Chianti Classico is one of the most famous and important regions in Italy for the production of great wines, and one of the most distinctive, unspoiled and atmospheric anywhere in the world.
Its natural landscapes and its proud cities, capable for centuries of enchanting generations of travelers and artists, photographers and poets, include the territories of 9 municipal areas, in the Provinces of Florence (in the northern part) and Siena (towards the south)
In the great “sea” of clay that covers the whole of central Tuscany, Chianti Classico is an unexpected island of stones; the sandstones of the Apennines and their crumbly sands mix in a complex underground conglomeration with the other major rocks, such as “galestro” (a clayey schist, in blocks or split into flakes) and the hard white limestone known as “alberese”.
For Sangiovese, which has always been the ruling grape in this zone, this chaotic polychromy is paradise. Sublimating this exceptional location in wines that are equally complex is the task that fascinates us.
The hill of Lamole is, in the overall picture of Chianti Classico, a place apart. Farmsteads, drinking troughs, little bridges and isolated villas face each other on wood-covered cliffs, dotted here and there with terraces, strips of land torn from the crags.
One’s gaze, from the top of the vineyards, embraces a horizon of wonderful scope, as one looks towards the sunset; in late spring, while the wind spreads the perfume of iris and blooming furze, our vines also flower.
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Franz Prager, co-founder of the Vinea Wachau, had already earned a reputation for his wines when Toni Bodenstein married into the family. Bodenstein’s passion for biodiversity and old terraces, coupled with brilliant winemaking, places Prager in the highest echelon of Austrian producers.
Smaragd is a designation of ripeness for dry wines used exclusively by members of the Vinea Wachau. The wines must have minimum alcohol of 12.5%. The grapes are hand-harvested, typically in October and November, and are sent directly to press where they spontaneously ferment in stainless-steel tanks.
Zwerithaler is a sub-site of Buschenberg and sits to the east of Weißenkirchen. The name Zwerithaler, meaning "nestled between the valleys," is a near monopole of Weingut Prager. It has a complex soil of paragneiss with alternating layers of dark and calcareous rock. Zwerithaler Kammergut is a 0.34-hectare parcel planted before WWI. The wine from these ungrafted, 100-year-old vines was bottled separately by Prager for the first time in 2015.
Light greenish yellow, silver reflections. Fine savory, delicate nuances of anise, tobacco notes, delicate yellow fruit, a touch of mango and honey blossom. Full-bodied, juicy white apple fruit, well-integrated, silky acidity structure, finesse and long persistence, saline finish, lingers for minutes, Veltliner at its best.
-Falstaff 99 Points
"The aromas of this old-vine gruner veltliner leap out and shake you to the core. Full-bodied and full of weighty and balanced layers of papayas, mangoes, nectarines, chives, white tea and oranges. Fantastic concentration, giving so much pleasure already, but it will keep blossoming if you give it time. From vines planted in 1907. Sustainable. Drink or hold."
-James Suckling 98 Points
The DAOU Cabernet Sauvignon presents a deep ruby-purple color, foreshadowing intense aromas of cherry and blackberry jam complemented by dark chocolate, tobacco leaf and desert sage. The nose also reveals secondary nuances of wet gravel, sandalwood and plum pudding with subtle notes of fennel, black olive and eucalyptus. On the palate, a swirl of black raspberry, pomegranate, cherry preserve and Zante currant melds seamlessly with crushed herbs, fig and cranberry. An impeccably balanced finish flows effortlessly from the juicy mid palate, leaving lovely notes of boysenberry, rhubarb, graphite and dried thyme.
Review:
Clean lines of cherry, toasted wood, red flower and a pinch of thyme make for a satisfying nose on this widely available bottling. The palate pairs familiar blackberry flavors with mocha spice.
-Wine Enthusiast 91 Points