Questo vino
Vineyard and terroir
La Gioia is produced from the best fruit selected across Riecine’s vineyards in Gaiole in Chianti. The vineyards are managed organically and have held ICEA certification since 2006. They lie at 450–500 m above sea level on limestone and clay soils. For the 2021 vintage, the vines were 35–45 years old, planted at 6,000 plants per hectare and trained to Guyot and spurred cordon; the yield was 45 q/ha.
Grapes
The latest published vintage, 2021, is 80% Sangiovese and 20% Merlot. La Gioia was first produced in 1982.
Vinification
The 2021 grapes were harvested manually in October, with an initial selection in the vineyard followed by sorting on a vibrating table. The broader production protocol describes bunch-by-bunch inspection, destemming and a further examination of the individual berries.
The selected fruit is fermented in unlined Nomblot concrete tanks; Grenier truncated-cone French-oak vats also form part of the general cellar protocol. Fermentation begins after four to five days at controlled temperature to promote cold maceration, partly with dry ice, and generally continues for 14–15 days. Skin contact lasted 20 days in 2021. The general description gives a 15–20-day range and includes a brief submerged-cap maceration before the wine is racked to tonneaux.
Ageing
The wine matures for 24 months in French-oak tonneaux. The 2021 specification records new tonneaux, at least 70%, whereas the general protocol describes equal shares of new, second-use and third-use vessels. After the individual lots are blended, the wine spends another 3 months in unlined cement tanks for tartaric stabilization and natural fining. It then rests in bottle for at least 6 months in an ageing room protected from light, vibration and sudden temperature changes.
Technical data
The 2021 vintage has 15.00% alcohol. It was bottled in December 2024, with 5,880 bottles in 0.75 L and 100 magnums in 1.50 L. Lightweight glass is used. Capsules and labels are recyclable and regenerable Polynatures materials compliant with EU Directive 94/62/EC and certified as recyclable polylaminate by CSI. Packaging and transport boxes are PEFC-certified recycled and recyclable paper, and the inks are biodegradable.
