Poster@entrance to the tasting@Stazione Leopolda

The 'buy wine' event is being held at Stazione Leopolda and includes a number of tastings centred around Tuscan wines including an opportunity for producers to meet importers and agents from around the world.

 Inside the courtyard of the old station

Old station sign

Inside one of the tastings

 

An opportunity for producers to meet buyers

Paolo Ignesti, director of the promotion of Tuscany

 

Exchange of gifts between Tuscany and FIJEV (Hervé Lalau)

Someone left speechless by Hervé's eloquence

 

 Detail of the Church of Santa Maria, Firenze

Ninth edition of the Selezione dei Vini Toscana 
We start today with a tasting this morning of this year's 85 winning wines that were selected in Siena by a jury between 19th and 22nd November. For the first time this included a journalist from FIJEV. We will have a further opportunity to taste the winners this afternoon before heading off into Chiantishire. First up will be a visit to John Matta's Castello Vicchiomaggio before heading to our hotel in Castellina in Chianti followed by a visit and dinner at Rocca delle Macie. 

View from the Hotel Roma, Firenze

 

 

2006 Le  Masse di Greve, Chianti Classico Riserva, Lanciola

Sadly we had a pretty disappointing range of wines from Lanciola at our opening meal at the Ristorante Gustavino. They included a rather sweet, oaky Chardonnay rather in a Californian style and Pinot Noir with cooked fruit, presumably because the site is too hot. Quite why one would bother to plant Pinot Noir in Tuscany at a relatively low altitude (200 metres) is beyond me. The above single vineyard 2006 Chianti Classico Riserva was perhaps the best wine. It didn't help that the wines were served a little too warm.

More evidence that so called 'international' varieties such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, although widely known and popular, do not suit all climates. Onwards and upwards, I trust!

Fortunately the evening was rescued by a very fine tie – I can't claim great expertise in this area of clothing but I can distinguish class when I see it. However, the hue wasn't quite right for the vin santo...

40% of 5: Marc Vanhellemont and Hervé Lalau