Istine Chianti Classico – Italy’s ‘Emerging Winery, 2017’

Chianti Classico, arguably the best known name in Italian red wine, is an incredibly diverse region.

A tasting with the Consortium of Chianti Classico producers on one of my first trips to Vinitaly highlighted the variety of expression that exists between growers across this region. Opportunities like this rarely come your way in Australia.

Angela Fronti, winemaker at Istine in Radda (Chianti), emphasises this variation even further with a series of ‘single vineyard’ Chianti Classico.

Last year we added the Istine 2015 Chianti Classico to our portfolio for distribution and we have recently added the outstanding 2016 vintage.

Istine is a fairly new producer in this region, producing their first vintage in 2009.

The Fronti family however is well known for their vineyard development and management business that has been operating for many years. The story goes that the work on one of the Istine vineyards was so difficult due to the amount of rock breaking involved that they would not have done this job for anyone else.

Angela Fronti first gained serious recognition when Istine was named as ‘Italy’s Up and Coming Winery’ by Gambero Rosso in 2017 and since then has made every post a winner.

Istine own three high altitude vineyards, two of these are in Radda and the other in neighbouring Gaiole, with production tracking towards 4,000 cases.

Istine produces a [2016] Chianti Classico ‘normale’ with fruit selected from across the three vineyards, plus produces three ‘single vineyard’ Chianti Classico; Vigna Istine, Vigna Cavarchione and Vigna Casanova dell’Aia.

All three vineyards are rich in limestone but each has a different aspect, altitude and soil composition.

The wines have the same treatment in the winery [including oak treatment – 12 months in 20 hl Slavonian oak] but the wines show distinctly different characteristics.

Angela obviously has a thorough understanding of this appellation and seeks to express this through her range of territorial wines.

All wines are certified organic.

As one of Western Australia’s leading premium wine distributors we simply aim to work long term with quality focussed wine producers that make the best wine possible for each vintage. If you would like to try this wine or require further information, please let our team know.

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