2026 Chianti Classico Collection: The Riservas
The series of tasting known as the Anteprime Toscane is one of the great tasting events of the year. It is well organized and features some of my absolute favorite wines, which I am fortunate to be able to follow year after year. The wines are served to seated journalists, and while this is a series of mega tastings, the format does allow for some time to be spent with each wine in an isolated and focused way.
Still, mistakes will be made. I absolutely love the two days tasting Chianti Classico in the Chianti Classico Collection tastings, but there can be issues that arise. With 500 or so wines available to taste, I can not taste them all, and since it is held over two days the first pour one gets from a fresh bottle the morning of day one might not be the same as a last pour on day two from a bottle opened the previous day. Such is the price one pays for participating in an event like this.
Another point worth mentioning is that while this is not a blind tasting, you order wines 6 at a time through an app, the way it plays out leaves one roughly tasting blind. I have access to the wines available days prior to the event so I make a list of the reference numbers of the wines, and as I am finishing my last wine of a flight of 6 I type in my next six wines. When they are brought to me they are of course displayed to me, but I am usually more focused on setting up my tasting notes for the flight, and while I see the wines, I generally don’t remember them while tasting. I am not going to call it a blind tasting, but it at the very least visually impaired tasting.
This tasting, of Chianti Classico Riservas, is the real heart of both the Chianti Collection tasting, and the region. The Gran Selezione wines, which I will assess and comment on in a subsequent article, are certain lauded as the pinnacle of Chianti Classico, and in some cases that may be, but the prices have moved along with the messaging.
I, for one, refuse to believe that somehow Chianti Classico Riserva is somehow less great because other wines have been created that are “more” great. Nonsense. For the money, and in some cases regardless of the pricing, the best Chianti Classico Riservas remain one of the absolute top values in terroir driven, ageworthy red wines, with the added benefit of drinking well enough in their youth, and offering differing, and to my palate, superior drinking experiences as they age. I prefer most of my Chianti Classicos about 10-20 years after the vintage. Older than that, they can still be quite fine, but in a more anonymous, old wine way. At age ten the fruit tends to be completely intact, as the tannins have somewhat melted away, allowing the wine to develop a fine, silky texture with all the savory, underbrush, mineral, and feral tertiary notes of Sangiovese offering wonderful complexity. But I digress.
At Chianti Classico Collection 2026 we had access to a broad selection of Chianti Classico Riservas. I focused my attention on the more recent vintages,
2023 is probably a miracle vintage. After a wet spring, huge downy mildew problems, and a hot summer, the season, or what was left of it, was saved by a very fine harvest season. Production was down, quality might have also suffered somewhat, but that might have played into Chianti Classico’s hands. While the Riserva and Gran Selezione wines might be more detrimentally affected by the weather, I get the feeling that relatively strict declassification and selection has produced some awfully compelling wines at the Chianti Classico level. Perhaps there is less consistency here than in other vintages, but the highs are just as high, and the style of the wines is what I am looking for in Chianti Classico. I would taste broadly and buy enthusiastically.
2022 is a well recognized great vintage. I have some minor concerns, mostly at the Riserva and Gran Selezione levels but really across the board, where very hard tannins with their annoying green astringency mar some of the wines. The scorching hot summer caused some hydric stress, and while vines shuts down in some areas offering balanced, if delayed, maturation, there might have been an urge to pick based on sugar levels rather than phenolic ripeness. It’s the curse of global warming; your grapes ripen so well, but not evenly. It is definitely a step down from the preceding three vintages, and at the Chianti Classico level 2023 might be the better option.
2021 is undoubtedly a great vintage for Chianti Classico, though I don’t know I would say it is materially better than 2019 or 2020, it really depends on what you are looking for. Near perfect weather and relatively low yields, though not drastically reduced, created quite a few rather dense, firmly structured examples of Chianti Classico Riserva. They need more time than the other two vintages mentioned, as they are not as pliant and expressive today. These are wines for the cellar. I searched out magnums of several of my favorite wines because I have tremendous faith in them, though at this point I have purchased more of both 2019 and 2020 for my midterm drinking “needs”.
Still, mistakes will be made. I absolutely love the two days tasting Chianti Classico in the Chianti Classico Collection tastings, but there can be issues that arise. With 500 or so wines available to taste, I can not taste them all, and since it is held over two days the first pour one gets from a fresh bottle the morning of day one might not be the same as a last pour on day two from a bottle opened the previous day. Such is the price one pays for participating in an event like this.
Another point worth mentioning is that while this is not a blind tasting, you order wines 6 at a time through an app, the way it plays out leaves one roughly tasting blind. I have access to the wines available days prior to the event so I make a list of the reference numbers of the wines, and as I am finishing my last wine of a flight of 6 I type in my next six wines. When they are brought to me they are of course displayed to me, but I am usually more focused on setting up my tasting notes for the flight, and while I see the wines, I generally don’t remember them while tasting. I am not going to call it a blind tasting, but it at the very least visually impaired tasting.
This tasting, of Chianti Classico Riservas, is the real heart of both the Chianti Collection tasting, and the region. The Gran Selezione wines, which I will assess and comment on in a subsequent article, are certain lauded as the pinnacle of Chianti Classico, and in some cases that may be, but the prices have moved along with the messaging.
I, for one, refuse to believe that somehow Chianti Classico Riserva is somehow less great because other wines have been created that are “more” great. Nonsense. For the money, and in some cases regardless of the pricing, the best Chianti Classico Riservas remain one of the absolute top values in terroir driven, ageworthy red wines, with the added benefit of drinking well enough in their youth, and offering differing, and to my palate, superior drinking experiences as they age. I prefer most of my Chianti Classicos about 10-20 years after the vintage. Older than that, they can still be quite fine, but in a more anonymous, old wine way. At age ten the fruit tends to be completely intact, as the tannins have somewhat melted away, allowing the wine to develop a fine, silky texture with all the savory, underbrush, mineral, and feral tertiary notes of Sangiovese offering wonderful complexity. But I digress.
At Chianti Classico Collection 2026 we had access to a broad selection of Chianti Classico Riservas. I focused my attention on the more recent vintages,
2023 is probably a miracle vintage. After a wet spring, huge downy mildew problems, and a hot summer, the season, or what was left of it, was saved by a very fine harvest season. Production was down, quality might have also suffered somewhat, but that might have played into Chianti Classico’s hands. While the Riserva and Gran Selezione wines might be more detrimentally affected by the weather, I get the feeling that relatively strict declassification and selection has produced some awfully compelling wines at the Chianti Classico level. Perhaps there is less consistency here than in other vintages, but the highs are just as high, and the style of the wines is what I am looking for in Chianti Classico. I would taste broadly and buy enthusiastically.
