A Chianti is the Red Wine of the Year according to Gambero Rosso

"Molino degli Innocenti represents both the destination and the journey. The roots and the experimentation. Understanding a territory, every single vineyard, and together with the work of man, exploring a new, yet untrodden path." This is how Niccolò Rossi describes his best Chianti, who together with his two siblings Ludovica and Leonardo, has taken the reins of Torre a Cona. We would add that we were truly enchanted by this wine, the result of a great vintage. Elegance and finesse blend together, without neglecting the artisanal and authentic traits of a great Sangiovese... for us, it is undoubtedly the Red Wine of the Year.

Torre a Cona, between Chianti and Valdarno

We are not far from Florence. You need to head southeast, to the border between Chianti and Valdarno to discover Torre a Cona. You’ll be immersed in gentle hills, where forests alternate with olive groves and vineyards, and at a certain point, you make a real discovery. Torre a Cona is one of the most beautiful 18th-century villas in all of Italy and is situated within an estate of about 200 hectares. It was purchased by Napoleone Rossi di Montelera in 1935, grandson of Luigi, the founder of Martini & Rossi. However, the existence of a settlement on the estate dates back even further to the year 1000 when there was a fortification known as the Castello di Quona. That structure was razed to the ground, except for the main tower dating back to the 12th century, on which the villa as we know it today was built.

Niccolò Rossi di Montelera, who manages Torre a Cona with his siblings

The Chiantis of Torre a Cona and the Occhio di Pernice

Torre a Cona is a beautiful farm, producing wines and olive oil. Part of the villa is dedicated to hospitality, and there is also a restaurant open both to villa guests and external customers, the Osteria di Torre a Cona. Everything is managed by Napoleone’s grandchildren and Lorenzo's children: Ludovica, Leonardo, and Niccolò, with the latter actively involved in wine production and managing the estate. The vineyard area covers just under 20 hectares, and all the wines produced aim to represent the essence of the estate’s terroir: they all come from single vineyards and have Sangiovese as the absolute protagonist (planted on 15 hectares), alongside Colorino and Merlot, which contribute to two different labels. There is also a small production of Trebbiano and Malvasia del Chianti, from which a great Vin Santo del Chianti is produced.

Let’s return to the Sangiovese. Torre a Cona’s Chianti Colli Fiorentini wines are three: a young, simpler wine, the Crociferro, and two Riservas from two single vineyards, the Badia a Corte (which has won the Tre Bicchieri five times) and Terre di Cino. Then there is a Vin Santo Occhio di Pernice, Fonti e Lecceta. And there is the latest addition, the Molino degli Innocenti: the first vintage produced was 2019, which was presented for the first time in our tastings. The wine's name is that of the cru, the highest vineyard on the estate, located about 400 metres above sea level and facing south. The soil is mostly *galestro*, and after fermentation in steel, the wine is aged in large 25-hectolitre Slavonian oak barrels.

The Red Wine of the Year, Molino degli Innocenti

The Chianti Colli Fiorentini Molino degli Innocenti Ris. '19 from Torre a Cona has a bright ruby red colour, immediately revealing intense fruity aromas. It’s the red fruit that dominates the scene, with blackberry and cherry taking centre stage, but then there’s also a hint of blood orange and slightly wilted rose. There’s a touch of spice, a light underbrush note that precedes a smooth and graceful palate, where volume is balanced by soft and velvety tannins, freshness dominates the sip, and the sapidity drives the wine to a very clean and deep finish.