2011 Castello di Monterinaldi Vin Santo del Chianti Classico (375ml)

Castello di Monterinaldi sits just outside Radda in Chianti, at the heart of the Chianti Classico zone. The estate has been in the hands of the Ciampi family since 1961 and today covers 55 hectares, with around 18 hectares of vineyards spread across a mosaic of individual sites. Sangiovese is the backbone here, supported by a small range of traditional varieties. Certified organic since 2017, Monterinaldi combines long held local practices with a measured, modern approach, with wines matured in French oak and finished in the estate’s underground cellars.

Vin Santo remains one of Tuscany's most traditional after dinner wines. Grapes are hand harvested and laid out to dry for several months, concentrating sugars and flavour before pressing. The must is then transferred to small oak caratelli and left to ferment slowly in attic spaces, where natural temperature variation shapes the process over time. Extended ageing in cask follows, allowing the wine to develop depth and complexity before release, with patience very much part of the style rather than a fixed number on a calendar.

Other Reviews....
I'm always a huge fan of Vin Santo, and although the number of samples I receive has diminished drastically over the years because the wine has struggled to find a hold in international markets, this remains a very special category of dessert wine made by a handful of passionate producers in Tuscany. The Castello Monterinaldi 2011 Vin Santo del Chianti Classico Occhio di Pernice (in a precious 375-milliliter bottle) is 90% Sangiovese, 5% Canaiolo and 5% Trebbiano. Despite being made with mostly red grapes, it has turned a unique color somewhere between amber and dark gold with a syrupy consistency. Aromas recall forest floor, dried mushroom, honey and dried apricot. This is a tiny production of 1,200 bottles. Drink 2022 - 2045.
95 Points
Monica Larner - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate