Felsina • Berkeley And. Stuart

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Sub RegionChianti
RegionTuscany
CountryItaly
ProducerFelsina

Introduction

Felsina is among the more elegant producers in Chianti Classico, producing some of the most complex and age worthy wines in the zone. They have always focused on sangiovese and, as a result, their wines are compared to the top producers in Brunello di Montalcino and the other classics from Chianti Classico. The vines are farmed organically, with low yields and a focus on balance and elegance. They produce a full range of wines under the Chianti Classico appellation, with highlights coming from their Rancia estate, their Colonia label, and their top bottling, Fontalloro.

“Rancia, located at higher elevation and planted largely to galestro soil, is the most elegant of the wines they produce.”

Varied Complexity

Colonia comes from a particularly unique site, largely composed of rocky soils making it low yielding and difficult to farm. Fontalloro comes from the estate’s oldest vines, planted on the border between Chianti Classico and Chianti Colli Senesi. The vineyard has a full range of elevation, with the Classico vines at a higher elevation and the vines in Colli Senesi planted lower. The soils are varied with the range of elevation, from galestro to sandy pebbly soils. Wines are fermented in stainless steel and then moved to new French oak barrels prior to aging in bottle. The wines from Felsina are firm in their youth, showing classic sangiovese tannins. With bottle age, these wines become much more secondary and complex, worth seeking out.

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Located in the town of Tadten, not far from the Hungarian border, Sattler is now run by the fourth generation of the family, Erich Sattler. Outside of some changes in the vineyards, he has kept the estate consistent with previous generations.

Perhaps the definition of cult California cabernet, Screaming Eagle is considered to be the Holy Grail among many collectors. The founders made what was essentially a hobby into one of the most collectible wines in the world.

When Jean Phillips bought original vineyard in 1986, it was already planted to a cabernet. From there, she added cabernet franc, merlot, and more cabernet sauvignon vines. When the vines came of age, Phillips reached out to Heidi Barret, a then up-and-coming winemaker in the valley, to produce the first wine for the 1992 vintage. The release gained significant acclaim, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Thierry’s journey to the Loire was not traditional. After moving from Bordeaux in the early 1990s, he immediately connected with Charly Foucault from Clos Rougeard. Buying in entirely into the practice of biodynamic, he not only converted his entire estate but also became of the biggest proponents the practice both in France and world wide.

Theirry works parcels in both Saumur (for his whites) and Saumur Champigny (for his reds). Thanks to time spent in the vineyard and his biodynamic dedication, he has been able to identify parcels by soil type to individually farm, vinify, and bottle.

Egon Müller is arguably the most legendary estate in Germany. Their family has owned the property since 1797 and they have produced some of the most sought-after and age-worthy wines in Germany’s history. They own almost one third of the Scharzhofberg vineyard, a Grand Cru equivalent and the crown jewel in the family’s holdings. The wines walk a razor's edge with an uncanny balance between the exotic spice and generous fruit as well as the laser focus and acidity.

For a very long time, the wines from Dönnhoff flew under the radar. Riesling in general took a back seat for many collectors, with only the some aware of the magic that happens when the sweet wines have bottle age. Thanks to the likes of Weingut Keller, Egon Muller, and many others, the collector market has awoken to the possibility of great Riesling. The wines from the Dönnhoff family certainly belong in that category. The family has been quietly farming and producing some of the most compelling from Germany, now considered a guiding light in their home region of the Nahe.

Located in the Kremstal on the edge of Senftenberg Mountain, the history of Weingut Nigl is clear when you first set eyes on the estate. Wine production only started in 1985 under the vision of Martin Nigl, while the family was farmers for 200 years prior.

In terms of German wine estates, Robert Weil is a relative newcomer. Established in 1875 in the heart of some of the best vineyards in the Rheingau, they made their home in the village of Kiedrich, an area known for its wine as early as 950 AD. The estate has significant holdings in some of the finest vineyards in the region, Turmberg and Gräfenberg in Kiedrich, which has further cemented its recognition beyond the international acclaim it receives for being in the Rheingau.

There is a fine line between decadence and laser-like finesse. The wines of Willi Schaefer walk that line, with a crystalline focus that seems next to impossible. The wines drink beautifully when young, but have the ability to age as well as any from Riesling.

A World Of Wine