San Michele a Torri 2018 – Value Wines from Chianti Colli Fiorentini

February 8, 2022
, 8:59 pm

Monica Larner, brilliant and acclaimed Wine Advocate from Robert Parker (Michelin group)
appreciating the goodness of our wine!
Thanks to the tasting organized by the Consortium focusing on our delightful Chianti, the journalist was able to taste many of the wines produced by the farms around Florence and gave our Chianti Colli Fiorentini entry “San Michele a Torri” 2018 a high score. Here at the Farm Voice we’re happy to share her article:

A few months back, I received an introductory email from Marco Ferretti, president of Tuscany’s
Consorzio Chianti Colli Fiorentini. He represents a wine appellation with geographic boundaries
that weave in and out of the contours of neighboring high-profile regions like Chianti Classico in
a rather confused manner. In fact, the very identity of this historic region is rooted in its
positioning on the periphery, lost among the rolling hills on the outskirts of Florence, as its
name suggests.

Mr. Ferretti’s email did a beautiful job of drawing the confines of his territory that zigzags
between the urban and the rural. He spoke of the vineyard exposures, the soils, the history of the appellation and the passion of its growers. He asked if I might be interested in reviewing a
selection of wines. The subject line of the email caught my eye: “Why not?” was his pitch.

“Why not?” was my immediate acceptance.

Chianti Colli Fiorentini is a part of the greater Chianti territory and covers the hilly areas
immediately outside the Renaissance city of Florence.

I tasted 21 samples from Chianti Colli Fiorentini representing 11 producers. What I discovered is a solid group of terrific value wines. These Sangiovese-based reds are very expressive of Tuscany, showing lean or mid-weight texture and lifted red fruit aromas that are bright and vibrant. Most of the wines are blended with the indigenous grapes Canaiolo and/or Colorino, but even the wines that
are enhanced by small percentages of international grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon and/or Merlot never feel weighed down by their fruit or too extracted.

The streamlined and accessible character of these wines serves to underline how profoundly food-friendly they are. While writing my reviews, pairing ideas immediately came to mind and I suggested a favorite dish, ranging from regional pasta dishes to grilled meats, in each of my reviews.

I tasted 21 samples from Chianti Colli Fiorentini representing 11 producers. What I discovered is a solid group of terrific value wines. These Sangiovese-based reds are very expressive of Tuscany, showing lean or mid-weight texture and lifted red fruit aromas that are bright and vibrant. Most of the wines are blended with the indigenous grapes Canaiolo and/or Colorino, but even the wines that are enhanced by small percentages of international grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon and/or Merlot never feel weighed down by their fruit or too extracted.

Scanned through my notes and selected my top five wines priced $20 or less. They are:

San Michele a Torri 2018 Chianti Colli Fiorentini

(https://www.robertparker.com/wines/gaGN8fccqZ€}Zh8nW7#professionaI-notes)(Organic) — RP 90, $19

Castelvecchio 2018 Chianti Colli Fiorentini II Castelvecchio (https://www.robertparker.com/wines/WC9sM6mfw4w4t642D#professionaI-notes)(Organic) — RP 88+, $16

Malenchini 2018 Chianti Colli Fiorentini (https://www.robertparker.com/wines/TZYt6HpozTXdi8SzA#professional-notes) (Organic) — RP 87+, $15

Fattoria di Fiano 2016 Chianti Colli Fiorentini Ugo Bing (https://www.robertparker.com/wines/€}NMHXzfkJkwvyJ4kp#professionaI-notes) — RP 87, $15 Lanciola

2018 Chianti Colli Fiorentini
(https://www.robertparker.com/wines/ZpZLHArHo4eNdXSoa#professionaI-notes) — RP 87, $14

Traditional Chianti Colli Fiorentini sees Sangiovese as the protagonist with Canaiola and Colorino in supporting roles.

Founded in 1994, the Consorzio Chianti Colli Fiorentini counts 27 members, who represent 52 percent of the production. The growers’ symbol is reproduced from the rampant lion, or the “Marzocco,” seen on the beautiful tower of the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence.

The “Marzocco,”or heraldic lion, is a symbol of Florence and the Chianti Colli Fiorentini wine
region. You see the figure throughout Florence, including on top of the Palazzo Vecchio tower on Piazza della Signoria.

The appellation includes 18 comuni (or villages) on the southwest and southeast of Florence from Montelupo Fiorentino up to Fiesole, passing through Lastra a Signa, Scandicci, Impruneta, Bagno a Ripoli and Rignano suII’Arno. There are three offshoots to the south covering the villages of Montespertoli, San Casciano Val di Pesa and Tavarnelle Val di Pesa; up to Certaldo and Barberino Val d’EIsa to the west; Incisa and Figline Val d’Arno to the far east; and a narrow piece of land from Pelago to Reggello even further east.

Map courtesy of www.chianti-collifiorentini.it.

This extended geography makes for a lot of variability between vineyard sites. Generally speaking, the vines are planted anywhere from a warmer 150 meters above sea level to a cooler 400 meters in elevation. Each hillside, with its unique positioning, creates enormous variation in terms of microclimates and soils, with both clay schist Galestro and limestone Alberese. Most of the vines enjoy southeast and southwest exposures (accounting for 50% of the plantings) and 30% of the plants face east or west, with the remaining sites facing north.

A high percentage of the estates reviewed here are certified organic, and I have included this
information in my reviews. This was a very enjoyable report to write, and I am excited to recommend these excellent value reds from sunny Tuscany.