Istine Chianti Classico Vigna Istine Gran Selezione 2021

The Istine vineyard, a high altitude single vineyard of almost 4 hectares at 480-550 meters, was planted by Angela in 2002, on a hilltop surrounded by woods. Angela’s family is in vineyard construction and management; her brother has said that this vineyard site was so rocky and difficult to clear that they would have bailed on any other customer. We're glad they didn't!  The 2021 is fabulous, a wine of remarkable complexity and depth, offering a creamy texture and impressive breadth on the palate. Its profile weaves together layers of lavender, spice, leather, menthol, and licorice. The high-altitude vineyard captures the freshness, aromatic intensity, and mineral qualities of its unique terroir. A vibrant and explosive wine of striking balance, it’s both lively and full-bodied, with an electrifying finish. Istine only works with autochthonous varieties, so it's 100% Sangiovese with their Chiantis, and has been certified organic since 2016. The wines are aged the old-fashioned way, in large 20hl botti grandi of neutral oak, after a prolonged skin maceration that can last as long as six weeks.  Production is small - only about 60-70,000 bottles and the family does not envision expanding much.  Their 26 hectares of galestro (rocky schist) and alberese (sandstone) are some of the highest-elevation vineyards around: some 400-600 meters above sea level, which exactly suits their pure, linear aesthetic.