2022 is a well recognized great vintage. I have some minor concerns, mostly at the Riserva and Gran Selezione levels but really across the board, where very hard tannins with their annoying green astringency mar some of the wines. The scorching hot summer caused some hydric stress, and while vines shuts down in some areas offering balanced, if delayed, maturation, there might have been an urge to pick based on sugar levels rather than phenolic ripeness. It’s the curse of global warming; your grapes ripen so well, but not evenly. It is definitely a step down from the preceding three vintages, and at the Chianti Classico level 2023 might be the better option.
2021 is undoubtedly a great vintage for Chianti Classico, though I don’t know I would say it is materially better than 2019 or 2020, it really depends on what you are looking for. Near perfect weather and relatively low yields, though not drastically reduced, created quite a few rather dense, firmly structured examples of Chianti Classico Riserva. They need more time than the other two vintages mentioned, as they are not as pliant and expressive today. These are wines for the cellar. I searched out magnums of several of my favorite wines because I have tremendous faith in them, though at this point I have purchased more of both 2019 and 2020 for my midterm drinking “needs”.
Wines are listed in their tasting order
2023 Antinori - Villa Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva
Sangiovese e altre varietà complementari, no production numbers provided
San Donato in Poggio
Relatively fruity with an edge of austerity to the woodsy nose, there’s a sweetness here that accents the fruitiness but also the wood treatment and leaves one with a sort of medicinal lozenge note. Medium bodied, wood tannin is assertive on the finish, Much less fruity than the nose suggests, this is rather short, earthy, and slightly bitter in the mouth. I would say the fruit profile is one that is ready for drinking but the tannins here are too hard to allow this to be pleasurable at the moment. 84pts
2023 Banfi Chianti Classico Riserva
85% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 200,000 bottles
Castellina
Leathery on the nose, sweetly so, with an underlying wood note, pine nuts, gently floral with a delicate sweet red fruit note, kind of musky as well. Smooth on entry, uncomplicated, has a nice gentle, tannic bite which becomes more pronounced on the finish. Moderately fruity in style, ready to go with its cherry fruit laced with orange acidity on the moderately long finish. I would enjoy this over the short run as it’s moderately front loaded with fruit. 87pts
2023 Brancaia Chianti Classico Riserva
80% Sangiovese, 20% Merlot, 40,000 bottles
Radda
Quite perfumed with an underlying streak of oak adding nuance to the fresh, slightly balsamic and white soil tinged aromas of boysenberry and red frutti del bosco. Fruity and generous on the palate, lovely wash of dusty minerality across the palate and through the rather long and fruit driven finish. A touch of plumpness but in a very nice way, this is fruity, round and generous with well judged tannins and bright acidity. Not complicated but delicious and appropriately, gently structured. 90pts
2023. Castellaccio - Lama dei Cortacci Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 2,000 bottles
Greve
Dark, slightly fudgy, black cherry nose, rather intense with slow to emerge balsamic, lingonberry, and sage aromas. Smells good. A bit flat on entry, clear across the palate, rather modest tannin structure, good enough acidity lends this some brightness on th modest finish. It does deliver a good dose of black and red cherry fruit, It’s larger scaled but not a powerhouse, it offers a classic profile in a slightly reduced intensity, just a bit dilute, but delicious and pretty easy to drink. It’s not impressive but I do like and enjoy this quite a bit. Great everyday bottle 88pts
2023. Castellare di Castellina - Il Poggiale Chianti Classico Riserva
90% Sangiovese, 5% Canaiolo, 5% Ciliegiolo, 15,000 bottles
Castellina
Quite marked by oak, with fruit, floral and herb aromas layered under the new wood. Bright and crisp on entry, then the oak notes accent the slightly vegetal, herbal character of this wine. Wood tannins are fairly well integrated if obvious. And the finish is gentle with good length but retains a toasty oak inner mouth perfume. This has a lovely delicate and fresh texture, and offers some interest, but the oak is just a bit too prominent at this point. It’s a modest wine so I don’t see how this finds its balance. 84pts
2023. Castello di Albola Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 80,000 bottles
Radda
Earthy, leathery and savory on the nose, with cedary notes vying with sweet dried herb sweet green fennel seed top notes. Has a certain mass to it, but lacks depth of flavor. Quite pleasant with a nice mineral wash and dusty soil tones showing good persistence on the finish, but this lacks some depth of fruit. There’s also a touch of excess wood tannin on the finish here, but so little that I can see that resolving nicely. It’s a very pleasant wine, easy to drink, cut from classic cloth, just slightly underwhelming. 87pts
2023. Castello di Meleto Chianti Classico Riserva
Barrel Sample
95% Sangiovese, 5% Merlot, 70,000 bottles
Gaiole
Very fragrant, there’s some graham cracker like notes, probably from larger format wood here, and the fruit is slightly confected, cool, dusky, But there’s a lot of boysenberry and lingonberry fruit here along with deep, dark, earth tones and handfuls of braised herbs with a minty top note. This feels like it was produced with notably ripe fruit. It’s broad, and rich, and a bit sticky in the mouth, the tannins are fine and dusty, and the acidity well integrated, There’s a richness to this that doesn’t feel quite natural, and the fruit barely covers the moderate tannins on the modest finish. It has a decent flavor profile, rich with early fruit, briar, and braised herbs, but lacks harmony and length. A touch chewy and clumsy but I can see this having fairly broad appeal. 85pts
2023. Castello di Querceto Chianti Classico Riserva
92% Sangiovese, 8% Canaiolo, 80,000 bottles
Greve
This smells good, slightly high toned, fresh wild berry fruit, red currant a whiff of smoke, fine grey soil tones, rather pure and unfettered. Lovely on entry, it’s a lighter style wine, retaining good freshness and transparency. There is succulent red fruit here, good soil tones that drive the moderately long finish, and a touch of elegance as the tannins, soft and subsumed, gradually take over the dusty and again rather mineral finish. This is a subtle and modestly scaled wine but it has excellent balance and seems to capture the potential of the vintage very well. Eminently drinkable 91pts
2023. Castello di Volpaia Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 60,000 bottles
Radda
Big, bold, balsamic and musky aromas greet the nose followed by boysenberry and spicy black berry fruits. This smells so richly of the woods. Gorgeous. Soft in the mouth, Has a certain delicacy to it. Delivers exactly what the nose suggests, just turned down a notch or two. Clay soil tones drop out the moderately long finish. There’s a light sense of dilution here, but the flavor intensity is still engaging with a great delivery of fruit, and tons of balsamic and clay soil complexity. Great inner mouth perfumes as well. A winner 93pts
2023. Cigliano di Sopra - Vigneto Branca Chianti Classico Riserva
95% Sangiovese, 5% Canaiolo, 2,000 bottles
San Casciano
