When your family has been making wine for 700 years, no one would fault you for sticking to the tried and true wines that have earned you endless accolades. But that's not the Frescobaldi way. True icons of Tuscan culture, the Frescobaldi family has an exemplary commitment to crafting wines that are authentic expressions of the terroir of their seven estates. There's no shortage of beautiful Italian wines but even the most jaded drinker gets a bit giddy when they see the name Frescobaldi on the bottle.
"Great wine is about the site. That is the step from where you can start for the highest level." - Marchese Lamberto Frescobaldi
(If you have sharp eyes, you'll notice that in this photo Marchese Lamberto Frescobaldi is holding a bottle of their award-winning Montesodi from their Castello Nipozzano estate. I ran into the Marchese at the Tre Bicchieri tasting and captured this image.)
I confess to a certain amount of professional giddiness when I was I invited to a luncheon in NYC hosted by Marchese Lamberto Frescobaldi to taste the first vintage (2015) of their Tenuta Perano Chianti Classico and Chianti Classico Riserva. After leasing the property for a few years, Frescobaldi purchased Castello di San Donato in Perano in 2017. Located in the heart of Chianti Classico, Tenuta Perano is a natural amphitheater with ideal conditions for growing healthy and expressive grapes. 52 of the estate's 250 hectares are planted with vines. image courtesy of Frescobaldi
Not only did Frescobaldi select a prime site with the acquisition of Tenuta Perano, but how auspicious that 2015 was the first vintage released. The Marchesi shares the sentiment of many Italian wine experts and aficionados when he declared that "2015 was a great vintage."
The Tenuta Perano wines are a great match with red meat dishes like this steak with roasted potatoes that we enjoyed at Il Gattopardo restaurant in NYC.
Frescobaldi Tenuta Perano Chianti Classico DOCG 2015 ($25) is a blend of 90% Sangiovese and 10% complementary grapes. Aged for 24 months in barrique and steel, it doesn't sacrifice freshness for richness but instead shows elegant balance between the two. Flavors of dark cherry, brambly berries, with a subtle hint of eucalyptus, thyme and pink pepper make this vino a great match with meat sauces, red meat, and aged cheeses.
Aged for 24 months in Slavonian oak barrels, Frescobaldi Tenuta Perano Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG ($35) displays more complexity and nuance but is still quite approachable. 95% Sangiovese with a kiss of Merlot, it is robust yet graceful with more noticeable but well-integrated tannins. Delicious now, its flavors of rich cherry, blackberry and plum with a touch of warm spice and earth will age beautifully.
It is easy to feel intimidated by wines as renowned as Frescobaldi's so I applaud them for making their Tenuta Perano wines so accessibly priced. Their superb quality truly over-delivers at this price point. A sip of Frescobaldi is a tangible connection with Tuscan history and culture. And that is truly priceless.
