Vin Santo del Chianti Classico Occhio di Pernice Melini 2011

The Vin Santo del Chianti Classico Occhio di Pernice from the Tuscan winery Melini is a full and intense dessert wine with great impact. The 'Occhio di Pernice' type indicates a Vin Santo made from a base of red grapes, hence the reference to the reddish color of the eye of this bird species, unlike the generic Vin Santo del Chianti Classico, which is traditionally made from the vinification of white grape varieties. Specifically, Sangiovese must constitute at least 80% of the Occhio di Pernice blend, with the remaining portion being completed by other red or even white grapes.

The Occhio di Pernice Melini Vin Santo del Chianti Classico originates from a solid base of Sangiovese combined with smaller percentages of the international varieties Pinot and Syrah, cultivated at an altitude of 350 meters on calcareous-marl soils rich in skeleton. After manual harvesting, the clusters are left to dry on mats in specially ventilated rooms. This is followed by the slow alcoholic fermentation of the must in traditional caratelli, small wooden barrels, the same containers in which the wine remains to mature for over 10 years. The aging takes place in the so-called “vinsantaia,” a room characterized by significant temperature variations between day and night, which contribute to the wine's delicate oxidative character.

The Vin Santo del Chianti Classico Occhio di Pernice from the Melini estate has an intense amber-yellow color. The ample and rich aromatic profile is defined by sensations of plum, dried fig, candied blackberry and raspberry, dried violet, honey, walnut, tobacco, and wood wax. The taste is full, complex, and harmonious, characterized by an enveloping sweetness accompanied by a warm alcoholic embrace and a long, savory persistence.