"And the Road from Radda leads to Ama"

"Ama takes its name from the small borgo, or hamlet, nestled in the hills at almost 500 metres’ elevation. Five centuries past, it was the centre of local farming activities, as well as wine production carried out by a group of families of the area. “Da Radda the road led to Amma, three miles away on a hill, where the Pianigiani, Ricucci, and Montigiani families live, the most prominent families in Chianti. They are well-off country gentry that spend all their income on farming vineyards, and do everything themselves.  

Surrounding the Castello of Amma are the most beautiful hills and valleys in all of Chianti, beautifully tended, with fertile grain fields, olive groves, and magnificent vineyards,” wrote Grand Duke Pietro Leopoldo in his 18th-century treatise on Tuscany.

Photo Used with Permission
© Antonio Tiso | Molo7 photo Agency.

Today, the husband and wife team of Marco Pallanti and Lorenza Sebasti have driven this property at a dynamic pace.  Lorenza, a Roman, has imbued her artwork throughout the estate and Marco, Tuscan to his fingernails, carries out the winemaking which has set standards across Chianti.  

Today we're focusing on one of the estate's flagship wines;  the 2010 Gran Selezione San Lorenzo.   2010 was a phenomenal vintage across Tuscany and the wines are beginning to show the charm of the year.  This is no exception.  

The deep garnet red wine shows effusive aromas that bring me back to the dusty roads, the smell of the brush, and the scents of the vineyards.  Lovely flowers mingle with herbs like rosemary and sage.  Crushed fruit flavors are juicy and wild; all accented with whiffs of dusty vanilla, spice and tobacco.   On the palate this is a full bodied wine with lots of elegance and breeding. The core of ripe fruit is still somewhat tightly wound, with expressive notes of espresso, cured meat, and leather.  I absolutely love this and while it was delicious now, it will only get better with 5-10 years in the cellar.  It's a keeper.  We started tasting this with some Alta Badia cheese from the Alto Adige and some dried sausage.  We then finished it with Bolognese.  95 points, about $40.

~ A great representation of the Gran Selezione ~

 E vero!