Lightly minty, and floral on the nose with complicating notes of candied violet, ginseng, and sassafras. A small wine on entry, well balanced and lithe, with a pleasant palate of small cherry fruit framed with more of the candied, savory notes found on the nose. Finishes rather abruptly with a touch of a blood orange twist and powdery tannins, and a juicy finale. Small but not bad, though really for short term consumption.It is a pleasure to drink though. 86pts
2023. Fattoria San Giusto a Rentennano - Le Baròncole Chianti Classico Riserva
Barrel sample
97% Sangiovese, 3% Canaiolo, 16,000 bottles
Gaiole
Shows some oak and some jammy fruit on the nose along with balsamic, woodsy undertones and a touch of beefiness. Smooth, rather generous in the this line-up. Delivers a nice mouthful of fresh, clear red cherry fruit su[ported by appropriately stiff tannins. Fine acidity here which lends a juiciness to the long finish. Rather elegant and finely textured, this could use some time in the bottle, maybe 2 or 3 years, but this has everything it needs to age into something fine for the vintage. 92pts
2023 Il Molino di Grace Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 25,000 bottles
Panzano
Balsamic, damp rich earth, and a light lashing of oak greets the nose along with some green edges recalling salted caper berries and fennel seed. The oak become gently more evident. A touch of density here, a bit too much extraction, fairly tannic for the fruit it carries. This delivers more weight and tannin than flavor, it’s lightly chewy and short with decent flavors that are covered by the tannin. I doubt this will age well. 83pts
2023 La Vigna di San Martino ad Argiano Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 3,700 bottles
San Casciano
Smoky with a slightly confected frutti del bosco, black fruit pie tone, Has nice gentle balsamic top note, and some fine oily herbal nuances. Smooth and rich in the mouth, Lots of bright acidity here, supports the juicy red and wild berry fruit very well. Great tannins soft and almost in the background but offering a bit of grip through the long, wild raspberry toned finish. This has good weight and depth with fine clarity on the palate. There a sense of underlying minerality, lighter soil, that ifs followed by nuanced herbal scents and a dried citrus pith element to the relatively long finish. Excellent wine 94pts
2023 Mons Driadalis Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 1,200 bottles
San Casciano
Smoky, earthy and gently leathery nose takes on a dried berry fruit note along with some citron peel notes. Smooth, a bit neutral on the palate, lacks a bit of liveliness. Short, Not unpleasant, just not very flavorful, and pleasantly structured for a youthful wine. Some fruit peeks out on the finish, red fruit, fresh and small with some dusty soil tones,but this fails to make much of an impact on the palate. Though there is nothing obviously wrong here. 84pts
2023 Mori Concetta - Morino Chianti Classico Riserva
80% Sangiovese, 10% Canaiolo, 5% Colorino, 5% Pugnitello, 600 bottles
San Casciano
Balsamic and earthy with a sweet carob note, some spicy boysenberry notes along with candied cherry tones. Low intensity flavors of burnished cherry fruit, briarwood, and something dried mushroomy appear on the palate, along with some hard, angular tannins, but it’s pretty underwhelming. This smells better than it tastes, it does deliver gently balsamic fruit on the palate, with a soil driven finish of moderate length, but is at the moment a bit too tannic. This does show some promise though. I can see this improving over the mid term, 3-5 year, as it does offer good inner mouth perfumes and retro nasal persistence. 87pts
2023 Riecine Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 6,000 bottles
Gaiole
Fine clay soil notes, a touch of campfire, warm, gentle confected black cherry and mulberry fruit pop on the nose, this shows good intensity and incipient complicating notes of cigar, cooked tomato and a roasted beefiness. Smooth, moderately rich, showing a touch of density but not weighty. Then this simply drops off. It’s not terribly tannic, and has a lovely mouthfeel delivering that slightly spicy, balsamic, boysenberry and wild cherry load of fruit, and does start to lengthen with just a little bit of air. But it does finish on the short side with a lovely clay and pebble minerality and crisp little tannins. A rare 2023 that seem to demand some cellaring, I doubt this will ever be great, but it has the balance and all the element to evolve positively for 3-7 years and become something more notable. 90pts
2022 Buondonno Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 10,000 bottles
Castellina
Rather open with a sweet leather and tobacco framed core of spicy wild cherry fruit accented with sage, green fennel seed, and pencil lead notes. Smooth, supple and broad in the mouth, already showing the earliest signs or tertiary development. Lots of tobacco here, with a nice core of earthy black cherry fruit that leads to a fine, rich with herbal inner mouth perfume. Thers a hint of mintiness that emerges with air. This is moderately tannic and slightly chewy, it’s a larger scaled wine and one that needs 2 or 3 years in the cellar but the flavor profile seems to be developing more quickly than the structural element so this should turn quite tertiary with age. Quite classic, a bit strict and austere. 91pts
2022 Ca' di Pesa - Burrone Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 5,000 bottles
Panzano
Smoky, lightly jammy, lingonberry and red cherry fruits, clay soil, gorgeous spice base notes. Sweet tobacco, smells like a warm vintage. A bit washed out on the palate this is fresh with lovely red fruit and that terrific impression of soil on the fairly long finish,but this just feels a little loose and subtle. . Tannins are quite firm still, fairly abundant, and there’s no shortage of acidity, the soil must be quite poor here, but this does also deliver a nice wildflower note in the mouth. Not terribly harmonious but more than pleasant. 89pts
2022 Cafaggio Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 10,000 bottles
Panzano
Smells a little sulphury, Has a lot of black soil, black spice driven aromas along with, dark, leathery fruit but the so2 is killing the nose. Smooth, finely textured, oh I wish I could smell this because it has fine wild cherry, tarry herbal spice notes, and a light soil tone in a very pure, linear, and everso slightly sweetly fruited style. Terrific medium bodied style, lithe and elegant. With great persistence and purity of fruit here, loosely knit soil, lends this finesse. Herbal and wildflower notes emerge on the fairly long final.This should be great 94pts
2022 Cantina Poggio Borgoni - Borromeo Chianti Classico Riserva
90% Sangiovese, 10% Merlot, 15,000 bottles
San Casciano
Seashells, smells saline, burnt blood orange rind, wild cherry, fresh button mushroom, and a gentle balsamic tone come together very nicely on the nose. A bit powerful and a bit matte in the mouth. This is a mouthful, but its not chewy, it has bit too little acidity to remain lively in the mouth and yet it retains admirable clarity on the palate. Tannins are well judged, I wish I liked this more, it really offers fine depth, some old vine character, and great clarity to the wild berry fruit with a hint of plum skin on the palate, and rather finely rendered grey soil and spice notes through the lengthening finish, but its just a bit to clumsy. So close. 88pts
2022 Caparsa - Caparsino Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 7,000 bottles
Radda
