2003 Maestro Raro

There is not too much more I can say about the wines of Felsina and proprietor Giuseppe Mazzocolin, except that they are reference point wines for anyone who wants to discover the essence of contemporary Sangiovese from Chianti Classico. This is a compelling set of new releases from Mazzocolin and long-time consulting oenologist Franco Bernabei, one of the giants of modern Tuscan oenology. Even better, the wines remain very fairly priced. I was amused when another producer complained to me recently about Felsina's prices. They were far too low, he insisted. I also tasted the wines of Felsina's second property Castello di Farnatella. The wines are competently made, but lack the distinctiveness of the Felsina wines.

Ask Giuseppe Mazzocolin, heart and soul of Felsina, how much cabernet or merlot it takes to overwhelm the delicate aromas and flavors of sangiovese in a wine, and the terse reply is "Even one percent." So Mazzocolin's unconditional love and dedication for sangiovese, Tuscany's premier cultivar, is clear. And two of Italy's greatest wines, his Chianti Riserva Rancia and the Fontalloro Super-Tuscan, are proof enough. "I'm not exaggerating," he clarifies. "Sangiovese is overwhelmed by varieties with stronger personalities and I feel that their addition is often just a shortcut for masking poor-quality grapes." Wine lovers and foodies should also know what insiders are well aware of: Mazzocolin is an extra virgin olive oil nut, and Felsina produces one of Italy's very best, of a quality far superior to that offered by most other Tuscan wine estates, with many different bottlings issued from different olive types such as raggiolo and leccino.