Castello Di Brolio Chianti Classico 2003

I first visited the Chianti region way back in 1974. My host was the Baron Bettino Ricasoli, who ran his renowned family Estate and was President of the Chianti Classic consortium. He had recently sold the name Castello di Brolio to the Canadian spirits group Seagram, who were investing a vast sum of money in a new winery. I had never before seen row upon row of giant stainless steel vats. There must have been about 40 of them!

The family kept the vineyards and provided the fruit. At first the results were stunning. The new technology produced aromatic whites and fruity reds that we now take for granted, but were rarities in those days. My customers enjoyed heaps. But, as the brand grew, the Seagram bean counters took over, and the quality went down the tubes. As was invariably the case whenever the Canadian whisky barons branched into wine, they lost interest and off-loaded it to the South Australian family company Hardys. Why on earth the Aussies needed a ‘down on its luck’ Tuscan estate was beyond me. …. and the financial involvement turned out to be beyond the family, who were forced to sell up both Ricasoli and their own business!

In 1993 Baron Bettino and his son Francesco bought the business back for a pittance, but as Francesco said “I am not sure we would have done the deal if we had realised just how much money was needed to revitalise the wines”. The Baron died recently, leaving a great legacy. We list the finest wine in their portfolio, CASTELLO DI BROLIO CHIANTI CLASSICO 2003. 100% Sangiovese. It is not exactly cheap at 52.50, but you won’t taste finer Chianti!

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I have just bought a book of cartoons from The New Yorker magazine, and one struck me in particular. Two gentlemen are dining at adjoining tables in a hotel dining room, and one says to the other – “Excuse me, is this the Athens Hilton or the Vienna Hilton?” This is reminded me of a recent tasting I did on a range of ‘value’ Australian Chardonnays. They were all competently made, all unoaked (cheaper vinification that way) ….. and all lacking any character whatsoever. Another common denominator was rather significant amounts of residual sugar – to mask the poor quality of the fruit. It took me back to the seventies and how the Germans destroyed their reputation and sales with bland wines also masked with residual sugar. I am not suggesting that these Oz Chardonnays were as sweet as Liebfraumilch, but they were in the same tradition. Watch out Australia!

“I cook with wine. Sometimes I even add it to the food” - W.C. Fields