That was Vino al Vino 2018: Dream Weather & Dream Wines!
Vino al Vino 2018
It was already the 24th Vino al Vino event, which took place from September 13-16, 2018, on the Piazza in Panzano in Chianti. And of course, I was right there in the thick of it for all four days, live and present, meeting lots of friends and even some customers – which made me especially happy.
I chatted with winemakers and, of course, tried tons of wines. And I can sum it up by saying: not only was the weather during those four Vino al Vino days absolutely perfect, but the wines I got to taste were simply amazing too!
My 'Tasting Plan' for 2018: The 2015 and 2016 vintages and the 2014 Riserva
Let me tell you this upfront: The first impression I got of the current vintages back at the Chianti Classico Collection in Florence in February was totally confirmed at Vino al Vino. All the wines from 2015 and 2016 are just showing themselves in such a wonderful way. And the Riservas from the different wineries from the 2014 vintage are all simply delightful to drink! As I've often said, 2014 probably won't be the vintage that ages the longest, but it's a really enjoyable one to drink. And just between you and me: we all like to age our wines, but we love drinking them even more!
Vino al Vino 2018: What's new?
Something special this year was that, for the first time in ages, a new winery showed up at Vino al Vino! It was Il Vallone di Cecione, the newest member of the Unione di Viticoltori di Panzano in Chianti. The owner, Francesco Anichini, also brought his Chianti Classico 2015 and 2016. Both vintages were really lovely to taste and tell apart. It's a super traditional winery now run by a younger generation – so it'll be exciting to see what they do in the coming years!
Of course, my Ape Carlotta was right in the thick of it again! We two beauties zoomed around everywhere – on the piazza, at Dario Cecchini's… you name it! And of course, Carlotta is always decked out with the famous Chianti Classico stick figures by local Panzano artist Luca Carfagna. By the way, you could also check out and buy Luca's artwork right there on the piazza.
Luca's interpretation of Yoga & Wine
A retrospective that makes you excited about getting older…
Yep, you read that right! Getting older is awesome! And as a wine lover, I can easily tell you why. For me, a super personal highlight at this year's Vino al Vino was the 'Retrospective.' This special event is usually just for journalists – and, well, Nina in Chianti got an invite too! They open up wines from Panzano wineries that are ten, twenty, or even thirty years old for tasting. And all I can say is: it was reaaaaally impressive this year!
2008 Vintage: Ten years of peace and quiet!
The 2008 is known as an amazing vintage, right? And it totally showed that even after ten years in the bottle, these wines are still in peak condition. For me, the 2008 from Il Palagio di Panzano by Monia Piccini really stood out. It was so fresh and crisp – just a dream! And get this, the 2008 was only Monia's second vintage ever! The only real bummer is that I don't have a single bottle left for myself!
1998 Vintage: 20 years old and still going strong!
But the most exciting part of the “Retrospective” is tasting wines that are twenty years old or even older. You never know what to expect. But our expectations were totally blown away! Even after twenty years, the 1998 Petresco from Le Cinciole is a truly fantastic wine – with all its subtlety, delicacy, and perfectly balanced tannins. Just like the Fortissimo 2008! And the D´Alceo from Castello dei Rampolla, which is mainly Cabernet, what can I say: it's an absolute joy to drink this wine, which still impresses with captivating elegance even after twenty years.
Retrospective - Fontodi 2008, 1998, 1988
Vintage 1988: The Vigna del Sorbo from Fontodi – an absolute highlight!
And a really, really big highlight of the Retrospective was Fontodi! The “Vigna del Sorbo,” classified as Chianti Classico in 1988 – so, a thirty-year-old (!!!) wine – was a true taste sensation. I'm still smiling as I write this, just thinking about that wine! It really moved and impressed me – simply fantastic! And that's after an incredible 30 years of aging!
But the person most thrilled about it was surely Giovanni Manetti himself, owner of Fontodi and producer of this wine, who was at this year's Vino al Vino for the first time in his role as president of the Consorzio del Vino Chianti Classico. Lots of winemakers, friends, journalists, and many others congratulated him on his new role and expressed their joy that a man with such a great passion for winemaking and such good empathy is the new “Presidente”!
I'd also like to take this opportunity to congratulate Giovanni once again, from the bottom of my heart, on this responsible and important position!