Badia a Coltibuono

Always busy whether in the cantina pouring wine, teaching a cooking course, or serving in their ristorante, the brother & sister team of Roberto & Emanuela Stucchi-Prinetti run Badia a Coltibuono with a passion that is rarely seen in the wine world today.  Roberto tends the vineyard with similar intensity, using biologico techniques dating back to their first year of certification in 2000.  So committed is Roberto to the sanctity of the landscape that he’s been a staunch defender against the introduction of a massive powerline corridor through this ecologically sensitive corner of Chianti.

Badia a Coltibuono are one of the benchmark producers of Chianti Classico, and their Chianti Classico Riserva (red wine, Sangiovese, 40K bottles, €20) has a consistent house style that expresses the Sangiovese fruit with a balance of baking spices & vanilla coming through from 2 years of aging and finishing in oak.  The Riserva will age well, you may want to pick up a few bottles to lay down for the future.

If you’re looking for something more drinkable today, taste their Chianti Classico Cultus Boni (red wine, Sangiovese, 20K bottles, €17) that shows off well what the region can do with Sangiovese. Note the consistent style of Roberto’s wines across different wines and vintages.

Roberto’s base Chianti Classico (red wine, Sangiovese, 200K bottles, €13) can be found throughout Italy (and in the States) in restaurants and wine shops everywhere. It’s an easy going red, perfect as your “house wine.” I buy bottles of this wine to have on-hand for simple meals. Taste it and see what locals drink on an everyday basis.

You can drop by their fascinating cantina, taste their wines and take a tour of where they age their wines in a wide variety of oak barrels. It’s best to email or phone ahead to let them know you’re coming, especially if you’re visiting in the off season (November-April).