Bright, slightly leathery with a hint of barnyard, emerging brett, but also rather floral and nicely marked with mineral water minerality, a touch of smoke and some chestnut wood. Lovely in the mouth. There’s an edge of sweetness to the beautifully rendered and pure red cherry slightly raspberry toned fruit layered over mineral notes and sandy soil tones. Gently austere, elegant with finesse on the finish. This is exactly what I look for in CCR. The Brett is an issue, but at the moment it’s just an accent note, lending leatheriness to the palate, The weight, balance, and tannins here are as good as it gets, and the persistence to the soil laden fruit flavors is also excellent. I score this with the caveat that it will probably never be this good again, but judging solely what I have in the glass this is a comfortable 95pts
2022 Castello di Ama - Montebuoni Chianti Classico Riserva
95% Sangiovese, 5% Merlot, 40,000 bottles
Gaiole
Reticent and dark on the nose, really not getting much here save some rosewood and bloody notes along with strong balsamic forest floor. Smooth, almost polished but still juicy on entry. This is obviously well made, a bit to perfectly proportioned and squeaky clean perhaps, but there’s no denying the appeal of the voluptuous feel, soft tannins, and well integrated juicy acidity. The fruit is pure, red cherry, slightly plummy, and strawberry toned with a softness and elegance to it. It’s not the most complex wine, offering up a gentle hint of clay, with some citrus notes on the backend and through the finish but for purity of fruit and balance this is a standout. 93pts
2022 Castello di Bossi - Berardo Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 60,000 bottles
Castelnuovo Berardenga
Shoe leather, lipstick, a touch of VA, some rather burnished cherry fruit and pressed floral aromas greet the nose. Shows medium scaled but slightly more glycerine rich in the mouth with stronger inner mouth perfumes than the nose suggests. Lots of dried orange peel, roasted chestnut, and leathery aromas and flavors are joined in the mouth by a vibrant core of furnished ranier cherry fruit that shows exceptional persistence. There’s a generally tarry cast to this, suggesting the warm of the season, but there’s also a fine green herbal streak on the palate, with slightly chewy tannins suggesting a more moderate exposure. This is slightly old school, perfectly blending an edge of rusticity while capturing an excellent growing season. It’s a bit rough and tumble in the mouth, not an elegant or refined wine but offers lots to like. 93pts
2022. Castello di Gabbiano Chianti Classico Riserva
95% Sangiovese, 5% Merlot, 110,000 bottles
San Casciano
Quite fruity with melony overtone to the jellied blackberry, black cherry fruits. This smells a bit atypical, has some petrichor and stone tones as well as a hint of bloodiness but the fruit smells a bit to meaty and dark. Juicy, lightly plump and very succulent in the mouth with a slightly extracted over steeped tea feel. This is sort of fun; a bold, tart citrus and red fruited wine with chewy tannins and a surprisingly bright acidity on the slightly stoney finish. Not bad but feels a bit forced. 85pts
2022 Castello di Monsanto Chianti Classico Riserva
90% Sangiovese, 5% Canaiolo, 5% Colorino, 190,000 bottles
San Donato in Poggio
A bit compact on the nose and marked with an early note of gentle wood influence followed by sandy soil tones, wild flower aromas and a core of deep, juicy, cherry, black raspberry fruit that gains a gently fresh mushroom framing note. Crystal clear on the palate but moderately rich with some gentle power to it as it delivers this brisk black cherry, wildflower inflected, sandy soil based midpalate with a hint of salinity. This is great, it has a sense of refinement and elegance already but is obviously very young. The tannins are ripe and abundant and dominate the long finish but the fruit squeaks out on the final, all fresh and floral with a candied edge to the black cheeriness. Has a light vein of balsam that traipses across the palate. Great cut and energy on the plate, will be wonderful wine in 3-5 years and last for a decade plus after that. 95pts
2022 Castello di Radda Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 8,000 bottles
Radda
Deep, fairly brainy and balsamic on the nose with notes of muddy earth and floral extracts along with jammy lingonberry and slightly plummy fruit notes. A bit large scaled in the mouth and slightly hollow on the palate. A wine that goes pop on the finish, there seems like a lot to this early on but it turns to light white cherry, citrusy, and subtle soil tone on the modest finish. It’s a pleasant wine, easy to drink, but simple. 86pts
2022 Castello di Verrazzano Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 30,000 bottles
Montefioralle
Dark and slightly brooding on the nose, réticent with a walnut streak and oily herb notes paired with a metallic minerality. Powerful and dense in the mouth, almost chewy, could use a bit more acidity. Deep, powerful and well endowed with dark, incipiently leather, bricks, dried red cherry, and slightly candied fruit flavors that linger on the moderately long finish. This lacks brightness, but the tannins are well judged, and it definitely has a lot of substance, but even if this ages well, as I expect it might, it’s never going to be a vivid wine, if you’re looking for power that might achieve a certain velvetiness with age this is good bet. 88pts
2022 Castello la Leccia Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 7,500 bottles
Castellina
Very sweetly herbal on the nose with a ricola quality layered over the core of slightly oxidized, tobacco laced black cherry fruit, has a coffee cream accent to the aromatics. A bit matte in the mouth, the tannins are very well managed here, polished and rounded yet abundant, there’s just not enough acidity here to keep this bright, but it does deliver a terrific array of brick, dusty tan soil, cherry pit, fresh wild berry, and slight bay leaf flavors that show excellent clarity and fine persistence. An excelelnt wine that just lacks a hint of brightness, I think this will age very well given 3-6 years in the cellar and enjoyed for the following decade. Just lacks some cut. 91pts
2022 Dievole - Novecento Chianti Classico Riserva
95% Sangiovese, 3% Canaiolo, 2% Colorino, 60,000 bottles
Vagliali
A squirt of grapefruit or citron greets the nose followed by gently smoked meat notes, fine green herbal scents, a hint of hazelnut and very bright yellow cherry and lingonberry fruit aromas. Firmly midweight on the palate with decent acidity and lovely willowy fine grained tannins supporting a core of gently detailed red fruits. Tart, and slightly astringent, there’s a light wash of green herbal notes that gain prominence on the fairly long and feathery finish. This is elegant and refined with good transparency on the palate allowing the chalky, white soil, limestone notes to lend fine cut. It drinks well already but I expect this will age well on its balance. Not a wine that shouts but one that gains your attention. 93pts
2022 Fattoria Santo Stefano - Drugo Chianti Classico Riserva
80% Sangiovese, 10% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5,000 bottles
Greve
Smeels a bit like Lea & Perins, has a gentle note of oxidation, very savory, sour plum fruits, balsamic, meaty, and black olive brined. Soft, loose, tastes a bit burnt, tannic, extracted, lots of rich black berry almost black currant toned fruit here, but also lots of tannins. Chewy, old school, rustic, too large scaled, just difficult to drink now and difficult to imagine how this ages. The finish shows of decent persistence to the fruit but I would guess these tannins will easily out last the fruit here. Austere and drastic. 82pts
2022 Felciano Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 700 bottles
Panzano
