The Riserva dello Zingaro became a ward of the state forestry commission.
The riserva is aged up to four years and can be laid down for many more.
Mr. Conterno, who had not intended to bring the riserva, was momentarily perplexed to discover after the wines had been decanted that one of the Cascina Francias was a riserva.
So we tasted three wines of this vintage, though we would not know which of the Cascina Francias was the riserva.
The Riserva dello Zingaro was our destination; a traffic-free nature reserve in one of the few areas of Sicily that have been spared development.
The farm is just a few hundred metres from the Riserva Naturale di Vendicari, a World Heritage Site that's an important wetland habitat for migrating birds.
For most wine lovers, the most important factor in choosing a Chianti Classico is the name of the estate or wine producer, not whether it's a Riserva or the new Gran Selezione.
The riservas spend a minimum of two years and three months aging in small oak barrels.
They are a producer's ordinary bottling of Chianti, the "normale," and are generally spared the aging-in-new-oak regimen that brands the riservas.
It's Steralmar riserva di mare, expensive stuff: the 20-litre bottle currently retails at €34 (£29).
