Nestled on a perfect hillside in Chianti Classico, halfway between Florence and Siena, Isole e Olena has some of the most coveted vineyards in the entire region. As a 4th generation winemaker in his family, Paolo de Marchi has been at the helm of the winery since the 1970s. He spent many harvests in California as well as France, which influenced him to modernize and improve many aspects of viticulture and winemaking in Chianti. In 1987, Paolo De Marchi grafted Chardonnay onto existing vines on the Isole e Olena estate. Since then they have produced some of Tuscany’s finest Chardonnay. After fermentation in barrel, the wine remained on the lees in oak barrels, of which one third were new, for approximately ten months. During the first six months the wine was stirred occasionally, in the Burgundian style, to give more texture and complexity to the wine. In the glass, this wine has an inviting golden colour. It entices with rich aromas of toasted almonds with buttery notes. On the palate, there is great balance between rich, ripe fruit, creamy brioche and complex minerality. Full-bodied, the palate extends through to a long finish.