The Il Carbonaione bottling from Poggio Scalette is as pure and vivid and expression of Sangiovese character as you are likely to find. It is a lovely, perfumed, concentrated and pure red, drawn from a rare Sangiovese clone grown at high elevation in the hills above Greve in Chianti. The old vines yield only small quantities of intensely flavored grapes. The name refers to a charcoal pit that was discovered at the site. The 2013 Il Carbonaione offers lovely aromas of pure red cherry, blackberry and raspberry fruits seamlessly interwoven with subtleties of violets, herbs, smoke and spice. The flavors are nuanced and long, with the pure fruit and spice elements lasting pleasantly. It is a wonderful example of Sangiovese that can be enjoyed now or cellared for another 8 to 10 years.
Poggio Scalette, Alta Valle della Greve IGT (Tuscany, Italy) Sangiovese 2013
By Wayne Belding