Carobbio

The most famous vineyards in Panzano are in the 'Concha d'Oro,' the 'golden slope' just to the west of the village. Carobbio's vineyards are on that slope, and the wines show the classic lush, velvety texture and plummy fruit typical of this area. When I was thinking of importing the wines two years ago I asked another winemaker from Panzano what he thought of Carobbio, and he said without hesitation 'The best wines in the village! The best wines in the village!' Good enough for me.

Chianti Classico
Chianti Classico still shows the clear variations from village to village that have been obscured in some other famous appellations such as Bordeaux. All the wines I have had from Panzano show a consistent character - forward, fruity, and with moderate acidity (Sangiovese can be quite high in acidity, which is one of the reasons it is such a good table wine). This wine is friendly, easy to like, and delicious. At Carobbio the wines are made in a clean, modern style with very intelligent use of oak, which is to say that the oak complements the wine and doesn't obscure the flavor of the grapes. This is a good thing.

Chianti Riserva
The difference between the normal Chianti Classico and the Riserva is straightforward; the Riserva is made from the best fruit and given somewhat more wood to support it. This means that it will age better than the 'normale;' I usually drink Chianti normale within two or three years, although it will go longer from a good estate in a serious vintage. A Riserva from important vintages can improve for ten to fifteen years.