Istine: Angela Fronti’s Elegant Chianti Classico Wines

Established by the Fronti family in the 1980s, the family’s wine was sold in bulk to other wineries until 2009 when winemaker Angela Fronti created the Istine label. The winery’s home is Radda in Chianti, but it also has vineyards in Gaiole. Beginning in 2012, Istine began producing three single vineyard wines—Vigna Istine, Vigna Casanova dell’Aia, and Vigna Cavarchione, all three of which are Gran Selezione wines. The 2021 vintage reviewed here is the first to carry the name of the region (UGA) on the label.  The wines are exceptionally good and reasonably priced.

Angela Fronti studied enology and viticulture at the University of Florence and worked elsewhere in Tuscany before returning to Radda-in-Chianti to introduce her new label Istine.  She has 20 hectares of family vineyards to source fruit from, including three that produce a Gran Selezione. The wines are fermented in concrete and aged in large botti.  Annual production is about 8 thousand cases. Istine is a member of FIVI, the Italian Federation of Independent Winegrowers.

In the US, Istine is imported by SoilAir Selections and Cream Wine Co.

The Wines

Istine 2022 Chianti Classico ($31) 91  Medium ruby red. This is an excellent introduction to the Istine portfolio showing perfumed aromas of fresh red berries and rose petals. It has a medium weight mid-palate and finishes grippingly fresh. The only Istine wine to be fermented in stainless steel. Perfect with pizza.

Istine 2020 Chianti Classico Riserva Levigne ($65) 95  The Riserva Levigne is a blend of Istine’s three cru vineyards. Medium red in color, the bouquet is a complex perfume of flowers and red fruit. My tasting notes show repeated mentions of the words “refined” and “purity”. And that it is, silky, elegant and with a lovely purity and long incisive finish. Matured 24 months in oak. If I had to choose a wine to drink today from the Istine portfolio, this would be it.

Vigna Istine

Istine 2020 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna Istine (Radda) ($54) 96 The Vigna Istine Gran Selezione is elegant and seductive. Light red in color, the wine reveals scents of rose petals, cherry fruit, and citrus that are mirrored on a silky, refined palate. The 5 ha Vigne Istine was planted on marly limestone soils in 2002 at 480-550m with a northwest orientation.

Vigna Casanova dell’Aia

Istine 2021 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna Casanova dell’Aia (Radda) ($54) 96 Of Istine’s three Gran Seleziones, this is the one to put away for a couple of years. It has the purity and silky mouthfeel of all the Istine wines, but there are more underbrush and tobacco notes complementing and enriching the beautiful fresh red fruit. The finish is very long and rich. The 4.5 ha Vigna Casanova dell’Aia was planted in 2014 and 2018 on marly limestone soils at 500m with a south exposure.

Vigna Cavarchione

Istine 2021 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna Cavarchione (Gaiole) ($54) 95 With more dark red fruit and savory notes than the Vigna Istine, the Vigna Cavarchione is broad and deep on the palate. Remarkably elegant, too. The 6 ha Cavarchione vineyard was planted in 2009-10 at 430m with an east-southeast orientation.