2006 Chianti Classico Cru Giorgio Primo

The 2006 Giorgio Primo is a totally different animal. It is a powerful, rich and intense wine loaded with dark fruit, earthiness, tobacco, tar and smoke, all of which come to life on a structured frame. Despite its size, the wine reveals tons of clarity and precision, all it needs is a few years to come together. In 2006 Giorgio Primo is 30% Sangiovese, 30% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2021. Proprietor Giampaolo Motta is one of the most passionate, driven producers in Tuscany. Seemingly never content with his wines, he continues to ratchet up quality in a meaningful way. The 2007 vintage brings with it a few significant changes, first and foremost the elimination of Sangiovese from the top of the line Giorgio Primo. Motta has never been fully satisfied with the way Sangiovese ages, so he has opted to use all of his Sangiovese in the entry-level La Massa, and use only his finest Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot for Giorgio Primo. This means that production of La Massa (the wine) will nearly double to 100,000 bottles, while production of Giorgio Primo will drop significantly to about 20,000 bottles. Clearly, this is a huge hit to top-line revenues in the short-term as prices will remain unchanged, at least while economic conditions are soft. It is only a matter of time before prices increase for Giorgio Primo, so fans of this wine will want to give the 2007 special consideration. Importers: Martin Scott Wines, Little Neck, NY; tel. (516) 327-0808; Wine Warehouse, City of Commerce, CA; tel. (323) 724-1700; Cavatappi Distribution, Seattle, WA; tel. (206) 282-5226; Bommarito Wines, Saint Louis, MO; tel. (314) 961-8996; The Wine Company, St. Paul, MN; tel. (651) 487-1212; Un Po Pazzo, Boca Raton, FL; tel. (561) 391-6008

In 2006 Giorgio Primo is 30% Merlot, 30% Sangiovese, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot. The wine spent between 18-19 months in French oak (90% new) with frequent battonage (stirring of the fine lees) and micro-oxygenation. It is an authoritative, powerful wine imbued with the essence of plums, cassis, blackberry jam and road tar intermingled with sweet scents of toasted oak. This vibrant, fresh wine is packed with fruit, but there is plenty of acidity and tannin lurking beneath to guarantee at least another decade of very fine drinking. The sample I tasted represent the final blend in tank, awaiting imminent bottling. This exuberant Giorgio Primo has the potential to be the finest wine Giampaolo Motta has made at La Massa.