CeniPrimo Chianti 2018 Barone Ricasoli

CeniPrimo 2018 is a red wine called Chianti Classico Gran Selezione produced in Barone Ricasoli, and a red wine made exclusively from the Sangiovese grape variety, grown in the River Arbia River valley, located at the southernmost tip of the Brolio Estate in the River Arbia River valley. The vines in this area were planted in 1998 on a southwest-facing slope at an elevation of 300 meters. The soil is a crucial factor. It consists of silty sediments derived from ancient river terraces formed during the Pliocene-Pleistocene era; it contains clay and a small amount of limestone, is characterized by a scarcity of stones, and has a low organic matter content.

The harvest was performed manually on October 5, 2018. While Tuscany of 2018 was wetter than usual, summer temperatures were favorable, and September and October were dry and warm, creating ideal conditions for the fruit to ripen. Chianti Classico's Consorzio rated this harvest as 5-star.

In the cellar, fermentation took place at temperatures between 24 and 27 °C. The wine was aged on the skins for 14 to 16 days with daily punch-downs, followed by 22 months of aging in tonneaux (500-litre oak barrels). Of these, 30 percent were new barrels, and the remainder were reused barrels. The alcohol content is 14.5 percent.

CeniPrimo is a relatively new addition to the Brolio series. The first experimental vintage of this cuvée was in 2015, making the 2018 vintage one of the earliest in the series' history.