Lightly smoky, shows some sweet, toasty wood spice on the nose followed by black spice, leather, black currant and blackberry fruit layered over a rusty, mineral and butchers wax, soil toned base. Smooth, polished, burnished fruit on the palate, This has a cedary, rosewood quality to the palate with a touch of wood tannin accentuated its structured nature. The fruit is fresher than the nose suggest, bright red and moderately juicy, and this has a somewhat tannic if relatively refined feel to it. Its skirts the line between rustic and refined, with comfortable, burnished fruit and subtle nutty and leather accent notes. A bit challenging to drink today, I can see this improving with another 2-3 years of cellaring. 91pts
2022 Gagliole Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 10,000 bottles
Panzano
A really nice blend of savory and fruity on the nose, quite complex, soy dried beef, pine nuts, white soil tones, gentle wildflower accents and a core of slightly dried red plum and cherry fruit shows good definition and intensity, with a faint background note of wood lending further complexity. Larger scaled, rich but not weighty, this is very nice, offering a suave richness on the palate, which is firmly supported by integrated ripe tannins. The fruit is crisp, fresh, wild berry toned and quite pure on the palate, arriving with some saline soil driven notes, dusty minerality, and a light raw almond nuttiness. On the finish the fruit turns gently darker with a black currant, black cherry accent, and a touch of herbal extract. A bit of a powerhouse but one that is rather refined and elegant. Lovely wine that should age effortless for a pair of decades. 94pts
2022 Geografico - Contessa di Radda Chianti Classico Riserva
90% Sangiovese, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Colorino, 40,000 bottles
Smoky, wild cherry, geen aspect to the nose, green fennel seed, preserved lime peel, balsamic, soy, and sage, kind of gastronomic but also a little sweet. Very broad in the mouth, soft tannins, decent acidity, this is verging on voluptuous. It is rather packed with wild cherry fruit that turns burnished on the supple fairly long finsih. A wine of immediate appeal, it is enjoyable but it lacks some of the structure I prefer. It’s a nice cocktail styled wine, that delivers a fairly classic profile of CCR flavors in a supple style. Can’t deny its appeal and in truth the tannins continue to assert themselves here, but this is so well endowed with substance that they are easy to miss. It’s better than it sounds, just lacks some excitement on the palate. 91pts
2022 Istine - Levigne Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 6,000 bottles
Radda
Sweet, powdery sugar laced candied notes with strong citrus backing to the yellow and red cherry fruit greets the nose, but this packs in terrific wild flower and fresh herbal complexity. Smells very natural and relaxed. Juicy on entry, crystal clear on the palate which features the yellow and red fruits found on the nose. This is like drinking in a meadow and a stream, it’s got all these nuanced subtle notes of river stone, wildflower, fresh herb seeds, with gorgeous fine, slightly powdery tannins. Certainly the most drinkable wine of the day, Real refinement and elegance that seems to have come naturally. This is absolutely terrific. Some will fault it for its delicacy and lighter weight but this delivers so much pleasure and joy to me, I love it. 96pts
2022 Le Miccine Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 7,000 bottles
Gaiole
Leathery, gently smoky, slightly rusted, red currant and red cherry fruits, Hints of roast meatiness and a lactic accent, It smells austere and strict grounded by limestone but made in a fruit forward style. Soft on entry, rounded and easy going with an early hint of citrus followed by tight, burnished, earthy red berry fruits. It is actually austere and more strict on the palate than I would have guessed from the nose, Not a big wine nor particularly complex but with superb crisp tannins and a fine core of wild cherry fruit accented with a dash of more clay/brown earth and some worn wood notes gracing the long finish. Textbook CCR. Delicious. 93pts
2022 L'Erta di Radda Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 3,000 bottles
Radda
Sweet and nutty on the nose with shadings of marsala, Aromas of dried mushroom, light VA, candied, dark, dried fruits, dates, prunes, carob, and cured meats. Much fresher in the mouth, though this comes off as both tannic and rather high acid, which helps keep the fruit fresher. Even then this has a brown tone to it with hints of dates, tea leaves, and dried mushrooms laced throughout the anonymously bright fruit. This is a battle to drink there is so much structure here paired with the slightly evolved fruit that it just doesn’t offer any harmony. It is impressive though. 83pts
2022 Montefioralle Chianti Classico Riserva
90% Sangiovese, 6% Canaiolo, 4% Colorino, 3,000 bottles
Montefioralle
Nicely mineral on the nose with a fine underlay of older wood supporting a core of juniper and roasted beef framed small wild berry fruits. Smooth, almost lush, rich with good depth on the palate, but not weighty. This is a little powerhouse, it has terrific dark berry fruit and mineral cut on the palate, superb tannin integration, where the tannin fill the mouth but remain tucked under the fruit and a lovely finish where the fruit gains some bitter cherry nuances and a lichen covered rocky tone. This needs another 2-3 years in bottle and should age wet for two decades, it’s rich, distinctive and deep with old veiny fruit. Delicious. 95pts
2022 Monteraponi - Il Campitello Chianti Classico Riserva
94% Sangiovese, 3% Canaiolo, 3% Colorino, 6,600 bottles
Radda
Strong toasted herb, slight yellow tomato, and light chemical tone greet the nose followed by briary and mushroomy notes. Quite clear and quite fresh in the mouth, lighter weight but transparent with yellow cherry fruit, a touch of pollen, and wildflower notes on the palate. This is juicy with crisp tannins that linger on the long finish. Decidedly less obviously ripe and more sandy soil and higher altitude toned that most of these wines. This is lightly rustic with lots of dusty tones on the long finish. Will not be the most popular wine but it offers great typicality with classic structural balance. A bit rambunctious. I like this more than most a bit anti-flavore elite 93pts
2022 Oliviera - Il Settimo Giorno Chianti Classico Riserva
90% Sangiovese, 10% Canaiolo, 1,500 bottles
Vagliali
Cooked and candied notes great the nose, This smells sweet and treacly, with leather, chestnut, and citrus scent around that core of cooked fig and pruney fruit. Smooth on entry, large scaled, fairly opaque in the mouth though with a notable cooked fruit quality, then the fruit and flavor quickly recedes leaving a raw tannic finish of moderate length. This is chewy, over wrought, and tough. I actually like the tannins here, they feel good on the palate, but there’s almost no depth of flavor backing them up, just a squirt of juicy berry fruit supported by the obvious acidity. 78pts
2022 Ormanni - Borro del Diavolo Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 14,000 bottles
San Donato in Poggio
Rather rose scented, elegantly floral on the nose with some cedary, shaved oak nuances, a hint of VA lending lift, and pretty nuanced red currant and red cherry fruits. Lovely in the mouth, with a gentle blanket of suppleness draped across a moderately structured palate. The fruit is a bit tight now, but admirably pure with blackberry hints over a core of red currant notes with their gentle astringent finale. Finishes slightly more modestly than I would prefer as the tannin clamp down a bit with a light black spice tone but these tannins are fairly sweet in nature and should not be particular long lived. This is refined, pure with some concentration and rather elegant. I would wait the 2-4 years it’ll take for this to soften up some and then enjoy it for the following decade, This should prove to be a notably suave, and pleasurable bottle to drink. 93pts
