Toscana IGT 'Vigorello' 2019 (750 ml.) San Felice

THE WINE

'Vigorello' by San Felice has been created in 1968 as the first Supertuscan ever produced in Chianti Classico, a pure Sangiovese. In 1979 the partnership between Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon, in 2001 the inclusion in the blend of Merlot, which in 2006 will completely replace Sangiovese. In 2011 the turning point, with the introduction of Pugnitello, an autochthonous vine rediscovered through studies in the Vitiarium, which since then has made up the Vigorello blend together with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, marking its uniqueness and the return to the roots more authentic Tuscan. Aromas of currant jam, spicy notes and undergrowth. Warm, complex, tannic taste with slight hints of vanilla. It goes well with grilled meat, roast pigeon and lamb, aged cheeses.

THE COMPANY

San Felice is a historic Chianti Classico winery, located in the town of the same name in the Castelnuovo Berardenga area. The first productions of wine in the ancient Pieve San Felice in Pincis date back to Etruscan times and it experienced great development starting from the 15th century, as historical sources testify, and maintaining itself over the centuries and achieving important successes during the 1900s, thanks also to brilliant intuitions. The cellar took on its current appearance in 1978, when it was purchased by the Allianz group, and reached such dimensions as to acquire other smaller cellars. Today it includes, in addition to the suggestive Chianti farms, also the Campogiovanni estate in Montalcino and the Bell'Aja estate in Bolgheri.

The San Felice estate, the main site of this large production company, covers over 650 hectares, 140 of which are used as vineyards. The happy combination of climate, soil and exposure guarantees the perfect ripening of the red grapes grown, especially the Sangiovese. The maintenance of the ancient terraces divided by dry stone walls and a sustainable approach called "precision viticulture", designed to limit treatments, allows the maintenance of biodiversity. The experimental project "Vitiarum" also consists in maintaining 270 ancient vines collected in 1.6 hectares of vineyards to prevent them from falling into oblivion, thus preserving the ampelographic heritage typical of the area. The Campogiovanni estates instead extend for 65 hectares south-west of Montalcino, while the more recent Bell'Aja in Bolgheri now has just over 6 hectares.

San Felice wines are famous expressions of the Tuscan territory, known and appreciated by several generations of wine lovers. The "Vigorello", for example, introduced way back in 1968, was the first example of Supertuscan and still today proves to be able to amaze and excite. Another historic label is "Il Grigio", an intense and traditional expression of Chianti Classico. All the other labels also reveal a classic and firm approach, behind which lies the great success of this winery in the world.