Vineyards and winemaking
This Chianti Superiore comes from ten hectares of Villa Saletta vineyards on clay-limestone soils interspersed with sand and silt. The 2017 blend is 94% Sangiovese with 3% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Merlot, all harvested by hand and destemmed separately to respect the different ripening patterns.
Fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel at 26–28°C, with around two weeks of skin contact for Sangiovese and 20 days for the Bordeaux varieties. Gentle extraction favours perfume and supple tannins. After malolactic fermentation in tank and barrel, the wine matures for 14 months in second-use Slavonian oak.
Tasting notes
Appearance
Clear ruby red, with subtle garnet development at the rim.
Nose
Morello cherry and red plum lead into violet, dried oregano and orange peel, with quieter notes of tobacco leaf, hazelnut and warm earth.
Palate
Fresh and savoury, centred on sour cherry and red berries with the lively acidity typical of Sangiovese. Fine, resolved tannins give shape, while gentle oak, dried herbs and a faint balsamic note carry the wine to a poised, appetising finish.
Food pairing
An excellent partner for pappardelle with wild-boar ragù, pork loin with fennel and crackling, aubergine parmigiana or grilled lamb chops with salsa verde. Its acidity also cuts neatly through a rich mushroom and Taleggio polenta.
Background story
Villa Saletta lies in the Pisan Hills, where its history as a wine-producing estate can be traced through centuries of Tuscan agriculture. Since Guy and Julia Hands began restoring the property in 2000, vineyards have been replanted alongside woodland, olive groves and other farming, reviving the balance of a traditional fattoria.
Sangiovese remains central to the estate's Tuscan identity. Here, small additions of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon soften the variety's edges without masking its cherry fruit, acidity or savoury character, while large Slavonian casks provide maturation with a restrained oak signature.