2022 Podere Campriano - Le Balze di Montefioralle Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 4,000 bottles
Montefioralle
A bit high toned and fairly nutty on the nose with a dollop of slightly jammy red currant and red cherry fruit accenting with hint of dried citrus peels and dusty light soil tones. Very well balanced, clear on the plate with early notes of braised herbs joined by pure, tiny, red berry fruit a little wild raspberry and strawberry,. I love this wine, it is gently understated, perfectly proportioned, with tannins that are notable yet pliant and enough acidity to lend this juiciness and freshness. The wine is already approachable, it offers wildflower and sandy soil nuance framing the core of fruit with fine resonance on the moderately long finish. Already attractive and so easy to drink while not being facile, this is so lovely. 94pts
2022 Podere La Cappella - Querciolo Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 5,000 bottles
San Donato in Poggio
A little liquor quality to the fruit, fruit extract intensity with a bit spiciness, There are also spicy seed notes here, crushed fennel seed and a suggestion of caraway. Bright, juicy, and fresh on entry and well endowed with bitter cherry fruits. This is a bit particular, I would guess that this comes from a. bit of an extreme terroir as it’s very mineral driven with a dark earthiness to it and the tannins are very crisp and mineral as well. The palate is very bright and juicy and the fruit here is notably fresh with tannins that fade away through the relatively long finish. It’s lovely textured but the flavor profile is not the friendliest even though it is quite complex with excellent persistence. I love this, it’s a dominatrix of a wine endowed with masses of deep fruit. 93pts
2022 Podere Terreno alla Via della Volpaia - Podere Terreno Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 6,000 bottles
Radda
A little old wood, a flick of cocoa powder, slightly cooked cherry pie filling, some pomegranate, Round but fresh, relatively slight large scaled but relatively easy drinking in style, this is a fabulous, approachable, and already drinking well, full flavored fruity glass of CCR. It’s not terribly complicated or complex but therein lies its appeal. It’s about immediacy with its cherry, citrus, and hint of nuttiness delivery with enough acidity and soft tannins to support a decent length finish and cleanse the palate. and dried lemon zest all come together nicely on the nose. A great restaurant wine. 90pts
2022 Poggerino - Vigna Bugialla Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 10,000 bottles
Radda
A bit compressed and rich with clay soil aromas on the nose, some tobacco nuances, a dose of dried spices and just a suggestion of black currant fruit. Smooth, relatively seamless in the mouth very refined feeling. This delivers a moderately deep mouthful of black fruit though the more than ample and slightly dry tannins are dominated for the moment. This has some nutty nuance to it on the palate along with a hint of orange and some dried grassy/hay scents on the palate before it turns tart and red on the modest finish. Interesting wine Fairly typical but just missing the mark somehow. 89pts
2022. Querciabella Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 20,000 bottles
Greve
Notably oaky on the nose with underlying aromas of dark, earthy fruit, almonds and dried blood. Lovely and fresh on entry, this was a good wine but the wood tannin restricts the palate and just barely dominates the fruit through the moderately long finish. There is real, underlying freshness here, and rather finely rendered red fruit with a little citrus and raspberry tone to it, but the wine is dominated by the dry tannins, even though the wood impact is really quite subtle on the flavor profile. I think I would love this with half the wood, and it might age well, though it would be an understated and elegant mature wine. 89pts
2022 Richiari Porciglia - Porciglia Chianti Classico Riserva
95% Sangiovese, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4,000 bottles
Greve
Darkly fruited, very leathery and redolent of fresh green herbs and meadow grassiness. The fruit is dark, nutty with a dried fig top note over a core dried meat, light oak, and dark cherry fruit. Rather rich if suave in the mouth, plush almost, this is a mouthful. It’s quite well balanced, structured but with a lot of extract covering the tannins in the mouth, It’s darkly fruited, and rather deep, almost muscular thought it has a slight over steeped tea quality to it, it’s not off putting. The finish reveals a bit of dark earth and some subtle leather and dried strawberry notes but this is a bit simple if bold and rich in style. Chewy. Just a touch old school. 90pts
2022 Rignana Chianti Classico Riserva
85% Sangiovese, 15% Cabernet Franc, 6,600 bottles
Panzano
Lovely nose, softly sweet with a gently baked undertone to the fresh rainier cherry and rather curranty tinged fruits. Hints of dried meat and fresh leather help to frame the fruit, along with a fine extract of wildflowers. Clean and fresh in the mouth with that slight suggestion of sweetness parrying the bitterness of the tannins here. There’s a lot of fruit here, it’s not the most complex example though there is a hint of truffliness early on the palate and some black spice notes accentuated by the light bitterness of the tannins here. A touch of a throwback wine, quite good in its style though in need of food. 90pts
2022 Tenuta di Bibbiano - Marzi Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 24,000 bottles
Castellina
Finely herbal, white dried clay, and yellow fruited on the nose. It’s all framed by damp and smoky herbal notes. A bit of a tonic. Fascinatingly complex if not notably fruit driven. Interesting in the mouth, rather bigger sized and riper than the nose suggests, there’s rather well defined core of yellow cherry fruit here with slight fresh porcini framing notes and lots of worn wood base notes, but then the slightly medicinal and herbaceous side of this emerges. There are plenty of slightly austere tannins here and very juicy acidity as well, making this feel totally classic and the flavor profile is one that is very terroir driven; there’s little forced here, it feels well exposed if high altitude with meager soils. It needs food, something fatty and not too rich, but this has terrific cut and definition on the plate and I do find it to be very distinct and attractive., if on the lean and racy side of things. 93pts
2022 Tenuta di Nozzole - La Forra Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 40,000 bottles
Greve
Smoky and slightly jammy with an immediate hint of black olive followed by dark, leathery fruit. Moderately tannic and a bit compact, this packs in quite a tannic punch, rich with ripe fruit tannins, and acidity that manages to keep this clear on the palate. The fruit has plummy edges with a bit of a black currant core, and decent length. The tannins clamp down on the finish with its slightly minty herbal edges, sandy soil tone and touch of anise seed on the modest finish. Trying to make a statement here, I think this will age well but will never be great. 88pts
2022 Terra di Seta Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 6,600 bottles
Vagliali
