2008 Chianti Classico

The 2008 Chianti Classico is very elegant and restrained in this vintage. Sweet red cherries, flowers, tobacco and incense float on a core of bright, persistent minerality. This is a rather Burgundian styled vintage for the Chianti Classico. Readers who may have found the 2006 and 2007 too rich will flip over the 2008. It is a model of precision and elegance. Menthol, spices and a host of balsamic aromas and flavors add complexity on the delineated, precise finish. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2020. Giovanni Manetti describes his 2008s as higher in acidity and lower in alcohol than his 2007s. The spring and early summer were quite damp, which caused quite a bit of shatter and therefore lowered yields considerably. The summer was on the cool side and the harvest began in late September. The 2008s are decidedly mid-weight wines from Fontodi, yet the acidities are excellent and the wines are texturally very fine. I would not at all be surprised to see some of these wines show even better in another 5-10 years. Such is the nature of Sangiovese. Importer: Vinifera Imports, Ronkonkoma, NY; tel. (631) 467-5907