The Greve Valley is lined with terraced vineyards. Looking across the valley from this winery, those stone walls can look like a giant scallete (ladder, in Italian). At least it did for the wineries’ original owner. We will never know where he thought that ladder would take him. He disappeared a long time ago, and his winery fell to ruin.
Only much later, in 1991, was Poggio Scalette raised again by none other than Vittorio Fiore, one of the greatest living winemakers working in Chianti.
Greve is one of the great Crus of Chianti Classico. The analogy I would make is that it is akin to Saint-Estèphe in the Haut Medoc. And yes, that is a totally geeked-out analogy. Sometimes I can’t help myself.
Greve –which is pronounced like gravy, FYI– is one of the original wine-growing towns of Chianti, with a history that dates far back into the middle ages. And remains one of the best. Sadly, this information is often missing from the wine label. When it is present, it’s often in minimal type.
The nose is an intriguing blend of fresh leather and chamomile tea. The palate is freshly crushed cherries and pomegranate that turns floral with a whiff of bergamot. The tannins are silky and edge the fruit into a blue state while the floral notes ebb into a spicy, intense finish.