Rich with floral notes, marine sediment accent, clay and orange blossom florality. Rich on the palate, lots of black cherry early on the palate with terrific cut and definition. This is tasty, the tannins are so finely grained, with perfectly integrated acidity, it s a notably fresh wine, with good persistence to the red and black fruits. Blends a subtle degree of power with terrific freshness and depth of fruit. Floral and sedimentary soil notes lend complexity as this struggles to keep its tannins covered through the succulent finsih. I think this will age very well. Totally my style. There’s a sense of stoniness here as well as an incipient blood orange notes that is gracing the finish. Might always be a touch austere, but terrific nonetheless 94pts
2022 Val delle Corti Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 8,000 bottles
Radda
Rather floral and definitely very seedy smelling, herbal tea, medicine cabinet, and herbal. Lighter bodied and fresh, lacks some depth of flavor but what is here is quite pleasant, lightly fruity and more into the pollen, tea, and floral end of the spectrum with a citrus cast to the palate. Very acid driven, the tannin are present but relatively soft. . This is easy to drink, complex if not fruity a bit short but distinctive. 89pts
2022 Vigneti La Selvanella/Melini - Vigneti La Selvanella Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 60,000 bottles
Radda
Refined on the nose shows an intelligent wood treatment, a minty top note, followed by braised herb, leather, black spice and slightly cooked cherry, black raspberry fruit. A bit voluptuous on entry, then this gains good focus on the palate, it is rather well endowed with dry extract and richly fruited, plummy , black cherry fruit, this is supple, suave and juicy, very fruit driven at the moment in the mouth with just a subtle streak of wood tannin that is well integrated. I like this more than I expected too. It’s good, with really good purity to the purple and red fruit, has a certain suppleness without mass, and enough acidity to refresh the palate and reinforce the fruit on the modestly long finish. I would definitely place this in the modern camp but it is delicious and fun to drink. 92pts
2021 Altiero Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 4,000 bottles
Montefioralle
Dark, earthy, fleshy, slight oak tinged burnt cherry fruit with a mineral top note. Sweet up front then quite bitter and dark, espresso tinged toasted black cherry fruit. This shows a pretty heavy hand, blending very ripe fruit, fairly assertive extraction, and enough wood to be noticed into a powerful, bold and assertive package but it come across as coarse and just too tannic. There’s fine depth to the bitter cherry mineral laden fruit, it’s just mostly obscured by the wood and extraction. 82pts
2021 Badia a Coltibuono Chianti Classico Riserva
90% Sangiovese, 10% altri vitigni, 40,000 bottles
Gaiole
Rather fresh and blood orange tinged red cherry fruitiness greets the nose followed by some gentle floral and fine herb notes. Marjoram, Some iron notes and a sandy soil tone. Smooth, supple, somewhat broad on the palate, but tense and clear as well. This has the dusty slightly sandy note of the nose paired with a sweetish ranger cherry fruitiness on the palate. Tannins are well integrated, it’s quite pretty with more mineral than fruit flavors though the finish shows a sheer wash of red fruit leading to a slightly dry finale. Feels well made and very much expressed its terroir. Probably not a very popular wine but really a pretty rendition of CCR. Just gentle and finessed. 91pts
2021 Bindi Sergardi - I Colli Chianti Classico Riserva
90% Sangiovese, 10% altri vitigni, 20,000 bottles
Valiagli
Big spicy fruity nose, lots of warmth hit these vines, Slightly musky, deep, dark earthiness, sweet leather top note, a touch high toned, so much bing cherry fruit. Dried salumi, Slavonian oak backing notes. Big and slightly chewy in the mouth, rich with dirt, cherry and savory dried sausage flavors. This is a powerhouse, it’s not terribly weighty but has a really intense quality about it paired to a strong and firm tannic backbone. It is succulent, slightly rustic but bold and with enough freshness. A black and blue steak would work here but this might be a wine better enjoyed for its lustiness in its youth than waiting for the tannins to soften and integrates. 92pts
2021 Bonacchi Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 100,000 bottles
Vagliali
Fennel, raw beef, and delicate wild berry, lingonberry aromas greet the nose, along with a gentle cedary edge. Lighter bodied with some glycerine sweetness on entry, there’s a lovely core of burnished yellow fruit here, a touch of fresh fig, and nice dried wildflower notes leading to a a moderately long finish awash with river stone minerality and delicate red fruit flavors. Very restrained and pretty, this lacks just a touch of precision and clarity on the palate but is very pleasant in a smaller, natural, slightly tannic style. 89pts
2021 Bottega - Acino d'Oro Chianti Classico Riserva
90% Sangiovese, 10% Merlot, 20,000 bottles
Valiagli
A hint of wood and little boysenberry fruit greets the nose followed by burnished rosewood, a roast beef extract, and black spices topped with a saline seashell note. Broad in the mouth, burnished fruit and wood flavors with a slight balsamic cast and hints of powdered cocoa grace the palate. This is slightly larger scaled, a bit dark and brooding, tannic but not excessively so with crisp tannins and succulent acidity driving the moderately long finish. A dark, slightly weedy wine, slightly chewy, definitely has an audience though for me it a bit too tough if still quite good. There’s lots of sweet fruit here, and I think the tannins are plenty mature to integrate well so I expect this score might be a little conservative but you have to like this dark, briary,powerful style. 89pts
2021 Castelli del Grevepesa/Valvirginio - La Verità Chianti Classico Riserva
90% Sangiovese, 10% Merlot, 20,000 bottles
San Casciano
Leather, tobacco, black fruit and wildflowers fill out the nose here along with a touch of button mushroom and some sour plummy fruit. Rich, suave, a touch chewy, this is rather packed in the mouth, It’s a dense and slightly weighty style, tannins are supple and ripe acidity lends admirably clarity to the palate, but this also has some rather severe, dark earth, and dark fruit flavors. It is impressive, and I think it will age very well, but it is big and bold, with the gentle chewiness that I don’t mind in a young wine. Great persistence to the red and black berry fruits with their slightly walnut accents. I would bet on this aging very well and turning out very well indeed with another 3-5 years in the bottle and then 12-15 years of enjoyability after that. Will always be bold. 94pts
2021 Castellinuzza/Claudia Cinuzzi - Cinuzzi Chianti Classico Riserva
98% Sangiovese, 1% Canaiolo, 1% Malvasia Nera, 1,500 bottles
Lamole
Smoky, a hint of mustiness, some casky notes, a light suggestion of barnyard, along with sweet raspberry and cherry fruits. Juicy and fruity in the mouth, a touch of banana even, this is very fruity while remaining fairly tannic, with modest length. It has a light sweetness to it as well. Not very complex though it does deliver some burnished wood notes along with the fruit, but the sweetness covers some of the detail. Easy drinking even if it packs a decent tannic punch. I can see this being very popular. 84pts
2021 Fattoria La Ripa Chianti Classico Riserva
90% Sangiovese, 10% Canaiolo, 10,000 bottles
San Donato in Poggio
Gorgeous pure cherry fruit pops on the nose followed by flanking notes of raw oak, some braised herbal notes, a touch of dusty, grey earth, and suggestions of dried tomato and green olive. Lovely on entry, sleek, seamless, tannins are well integrated, Bright, early fruit on the palate has a boysenberry tone to it, then theres a slight pop of wood tannin followed by cherry pie filling and a hint of middle eastern spices. Coriander. This is very nice, it’s a bit on the modern side but tastes delicious and feels lovely with the wood tannin well enough integrated that I expect this to be quite velvety in a few years time or so. It’s a bit of a laid back wine, but one that should please many palates. 92pts
