A Vertical Tasting of Stunning Sangiovese from Colle Santa Mustiola

Join us on Sunday, December 2, from 2-4pm as importer John Grimsley introduces you to one of the most remarkable Sangiovese grower/winemakers in all of Tuscany- heck in all the world!  Join us to sample a warm-up Prosecco and then a three vintage vertical of Fabbio Cenni's stunning Colle Santa Mustiola Poggio ai Chiara.  You'll never think of Sangiovese in quite the same way again!

Any winery where you start your visit by ducking into a half-buried Etruscan tomb and then navigate past mold-covered casks of all sizes before reaching a newer cellar filled with used French oak in every size imaginable...well, you can tell something interesting is going on.  And whatever else you can say about the passionate, intense, dedicated Fabbio Cenni, you certainly have to agree he and his wines are interesting!

Fabbio's vineyard is in an overlooked slice of eastern Tuscany near Cortona and Lago di Trasimeno.  Fabbio planted his vineyard with more than 19 different Sangiovese clones at a crazy high density of 10,000 plants per hecatare.  He farms organically and makes wine "naturally" - if extremely.

After crushing, the Sangiovese barrels rest in their fermentation vats until native yeasts begin to work.  Fermentation is low and slow, with most wines getting a full 30 days on the skins (pretty much unheard of for tannic Sangiovese).  Then into a dizzying aray of old barrels, some small, some medium-sized and some very large.  Over the next 5-6 years, the wine stays in barrel, with Fabio racking it from one cask to another to give the wine air and keep it healthy.  After bottling around the 6 year mark, the wine rests for another two years before release.

What are the results?  Astonishing!  As Antonio Galloni of Vinous says, "Poggio Ai Chiari is one of the most distinctive wines in Tuscany.”

We’ll taste three vintages of Fabbio’s top wine, the Sangiovese Poggio ai Chiara – vintages 2006, 2008 and 2009 – so you can get a sense for how this unique and very old-school approach to winemaking works in three very different harvests.  Tasting on a Sunday afternoon will allow us to up the pours a bit and set out a platter of salami and cheese to enjoy as you sip, savor, and explore these wonderful wines.

If you’re interested in seeing more about all three wines, just click here.  No fee for this free come-and-go- style tasting from 2-4pm on Sunday, December 2.  We look forward to seeing you there!