The highlight of our visit to Tuscany in 2014 were the wines from Fattoria Rignana read about this trip here! Two years later, in the Autumn of 2016 we visited the Panzano wine festival and Estate again to try the latest vintages.
Fattoria Rignana
Simon and winemaker Cosimo
Nestled in the hills above Panzano in Chianti you will find Fattoria Rignana. The wines have now received their official bio certification with organic methods being used throughout the whole commune of Panzano In Chianti. As you’d expect from a Tuscan producer, Sangiovese is the predominant grape grown, followed by Canaiolo, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Wines are made with respect to the Chianti region and it is this along with the whole of the Panzano commune that has pushed Cosimo to convert to organic production (official certification in 2014).
Rignana IGT Le Villane, Rosso Toscana 2016 *organic* £12.99
This entry level wine is 90% Sangiovese and 10% Merlot, only 3,000 bottles are produced. This is a fresh, simple wine that has typical sangiovese notes of cherry and a lovely refreshing acidity. The added Merlot adds softness and roundness to the palate.
Rignana Chianti Classico, DOCG 2015 *organic* £18.99
This wine is 85% Sangiovese and 15% Canaiolo grown on limestone and shale. The wine spends 12 months in oak barriques that are in 3rd use. Production is 16,000 bottles. This is classically styled with intense aromas of cherry and blackcurrant. The wine has soft and fresh tannins with a long finish. Like with most of the wines from Tuscany this wine is fantastic with food such as pasta or salami.
Rignana Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2013 £25
The Riserva is made up of 90% Sangiovese and 10% Cabernet Franc grown on limestone soil. The wines spends 24 months in oak barriques of 1st and 2nd use making this a rich and full bodied wine that has intense black cherry and blackcurrant notes as well as a touch of clove and warming spice. This wine is particularly well suited to game and cheese.
Rignana Chianti Classico, Gran Selezione, 2013 £35
This wine is 100% Sangiovese from ‘La Cantinetta’ vineyard which is a south facing vineyard, with 3,000 bottles produced. The wine spends 30 months in large oak barrels and 1st and 2nd use oak barriques. The wine is truly one for the cellar and would benefit from further ageing. At the moment the wine is intense red in colour with floral notes, quite primary, full bodied with sweet fruit on the finish which is long and fine. Pair to roasted red meats, game birds and aged cheese.
Rignana Canaiolo 2015 £20 *organic*
A little bit of fun, this wine is bottled in the traditional ‘fiasco’! The wine is 100% Canaiolo which is usually used in small amounts to make up the final wines. Total plantings of Caniolo recorded in 2006 were under 3,000 hectares. Today there are renewed efforts by Tuscan winemakers to bring this grape variety back. Winemaker Cosimo only produced 1,500 bottles of this single varietal which we had to add to our shipment! Light in colour and beautifully floral on the nose. The wine is aromatic on the nose and velvety in the mouth. An intriguing wine for the wine lover and perfect with simple Tuscan fair such as antipasti or pasta.
100% Canaiolo in the Fiasco
The Rignana wines are available to buy in our online shop HERE!
Le Fonti, Panzano in Chianti
A find from our trip to the Panzano wine festival last Autumn, these wines have stayed in our minds. This is a small boutique winery producing just 3,300 cases annually. As with all producers in Panzano they farm organically and being the small size that they are they take great care with production with only the best grapes being selected for production.
La Lepre Delle Fonti, Le Fonti, Toscana, 2016 £12.99
The Fonti ‘house’ wine gets its name from the rabbits and hares that roam the vineyards. Made from mainly Sangiovese with 5-15% Merlot depending on the vintage. The wine spends eight months in French oak barrels. It is a fresh and vibrant wine that is perfect with Italian dishes such as pasta, pizza and meats.
Le Fonti Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2012 £25
Mainly Sangiovese with a touch of Merlot. This wine has elegance and finesse. The wine ages for almost two years in French oak before being bottled and aged for a further 6-9 months in bottle. The longer ageing helps the wine to gain structure and longevity and this makes it an ideal wine for any festive meal or celebration.
2012 – A mild winter followed by very cold spring and then following a very hot early Summer and then finally some much needed rain at the end of August resulted in medium bodied wines that are lovely and fresh .
The Le Fonti wines are available to purchase in our online shop HERE!
Sangiovese leaf