Deep garnet-ruby color; cherry, plum, raspberry, chocolate, tobacco, earth, iron on the nose and palate.
Dry; ripe, puckering tannins; good acidity. Disjointed, rustic on pop-and-pour, but integrates and smooths out nicely with decanting. Medium body. Gentle, accommodating finish. Blend of 90% sangiovese, 10% colorino (for color) and canaiolo (rounds out sangiovese). Temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel tanks; 18 days of fermentation and maceration. Aged six months in barriques followed by two months in bottles. Significant production: 600,000 bottles. 13.5% ABV
The Cecchi family has been making wine since 1893. Luigi Cecchi laid the foundation. The website notes: “Luigi’s reputation is renown internationally, so much so that already during the ‘30s the family name began its unrelenting growth. In the ‘70s, the family moved to the municipality of Castellina in Chianti, a historical Chianti Classico production site, where the productive process that would then become the hallmark of constant quality began.”
In 2015, Andrea and Cesare Cecchi, the fourth generation of the family invested in Chianti Classico by acquiring the historic Villa Rosa from the Lucherini Bandini family. The winery had focused on sustainability in the 1990s. Villa Rosa was the first Tuscany business to build a plant-based sewage treatment facility to reduce energy consumption and reuse the purified water. The plant was upgraded in 2012 and won the Eco-Efficient Tuscany prize. It includes 84 acres planted in sangiovese. The Storia de Famiglia name means “History of the Family” in Italian. This is Cecchi’s signature Chianti Classico expression. There also is a reserva version of this wine.
Cecchi Chianti Classico Storia di Famiglia DOCG 2019 is the non-reserva bottling of Cecchi’s signature Chianti Classico. It demonstrates why Cecchi is consistently one of Tuscany’s best-regarded Chianti producers. Balanced, rich dark fruit flavors, well integrated and accessible after decanting, which is strongly recommended. Simple, sleek, develops into easy drinker with air exposure. Excellent QPR (quality-price ratio). $14-17
Pairing—Very versatile, suitable for both casual and formal dining. Italian pasta dishes are classic, especially with meat sauces; ragù alla bolognese; pappardella al cinghial (wild boar pasta); tomato-based sauces in general. Bistecca alla Fiorentina (classic Tuscan T-bone steak); roast lamb; grilled chicken with rosemary and thyme; spicy chicken parmesan. Margherita pizza, pepperoni pizza. Salami and cured meats. Mushroom risotto, bruschetta, eggplant parmesan. Cheese—Pecorino toscano DOP is quintessential classic; parmigiano-reggiano, grana padano “strevecchio” (grana padano aged 20-plus months); aged asiago, aged gouda, manchego.
