What a Fiasco! Monteraponi and Monte Bernardi Go Retro!
For many people, Chianti is simply a fiasco. It just depends whether you are talking about the traditional straw bottle baskets used as candle holders in dodgy pizzerias or the confusion that reigns amongst many wine drinkers trying to figure out the difference between Classico and Rufina, let alone Panzano and Radda.
For today’s post it’s actually the bottles that I’m interested in. Whether the fiasco failed Chianti or Chianti failed the fiasco is a moot point; the traditional fiasco bottle has become synonymous with poor quality wine. It presumably wasn’t always thus, and happily some top quality producers have begun to re-rally around the fiasco in recent years.
Panzano’s Monte Bernardi bottled a portion of a recent vintage of their Chianti Classico in 1L fiaschi, a size which seems a wholly appropriate for what I assume, based on their other releases, was a delicious wine. Monteraponi, from Radda in Chianti, has also looked to tradition for some of their Chianti Classico annata. As regular readers will know, this blend of 95% Sangiovese and 5% Canaiolo aged in large Slavonian and French oak is one of my favourite Tuscan reds – a classic wine now with a classic look.
Stockists
Monteraponi is imported into Ireland by Grapecircus. Fiaschi of their 2013 vintage landed in Ireland last month and stocked in Sheridan’s Cheesemongers and Mitchell & Son Wine Merchants. Candles sold separately.
