Results for: "Chianti, Italy"

Bid on this 4-bottle tasting lot; including 1-bottle of 2004 Castello di Monsanto "Il Poggio" Chianti Classico Riserva, 1-bottle of 2004 Fontodi "Vigna del Sorbo" Chianti Classico Riserva (96RP, 94VN, 93WE, 90WS), 1-bottle of 2004 Ruffino "Ducale Oro" Chianti Classico Riserva, and 1-bottle of 2006 Castello di Ama Chianti Classico. Of the 2004 Fontodi "Vigna del Sorbo," Wine Advocate: medium to deep garnet with pretty, fresh blackberry and warm cherry aromas, fragrant nuances of rose petal and Chinese five spice, firm yet finely grained tannins, and a crisp backbone of acidity balancing rich, ripe fruit. Straddling the line between elegance and decadence, with a very long finish of lingering black truffle. Drinking now but will open and soften with 4-5 more years of cellaring, developing through 2020+. 96 (LPB) 03/2009

This is so perfumed – the red fruit and flowers just jump out of the glass. So aromatic. Full-bodied, yet the precise, fine tannins just melt into the glass and spread wide across the palate. A gorgeous wine. Drink or hold. (JS)

Alluring aromas of dark exotic spice, black-skinned berry, violet and juniper waft out of the glass on the gorgeous 2021 Fontalloro. Elegant and structured, the chiseled palate is incredibly focused, delivering ripe Morello cherry, cassis, star anise and cake spice alongside taut, fine-grained tannins. Bright acidity keeps it beautifully balanced and energized. While it’s tempting now, this is still in its infancy and needs time to fully develop so give it a few more years.

The 2022 Chianti Classico Riserva is classic Fèlsina to the core. A blast of dark plum, game, incense, licorice, tobacco, and scorched earth makes a strong opening statement. Bold and virile in bearing, the 2022 Riserva packs a pretty serious punch. I would give it a few years to soften, as the tannins are formidable today. This is impeccably done. There are many notable wines in this range, but for price, value, and accessibility, the Riserva is pretty hard to beat. The 2022 spent 18 months in 500-liter barrels. (AG) 92+

The 2017 Vin Santo del Chianti Classico is rich, layered and wonderfully complete. Apricot jam, orange confit, lightly honeyed notes and dried herbs are some of the many notes that take shape in the glass. The 2017 is potent and rich, but not at all heavy. Bright acids pull it all together on the long, sustained finish. (AG)

TOP100 #1 The 2020 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna Il Poggio is a total stunner. What a wine. Elegant and translucent, the 2020 impresses with a sublime, finessed personality that is impossible to miss. Fine tannins and lifted, sensual aromatics immediately announce a wine of utter class. On the palate, the 2020 is wonderfully deep and layered, with mind-blowing balance and exceptional pedigree. The 2020 is one of the very finest Il Poggios ever made. It has been nothing short of breathtaking on the two occasions I have tasted it so far. Don't miss it! (AG)

Bid on this 3-bottle lot of 2010 Fèlsina "Rancia" Chianti Classico Riserva (95RP, 95ST, 95VN, 93WE, 91WS). Vinous: "The 2010 Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia is cool, inward and reserved at this stage. Much less expressive than it was from barrel, today the 2010 appears to be in a closed phase. There is so much tension in the glass, though, and I can hardly wait to see where the 2010 goes over the coming years. A burst of mineral and floral infused fruit lingers on the polished, nuanced finish. Today, the 2010 seems to bring together the finesse of 2004 with the structure and power of the 2010. A pretty magical combination, if you ask me. (AG) 95+" (08/2013)

The 2024 Caposaldo Chianti (DOCG) is a bright, highly approachable, and fruit-forward expression designed for immediate, everyday enjoyment. Sourced from hillside vineyards across the broader Chianti zone in Tuscany, this wine is predominantly Sangiovese, blended with small amounts of traditional varieties like Canaiolo. To emphasize pristine primary fruit and juicy drinkability, it is fermented and raised entirely in stainless steel tanks, avoiding any heavy oak makeup.

Licorice, tar and iron aromas embrace the plum, black cherry, iron and sweet spice flavors in this powerful red. Dense tannins lend support, while the finish echoes earth and tar accents. Best from 2028 through 2042. 5,250 cases imported. (BS)

The process is a painstaking labor of love. A blend of Trebbiano and Malvasia grapes are hand-harvested and then hung to dry (appassimento) in airy lofts for months, concentrating their sugars and flavors. The thick, sweet juice is then pressed and sealed in small oak and chestnut barrels, called caratelli, where it ferments and ages slowly for at least a decade in the vinsantaia—a process that exposes it to the natural temperature fluctuations of the seasons. It is rich and lusciously sweet but with a vibrant, electrifying acidity that cuts through the richness, preventing it from ever feeling cloying. This is a wine to be sipped slowly on its own at the end of a meal, or paired with the classic Cantucci (almond biscotti). A small bottle will last for weeks after opening, its flavors continuing to evolve. This wine is immortal; you can keep it in the cellar for generations.

A layered wine with bright red cherries, dried cherries, sweet violets and a lot of licorice on the nose. Medium-bodied and very supple and refreshing on the palate, with lightly framed tannins and a crunchy finish. Drink or hold. (AF)

Winemaker Sean O’Callaghan pushes the boundaries just enough to make this thrillingly edgy yet delicious, serious yet not serious annata, characterised by some whole bunches, wild fermentation, long maceration, no fining nor filtering, and low doses of sulphur. It evokes chalk, blood, sweet herbs and white blossoms before opening to dark violet nuances. A midweight mouthful, the palate introduces raspberry, rust and blood orange. Cleansing and refreshing, with a light grainy grip that tantalises. (MM)

From the San Donato in Poggio subzone, the Marchesi Antinori 2022 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Badia a Passignano is a well-balanced wine with good continuity between bouquet and palate. That space is occupied by plush fruit flavors, fine tannins and fresh acidity. The goal is to achieve more red fruit flavors, and the growing season was slightly longer this vintage, thus making that task easier to achieve. This is 100% Sangiovese that shows genuine varietal character. (ML)

Bid on this 2-bottle lot of 2004 Tua Rita Syrah Toscana.

