Castello Monsanto Monrosso Chianti 2006 now bottled under DIAM

The 2006 vintage of Monrosso has been bottled under DIAM which is a major step forward for Chianti producers. The great entry level Chianti ($22 a bottle retail) is great for everyday drinking and is from the much lauded 2006 vintage.

'Stay-at-home pasta or pizza dinners call out for a simple but solid Chianti, and Monrosso fits the bill beautifully. The ruby-colored wine (80 per-cent Sangiovese with smaller components of Canaiolo and Merlot) is fermented in steel and aged six months in oak casks for fresh, fruitforward results. It is redolent of cherry, plum, milk chocolate and has distant hints of spice and licorice. Its lightweight consistency and subtle tannins make it an excellent, no-brainer match for most foods'.

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Jancis Robinson selects St Urbans-Hof in her top 30 recommended producers for the 2007 wines

Anyone keen to buy into the 2007 vintage but less than enthusiastic about bordeaux should think seriously about Germany’s exceptional 2007 vintage. Europe’s weird weather pattern last summer may have made life difficult for vintners growing red wine grapes on the Atlantic coast but played nicely into the hands of those growing Riesling on the banks of the Mosel and Rhine. The 2007s are – glory be - wines to enjoy drinking rather than wines to notch up ripeness and auction records. Jancis Robinson

Stefano and Domenico due back from Italy 2nd August

Stefano and Domenico have been travelling around Europe trying to see if they can discover some gems for Mondo to Import into Australia. It will be interesting to see what they find.

Vintage 2006 recognised as a great year for Chianti in Italy

The 2006 vintage in Chianti has already been talked about in glowing terms. It is already considered to be on par with 2004 and may well indeed join 1997 as one of the great vintages. We have two 2006 vintage reds from Castello Monsanto. The entry level Monrosso Chianti 2006 and the estate Chianti Classico 2006.

"2006 looks to be superb as it is incredibly consistent both across the various Tuscan appellations and at all levels of quality. I visited the region three times that year. In September I spent some time in Maremma, where I saw the tail end of the harvest at a number of properties, including Tua Rita, Ornellaia, Le Macchiole and Montepeloso. In November I spent a week or so in Chianti Classico, where producers were ecstatic with their young wines. So far I have tasted a large number of 2006s from tank and later from barrel that confirm the early promise of the vintage. The growing season was made in the last month or so. Warm daytime temperatures alternated with cool evenings, which extended the grapes’ hang time and gave growers the luxury and peace of mind to harvest without being rushed. These weather conditions were ideal for achieving full phenolic ripeness along with the maximum development of aromatics, acidity and structure. In general these are big, full-bodied wines loaded with super-ripe fruit, but with plenty of stuffing underneath. They will be tempting to drink young, but the best wines seem to have the potential to age gracefully for many years." Antonio Galloni Wine Advocate # 177 Jun 2008

Chianti Classico and German Riesling leave Europe

Chianti Classico from Castello Monsanto and Fattoria Nittardi plus a swag of 2007 German Riesling from Langwerth von Simmern, Tesch and St Urbans-hof has just left Europe with the refrigerated container due late August. We are licking our lips!!

Langwerth von Simmern Hattenheimer Riesling Kabinett Trocken 2007 rated 95 points by Gary Walsh from Winorama

If you open it young you’ll be greeted by a bit of free sulphur (nothing too daunting mind you) but then comes the reward - an explosion of citrus, white peach, mineral and spice. It’s racy and spritzy on the palate with tingling sherbetty flavours of tangerine, lime, lemon and passionfruit sorbet and fairly bursts through the mouth. It has strong acidity to balance the juicy fruit and finishes very long with a tangy acid bite on exit. It’s a powerhouse of Riesling purity - a brilliant Kabinett. Drink : 2008 - 2020+ 95 points Gary Walsh, Winorama

Fattoria Nittardi 'Casanuova di Nittardi' Chianti Classico 2005 chosen by Jancis Robinson

JANCIS ROBINSON - CHIANTI CLASSICOS WORTH BUYING (ONE OF FOUR WINES CHOSEN): Casanuova di Nittardi Chianti Classico 2006

Mid ruby. Very lively nose with some development and lovely smoothness on the palate with no lack of integrity. Good wine! There is bite and refreshment but no palate aggression. Just a little fade on the finish but otherwise a very good wine for the vintage. Drink 2007-10 16.5 points Jancis Robinson

Castello Monsanto 'Il Poggio' Chianti Classico Riserva 2004 rated highly by The Wine Advocote

The 2004 Chianti Classico Riserva Il Poggio is simply gorgeous. It is a layered, finessed wine of notable detail, with tons of potential hiding behind its restrained facade. With air, notes of earthiness, tobacco, spices, menthol and dark fruit gradually emerge from this classically built wine. Although the wine is beautifully balanced today, it requires additional cellaring to blossom fully. In 2004 Il Poggio was aged exclusively in aged tonneaux, which signals a move away from a percentage of new oak and smaller barrels that recent previous vintage had seen. The change in aging regime seems to allow for the full breadth of the unique qualities of Sangiovese and the Il Poggio vineyard to come through. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2029. 93 points Antonio Galloni Wine Advocate # 177 Jun 2008

My recent visit to Castello di Monsanto was memorable. In addition to the current releases, I had a chance to taste a few older vintages of the estate’s benchmark Chianti Classico Riserva Il Poggio. Monsanto is one of the small handful of estates to have kept a vast library of its past vintages, a few of which it re-releases every year to select customers. Needless to say, in today’s world of highly suspect collectible wines, the chance to buy impeccably stored older vintages of unquestioned provenance is a huge service to consumers. Kudos to proprietor Laura Bianchi and oenologist Andrea Giovannini. These are simply beautiful wines. Antonio Galloni Wine Advocate # 177 Jun 2008

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