Tenuta Casenuove Chianti Classico Riserva 2019

Tenuta Casenuove Riserva 2019, the Sangiovese from Panzano

I'm picking this Riserva for its precise roots in Chianti Classico and for an aging process that doesn't rely solely on wood: concrete also plays an important role in its making. Made from organically farmed Sangiovese, the 2019 vintage suggests a medium-bodied red, where fruit, spice and oak are expected in measured proportions.

Panzano, Chianti Classico and time in the cellar

Tenuta Casenuove is located in Panzano, in the heart of the Chianti Classico appellation, in Tuscany. The estate covers 120 hectares, 30 of which are planted to vines, in a landscape of hills and vineyards. The property belongs to the Austruy group and works with consultant Stéphane Derenoncourt. For this Riserva DOCG, the grape variety listed is Sangiovese, hand-harvested at full ripeness and grown from vines farmed organically.

Fermentation takes place in vitrified concrete tanks, with pump-overs and delestage operations. After vertical pressing, the wine spends twelve months in concrete tanks and in 500-liter barrels of first and second use, then continues ageing for twenty-four months in bottle before release. This process gives concrete a real role, while integrating wood without presenting it as the wine's sole defining marker.

The available tasting information does not precisely describe the color, aromas or flavors, so I prefer not to attribute notes that are not documented. The style markers nonetheless place the wine at the midpoint of several scales: fruity and spicy in equal parts, between youthfulness and the influence of the barrel, with a body of medium to firm intensity. These are indications of balance, not a list of aromas to find in the glass. They suggest a Riserva that can accompany a meal without demanding a formal tasting.

At the table, with aged cheeses or game

I would serve it with aged cheeses or a game dish, two pairings suggested for this wine and generous enough to match its Riserva status. It's a bottle to open around a table where the meal takes its time, rather than choosing it for a promise of precise aromatic notes. Give it a few moments in the glass, then observe what the Sangiovese and its aging truly express: here, the interest also lies in the meeting between Panzano, the concrete and the time spent in bottle.