A few days ago I tasted a wine over 25 years old, Il Pareto 1999. An incredible wine, produced at the Tenuta di Nozzole in Greve in Chianti, in the heart of Chianti Classico, from clonally selected Cabernet Sauvignon grapes.
A Supertuscan, one of the flagship products of the Folonari family, who have been producing wine since the 18th century and are today led by the eighth generation with Giovanni Folonari, alongside his father Ambrogio. In the 1999 vintage, the ripening of Cabernet Sauvignon was optimal, a variety that never suffered from lack of water throughout the year.
The grapes were harvested at full ripeness in the second half of October. Alcoholic fermentation was carried out at controlled temperature with skin contact for over 15 days. Malolactic fermentation was subsequently completed. The wine then matured with a 16-month aging period in 225-liter French oak barriques.
The wine was then bottle-aged for at least 6 months before ending up in my cellar, where it rested for many years. The wine presents a deep garnet color, still ruby at the center of the glass, impenetrable. Swirling the glass produces dense legs, a sign of significant structure.
On the nose, immediate hints of tobacco and leather, followed by fern and fruity echoes of small red fruits in jam. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, surprising in its harmonious balance between a still-lively acidity, great softness, and silky tannins. The finish is very long, with notes of liquorice. A true masterpiece that we savored repeatedly before pairing it with a tagliata di filetto di manzo.
What do you think?
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