Vinous Media 97
"The 2017 Geremia is a revelation. It might be even better than the 2015 or 2016, which is saying a lot. Soaring aromatics make a strong first impression. In 2017, the fruit profile leans more into the red fruit end of the spectrum. The warm, dry year yielded a Geremia that is unusually open. I doubt too many of the estate's fans will have a problem with that given how long these wines usually take to open. Today, the 2017 Geremia is a total pleasure bomb. Don't miss it. -- Antonio Galloni"

The Wine
The Geremia expresses the terroir of Monti in Chianti with the Bordeaux varietals, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon (70 and 30, respectively). It ages exclusively in medium-toast barriques from Allier for about 24 months, after which it is bottled without filtration and bottle aged for another 18 months. It is a powerful, intense wine that also displays elegance and balance, bringing out the character of the terroir. Intense ruby, with violet reflexes, and with complex aromas that bring to mind sour cherries, currants and other wild berry fruit, mingled with licorice and vanilla. A wine of great structure and complexity, which is soft and velvety, thanks to its richness and the perfect ripeness of the tannins. Available only on top vintages, averages production is about 15,000 bottles.

The Estate
The Ricasoli name is inextricably linked not only to the history of Chianti, but also to the history of Tuscany. Geremia, the founder of the Ricasoli-Firidolfi family, established a castle (or Rocca) at Montegrossi in the 7th century AD. In 1141, Castello di Brolio passed into the family holdings and the Ricasolis entered into the wine business. It was here that the so-called Iron Baron Bettino Ricasoli created the recipe for Chianti in 1872. Fast forward to today, and his relative, Marco Ricasoli-Firidolfi, is once again making history in the familys ancestral lands.

Marcos father planted the San Marcellino vineyard at Rocca di Montegrossi in 1966, coincidentally the year of Marcos birth. With the tragic passing of his father in 1972, Marcos mother took over production of the wines, which gained international fame in the 1970s and 1980s. Marco joined the estate in 1994, and dedicated himself to crafting great wine. To that end, he built a new cellar for Montegrossi in 1999, including a space to age his beloved vin santo, and also honed his philosophy of wine production. Quality would always be paramount, but respecting the environment and conserving natural resources was also of crucial importance. In 2006, he started the laborious process of converting to organic viticulture, which was completed in 2010. Marco uses solar panels to source some of the energy necessary for his cantina, while the remainder is exclusively from certified renewable sources. Large cisterns are also used to gather rainwater for farm work in order to save precious drinking water.

Rocca di Montegrossi is located in Monti in Chianti close to the Romanesque church of San Marcellino. Long regarded as one of the finest sections of Chianti Classico, Montegrossi boasts such neighbors as Montevertine, Badia a Coltibuono, & Riecine. The estate encompasses about 100 hectares; 20 of which are planted to vine, another 20 are olive groves, and the remainder is forest. The vineyards are on gentle south and southeast-facing hillsides with calcareous loamy soils, at elevations between 340 and 510 meters above sea level. The primary varietal is Sangiovese (13 hectares), followed by Merlot (2.5 hectares), while the remaining 4.5 hectares are planted to Canaiolo, Colorino, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pugnitello, and Malvasia Bianca del Chianti.

The estate produces two wines with the Chianti Classico designation. Both are based on Sangiovese, which in this area yields an extremely elegant, balanced wine with pleasant minerality. To further increase the complexity of the wines, three complementary indigenous varieties are added: Canaiolo, Colorino, and Pugnitello. Geremia is the estates IGT wine comprised of 70 Merlot with 30 Cabernet Sauvignon, and a rosato is also produced in small quantities. The crown jewel of the estate is the vin santo, produced in a painstakingly traditional manner according to Marcos mothers original specifications. Marco is assisted at the estate by consulting enologist, Attilio Pagli.

Farming Practice:Certified Organic