Colorino del Valdarno is red wine grape variety, the most highly regarded member of the Colorino group of grape varieties. Despite being hardy and disease-resistant, Maurizio Castelli (Enogea) describes Colorino as even more difficult than Sangiovese. It struggles to ripen, but can bring freshness, colour and tension to the wine as (eg. 10%) part of the blend, he says (see below for a list of wines in which it can feature). Its clear rather than red pulp differentiates it from other Colorino group members. The Chianti Ruffina DOCG is said to have high quality plantings.
Wine style: Bold violet colours, dark fruit flavours, licorice notes, rich mouthfeel.
Wines: Chianti DOCG. | Chianti Classico DOCG. | Chianti Ruffina DOCG. | Montecarlo DOC. | Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG.
Bibliography
Bill Nesto MW & Frances Di Savino, Chianti Classico, the Search for Tuscany’s Noblest Wine, (University of California Press, 2016).
‘Maurizio Castelli, il sangiovese e il Chianti Classico. Intevista vintage,’ interview 21 January 2014 by Francesco Falcone for Enogea (enogea.it).
Oxford Companion to Wine 4th edition ed. Jancis Robinson MW and Julia Harding MW (Oxford University Press, 2015).