Dievole Petrignano Chianti Classico 2023

Dievole Petrignano 2023, the stone in memory

I appreciate how this Chianti Classico puts Sangiovese front and center, with an expression described as particularly mineral. The Petrignano 2023 is aged in barrels, but the wood doesn't erase the link it claims to its stony soils. An organic red to discover if you enjoy terroir-driven wines with a spicy profile.

An organic Sangiovese on the hills of Chianti

The Dievole Petrignano is produced by the Dievole estate, in the Chianti Classico area of Tuscany, and carries the DOCG Chianti Classico appellation. The estate's description evokes a mountain geology associated with Monte Morello and stony, mineral soils, which the name Petrignano echoes. The vines, eight years old, sit at 335 meters above sea level. These elements place the wine in a landscape of hillsides, without needing to attribute particular aromas to it to understand the intent: expressing Sangiovese within its environment.

The grape is Sangiovese, vinified on its own. The grapes are grown organically and hand-harvested at optimal ripeness. In the cellar, fermentation takes place at controlled temperature in 75-hectoliter concrete tanks, for 14 to 15 days. The wine then spends 13 months in large 41-hectoliter French oak casks, followed by three months of bottle aging before release. The estate's winemaking tradition is presented as a heritage passed down from family to family, without a founding date being specified.

At the table, with robust flavors

The sources do not give a precise description of the color, nor detailed notes on the nose or palate: I prefer not to invent any. They do, however, characterize the wine as rather spicy on a scale running from fruity to spicy, with noticeable but measured oak aging and a medium body. Mineral character is the trait highlighted for this Sangiovese. The wood thus accompanies its profile, while the available information does not allow us to assert specific aromas of fruit, flowers or spices.

At the table, I would serve it with game, red meat or a platter of cured meats, pairings suggested for this wine and suited to its medium structure. Aged cheeses can also have their place, especially if you are preparing a simple meal where the flavors remain clear. For a tasting, open it alongside a dish rather than on its own: this Petrignano 2023 is an opportunity to explore an organic Chianti Classico centered on Sangiovese and the mineral character of its origin. Take the time to taste it and see how its oak aging accompanies the meal.