Tenuta Casenuove, Chianti Classico

[Olivier]

Ik kwam onderstaande tegen over Casenuove, geschreven door Walter Speller (schrijft voor Jancis Robinson) :

“ In the last decade several Swiss and French investors have enlarged their Bordeaux portfolios with Italian properties, while also engaging French oenologists, who, judging from the wines, seem to find Tuscany terra incognita. Except when they make bordeaux blends. These consultants tend to ignore the denominations because they are unfamiliar with both the area and local grape varieties. An international consultant advising a raft of clients simply hasn't got the time to get to know each client's terroir intimately.

Tenuta Casenuove is a case in point. The estate is based in Panzano, prime Chianti Classico terroir. It has engaged Stéphane Derenoncourt as consultant both in the vineyard and cellar. Casenuove relies on international varieties, which, I feel, is a sign of inexperience with some of the best Italian terroirs even at a time in which stylistic standardisation has fallen out of fashion. But I may well be wrong and this route might still be economically viable. While Derenoncourt seems confident in adding Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon to Sangiovese and ageing the result in French barriques and tonneaux, the result is neither Tuscan nor French. Several of the wines are austere and so closed I wonder if they will ever come out of their shells.

I feel there is much more mileage to be had with 100% Sangiovese, which I think Casenuove should exclusively focus on, but this demands experience with this fickle grape and the unique terroir.”