Chiara Condello

Fans of Chiara Condello have a lot to look forward to. The new vintages of Sangiovese Predappio and Le Lucciole are excellent additions to her already-long string of fantastic wines. Still, in 2018, Condello introduces us to her new project: Lo Stralisco Riserva. The Lo Stralisco hails from within the 0.8-hectare parcel that is also the source of Le Lucciole. The grapes are foot-trodden and fermented using whole clusters with indigenous yeast in open-top tini, then refined for two years in a 10-hectoliter cement tank. The only drawback is that there are only 550 bottles and few magnums to go around. That said, its a gorgeous interpretation of Condellos vision, which may see a larger production if these experiments continue with such results. While visiting the estate, I checked in on some of the new vintages in barrel. All are different degrees of warm years, the wines show exceptional balance. However, Condello has already decided not to bottle a Lo Stralisco in 2019 due to rain during harvest. The other big news concerns her family's estate, Conde, also in Predappio. The vineyards are located in the low elevations of the valley. Condellos vineyards comprise older parcels (40-50 years old) at higher elevations and close to thick woodlands, while the familys vines surround the estate, averaging around 20 years old. As of last year, Condello has taken over the winemaking and management of these vineyards. It will surely be a different interpretation of Predappio, but one created by Romagnas shining star of Sangiovese.