Bid on this 5-bottle lot of 2010 Felsina Chianti Classico Riserva (93RP, 93WE, 92JS, 92VN, 92W&S, 90ST, 90WS). Wine Advocate: "The 2010 Chianti Classico Riserva is host to a beautiful mix of black mineral, fruit, dried mint and eucalyptus. The wine shows elegant evolution in the glass and backs it up with dry, polished tannins. This is a stunning effort available at a reasonable price. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2028. This is one of the nicest collections of new releases by Giuseppe Mazzocolin’s Felsina. At the edge of the Chianti Classico and Chianti Colli Senesi denominations, the estate counts 475 hectares, of which 61 are planted with vineyard. (ML)" (08/2013)

Once again, this is my favorite of the three Gran Selezione wines made by Barone Ricasoli. The 2021 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Gaiole Roncicone offers energy and a great sense of focus thanks to the elegant mineral tones of crushed seashell and chalk that frame a core of elegant berry fruit. Indeed, marine fossils are often discovered in this 10-hectare vineyard site. I love the precision and linearity of the silky and long-lasting finish. The personality is finessed and fine. (ML) 97+

Gracious and racy, the 2011 Le Pergole Torte is superb. A younger version of the 2007, the 2011 is all about spherical texture and pure voluptuousness. Although 2011 was a warm vintage, the Pergole Torte still needs a few years in bottle for the tannins to soften fully. Dark red cherry, tobacco, plum, spices meld into the dense, plush finish. A late September harvest had not been seen at Montevertine sine 2003. This is the last vintage made by Giulio Gambelli. (AG) 95+

The 2020 Castello di Fonterutoli "Ser Lapo" Chianti Classico Riserva (DOCG) is a gorgeous, brooding, and deeply aristocratic release that beautifully channels the historic, rocky power of Castellina in Chianti. Crafted by the Mazzei family to honor their ancestor who penned the first known official document using the "Chianti" designation back in 1398, this cuvée is a tailored blend dominated by Sangiovese ($\sim 90\%$), fortified with a structural splash of Merlot ($\sim 10\%$). Rooted in Fonterutoli's legendary, high-altitude vineyards (ranging from 220 to 570 meters), the vines struggle through a highly stony matrix of Alberese limestone and fragmented Galestro marl, imparting an intense mineral depth that grounds the warmth of the 2020 growing season.

A model of pure understatement and class, the 2010 Montevertine seems to hover above the palate. There is a sense of pure weightlessness in the 2010 that is marvelous to behold. The flavors remain bright and pretty much primary, so readers should consider cellaring bottles for at least a few years. Sweet, silky tannins frame the exceptionally polished finish. Montevertine remains a reference-point estate not just for Tuscany or Italy, but among the world's great estates. The wines can be deceptive upon release, but they have a way of fleshing out beautifully with time. Longevity is rarely, if ever, an issue with these artisan, impeccably crafted wines. (AG)

The 2021 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigneto Bellavista is a stunner. Dense, powerful and forbidding, in classic Bellavista style, the 2021 packs an immense punch. It is also a very potent wine. All of the Bellavista signatures are present, but they are nearly buried by the sheer intensity of the fruit. Graphite, sage, crushed rocks, lavender, mint and dried herbs all play off a core of cool, dark-toned fruit. The 2021 is a bruiser—a beautiful, vivid bruiser. I can't wait to see how it ages. (AG)

Bid on this 2-magnum lot of 2010 Felsina Rancia Chianti Classico Riserva (1.5L) (95RP, 95VN, 93WE, 91WS). Vinous: Bright, fully saturated red. Knockout nose combines raspberry, minerals, sweet spices and violet; the most ethereal nose of any Rancia since the 2006 vintage. Juicy, pure and precise if youthfully tight, offering lovely inner-mouth energy and perfume to the complex flavors of red berries enlivened by orange peel, sweet spices and flowers. Finishes very long and brisk, with juicy acidity that leaves the taste buds vibrating. An absolute beauty, and much less marked by the tobacco, tar and inky notes that have characterized some recent Rancia vintages. For example, even though 2009 and 2010 are both potentially outstanding vintages for Chianti Classico, there is simply no comparison between this wine and the Rancia 2009. (ID) (09/2014)

The 2022 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna Cavarchione is dense and explosive in the glass. A blast of dark cherry, blackberry, graphite, dried herbs, menthol, and sage stains the palate. This heady, broad-shouldered Gran Selezione has a ton going on. Readers should expect a potent wine endowed with notable textural presence. Time in the glass releases the aromatics nicely. The long finish is so inviting. *AG)

Plenty of sweet plums on the nose with orange peel. It’s full-bodied with juicy ripe fruit and creamy tannins. Some savory, earth and meaty character in the aftertaste. Drink or hold. (JS)

Pure Castellina in Chianti alberese translated directly into the glass. . Bibbiano’s staunch refusal to mask their top site with small, toasted oak preserves a profound nervous energy that slices right through the natural density of the fruit. It delivers a distinctly crunchy profile of dried blood orange, tart wild cherry, and crushed iron. Everything here is anchored by a rigid vertical spine.