The flagship wine of Cantine Innocenti, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is the least known of the 3 main Tuscan appellations. You could make a case that it is the sweet spot because it blends the finesse of Chianti with the power of Brunello.
Vittorio Innocenti was a philosophy teacher before he was a winemaker. So, let's consider this wine in terms of Plato or Aristotle's axioms on the importance of balance in the human experience.
This 100% Sangiovese Vino Nobile, made by Vittorio and son Tommaso, satisfies:
The Body by stimulating 4 of our 5 senses with lovely aromatics, fine palate presence, lovely fruit flavors and enticing color.
The Mind with a profound subtlety that demands reflection. Enjoy its overt pleasures but contemplate its depth and complexity.
The Soul because it has a distinctive spirit that speaks to more than just body and mind.
Note the vintage: 2012! Vittorio releases his wines later than most and Sangiovese becomes a whole lot more interesting over time.
The 2014 Chianti dei Colli Senesi blends in a bit of Canaiolo. Wines from this area usually are modest and this was generally a light vintage. But the Innocenti magic transcends both. This is a terrific Chianti - the best I have tasted from them.
There are many factors that determine the cost of a wine. How good the wine is probably doesn't land in the top 5 of the most impactful ones. The quality-to-price ratio for both of these is unbelievable.
Innocenti was our first Italian discovery, thanks to our good
friends at neighboring La Chiusa Hotel & Restaurant.
After our last tasting with Vittorio in his 13th century cellars, we had dinner at the wonderful Osteria Acquacheta in Montepulciano. We drank an excellent Vino Nobile RISERVA from an acclaimed estate. I realized that even the Innocenti’s regular Vino Nobile has more character and dimension at almost half the price. I might even say the same for his Rosso di Monepulciano (de-classified Vino Nobile) that is not yet bottled.
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