IL BORGHETTO, Italy

Led by owner and maverick winemaker Antonio Cavallino, its determination to make the best wines possible has occasionally placed it at odds with the Consorzio of Chianti Classico, who lay down strict rules about what can and can’t be done. However, incredible results prove that a little rebellion pays off once in a while: with only a third of the estate’s 30ha under vine at any one time and an annual production of just 1,600 cases a year, Il Borghetto is a small but bright thread in Chianti’s complex tapestry of wines.

Viticulture

By treating Sangiovese more like Pinot Noir, Antonio manages to explore new and thrilling nuances of the variety through harnessing all the vivacity of organically and biodynamically cultivated fruit, and fermenting in concrete. The wines are then bottled in burgundy-shaped bottles as it’s his firm belief that this aids the wine’s development, as opposed to the region’s more traditional bordeaux-shaped bottle. But such bold divergence from the norm has resulted in the wines being declassified to IGP status. Yet with a plethora of top accolades from the well regarded L’Espresso guide and praise from the likes of Jancis Robinson, their approach has been unequivocally validated.

Winemaking

Each block is fermented, pressed, racked and barrel aged separately. By bottling in Burgundy bottles, the regulations from the Consorzio of Chianti Classico means the wines are declassified to IGP status.