Nina's has something new from Rignana: The Bianco Toscana!
Nina in Chianti and Cosimo from Fattoria di Rignana are tasting the new Bianco Toscana IGT
White wine lovers will be thrilled about this news: The 2018 vintage is the first white wine from Fattoria di Rignana! It's called Bianco Toscana IGT. And as we all know, that's really special because white wines are rarely made in Chianti Classico. What's even more special about this white wine is that it's made from Sangiovese grapes. To be precise, it's made from the same grapes normally used for Chianti Classico.
As Tuscany experts and Nina's friends know, a Chianti Classico has to be at least 80 percent Sangiovese, which is a native grape variety. And as you know, that's usually pretty red... unlike this new Bianco. So today, I'll tell you how these red wine grapes turn into this amazing white wine and why this white wine is a real summer must-have!
A Tuscan White Wine from Sangiovese Grapes
Until now, Fattoria e Villa di Rignana was known for making top-notch red wines and a fruity, fresh Rosato. But with his white wine, winemaker Cosimo Gericke is venturing into completely new territory. And I can tell you right away: he's done an incredibly good job!
Cosimo had a few reasons for deciding to add a white wine to their collection. For one, white wines are trending, especially those that are great as an aperitif or a light summer meal companion (just like Rosato!). On the other hand, Rignana is busy renewing its vineyards. This means there are lots of young vines whose grapes aren't quite full-bodied enough yet to make the Chianti Classico we're used to from Rignana.
But instead of just letting those young grapes be, Cosimo uses a special method to turn the Sangiovese grapes into white wine – it's not brand new, but it's pretty rare. Here's how it works: Grapes from the young vines, and others that ripen earlier, are harvested fairly soon and pressed right away. This means there's no contact between the grape skins and the juice. In other words, the step that usually gives Rosato its pink color or Chianti Classico its red color is simply skipped. Cool fermentation helps keep all those fruity flavors from the grapes. Then, the wine goes into steel tanks to age. And voilà: the Bianco Toscana is ready!
The Bianco Toscana IGT looks delicately yellow in the glass and smells wonderful
White, white, Bianco Toscana!
The first thing you'll notice about the Bianco Toscana is how it glows almost transparent white in the bottle. When it's nicely chilled in your glass, your nose and palate will enjoy a lovely fruity freshness, the full taste of juicy pears, a hint of flowers, and a delicate touch of nuts and citrus. It's truly delightful!
Rignana's Bianco is super versatile: whether it's for an "Aperitivo" on a warm summer evening with friends or with a light meal. It's always a good idea to keep a bottle or two chilled in the fridge – you never know when friends might drop by, or when a beautiful summer evening might suddenly appear. Or really, for any other occasion where a Bianco just fits. Well, actually, always...
Fattoria di Rignana's vineyards are regularly renewed