuono, Castellare and Villa Cafaggio. 

As for new (or kinda new) faces to most folks, we did note a pair of stunning up and comers.  We’ve been following the wines of Casale dello Sparviero for a number of years as we’ve been big fans of winemaker Attilio Pagli’s elegant, hands-off style.  He made a 2007 Normale and 2006 Riserva for this winery that are just breathtaking in their alchemic blend of black cherry fruit and serious polish.  Full-bodied but still quite “Italian” in their demeanor, look for these as serious breakthrough wines from this estate.  Another winery that has had its share of ups and downs is Casa Emma.  Here, winemaker Carlo Ferrini really pushes the new school style of Chianti with mixed results, over extraction being a problem on occasion.  But not with this pair.  The 2007 Normale and 2006 Riserva from Casa Emma are knockouts in that fleshy, black cherry vein that can prove quite endearing when spot on.  Both are full-bodied and do not see an ounce of Merlot or Cabernet in the blend for you purists out there.

What a workout!  Look for most of these release over the coming year, during what is sure one of the most exciting Tuscan campaigns we’ve ever seen…umm…tasted. The tasting over and it’s only lunchtime.  For the sake of brevity, the post-lunch details tomorrow…