2021 Fattoria Le Fonti Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 8,000 bottles
San Donato in Poggio
A huge bouquet of leathery and braised aromas pops from the glass followed by a rather nutty, rosewood tone and a touch of lactic influence. Big and dry polished on entry, this has real mass to it, though it remains pleasantly clear on the paste, the tannins are firm but remain covered on the palate by the fruit. I want to say this is chewy, but it’s not, it’s just rich, with a good, strong vein of wild berry fruit that lingers on the moderately long finish. Makes a bold impression, it is a big wine but very well done with nothing out of proportion. I like this even if it’s a lot for my palate, and can see this aging very well as it’s already quite harmonious. Powerful stuff. 92pts
2021 Giacomo Grassi - Rolando 2009 Chianti Classico Riserva
90% Sangiovese, 5% Colorino, 5% Pugnitello, 1,500 bottles
Greve
Brainy, old wood, saddle leather, a bit of VA, a touch of blueberry and porcini over wild berry fruit. Smooth, a bit flat across the palate, dark and somehow this is very thin on the palate, has no depth to it and finishes quickly. It is remarkably innocuous, pleasant with some red fruit and a touch of soft tannin, but remarkable undistinguished, a touch of boysenberry appears on the palate, with a touch of leather on the finish. Great wine if you don’t like wine. 80pts
2021 I Fabbri/Susanna Grassi - I Fabbri Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 4,000 bottles
Lamole
Very perfumy, rather exotic smelling, this is very light and very floral with black leather backing notes, oily, seedy accents, and a pencil lead top note. Smaller scaled but nicely rounded in the mouth. Pretty, has a lot of black spice and leatheriness on the backend. The fruit is a gentle ball of red strawberry and raspberry tones on the midplate, this is gently firm and underpinned but rather refined elegant and fresh tannins. A bit on the young side but this is showing very well with its moderate scale, freshness and balance. It feels very non-interventionist, naturally expressing its terroir. Very much my style. 92pts
2021 I Sodi Chianti Classico Riserva
95% Sangiovese, 5% Canaiolo, 15,000 bottles
Gaiole
Fruity and slight oaky on the nose. High toned and slender with grassy herbal highlights. Fairly extraced in the mouth, lots of dry extract, deep, resonant wine. Its a bit exaggerated but people should love this. Tons of dark berry fruit with a suggestion of sweetness, tons of sweet fruit tannins, good freshness, The fruit is quite pronounced across the palate if a bit muddled and indistinct, though on the finish it shows some wild berry sour cherry quality along with a touch of old wood spice. It’s powerful yet simple, rich yet verging on supple. If you wanted to design a winning wine for a mainstream steakhouse audience this would be it. Giving it its due. 90pts
2021 La Terra di Geggiano - Villa di Geggiano Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 4,000 bottles
Castelnuovo Berardenga
Dark and creamy smelling with lots of black fruit, a hint of sweet pipe tobacco, a lightly balsamic top note. Big and rich in the mouth but also fairly fresh and juicy. This delivers tons of deep, slightly stoney, blackberry and black cherry fruit on the plate, its opulent with tannins that are well embedded in the mass of fruit which gains briar and dried mushroom accents on the black tea toned finish, which is fairly long and shows the powdery tannins peaking out on the final. Another large scaled wine that should be absolutely velvety in 4 or 5 years, and has emerging complicating dried herb notes lending additional complexity. It’s a mouthful of wine but very well done for when you are looking for a lusty CCR.Such tremendous intensity of fruit. 94pts
2021 Nardi Viticoltori Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 4,500 bottles
Castellina
Coriander and dry spice driven aromatics greet the nose laid over a base of wild cherry fruit. There’s something vaguely funky/ wild mushroomy going on here as well. Smooth, polished a bit languid in th mouth, easy going. And fairly short. This is a relatively gentle wine, It lacks liveliness for me, but does delivery some golden currant, slightly funky, truffle fruit on the palate with good, if moderate richness and offers a pleasant finish where the bristly little tannins take hold, relatively sweet and certainly natural feeling. I would drink this but it’s rather ordinary. 85pts
2020. Viticcio Chianti Classico Riserva
90% Sangiovese, 5% Merlot, 5% Syrah, 50,000 bottles
Montefioralle
Stony and flinty and still slightly grapy, smells like lightly spicy sort of violet pastille laced candied grapes. Has a light weedy, floral note as well. Smooth on entry, well integrated, fairly complete in the mouth with that grapey note appearing early on the palate followed by some floral extracts and a nice white/grey soil tone. This is maturing well, has fine tension on the palate, and great cut on the finishes with almost salty intensity of limestone minerality that really lends energy to this. Finishes with a light tangerine, citrus tone. It’s not the most complex wine of the day, but it is fun to drink and delicious with great mineral depth and tension, particularly on the back half. 92pts
2023 Antinori - Villa Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva
Sangiovese e altre varietà complementari, no production numbers provided
San Donato in Poggio
Relatively fruity with an edge of austerity to the woodsy nose, there’s a sweetness here that accents the fruitiness but also the wood treatment and leaves one with a sort of medicinal lozenge note. Medium bodied, wood tannin is assertive on the finish, Much less fruity than the nose suggests, this is rather short, earthy, and slightly bitter in the mouth. I would say the fruit profile is one that is ready for drinking but the tannins here are too hard to allow this to be pleasurable at the moment. 84pts
2023 Banfi Chianti Classico Riserva
85% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 200,000 bottles
Castellina
Leathery on the nose, sweetly so, with an underlying wood note, pine nuts, gently floral with a delicate sweet red fruit note, kind of musky as well. Smooth on entry, uncomplicated, has a nice gentle, tannic bite which becomes more pronounced on the finish. Moderately fruity in style, ready to go with its cherry fruit laced with orange acidity on the moderately long finish. I would enjoy this over the short run as it’s moderately front loaded with fruit. 87pts
2023 Brancaia Chianti Classico Riserva
80% Sangiovese, 20% Merlot, 40,000 bottles
Radda
Quite perfumed with an underlying streak of oak adding nuance to the fresh, slightly balsamic and white soil tinged aromas of boysenberry and red frutti del bosco. Fruity and generous on the palate, lovely wash of dusty minerality across the palate and through the rather long and fruit driven finish. A touch of plumpness but in a very nice way, this is fruity, round and generous with well judged tannins and bright acidity. Not complicated but delicious and appropriately, gently structured. 90pts
2023. Castellaccio - Lama dei Cortacci Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 2,000 bottles
Greve
Dark, slightly fudgy, black cherry nose, rather intense with slow to emerge balsamic, lingonberry, and sage aromas. Smells good. A bit flat on entry, clear across the palate, rather modest tannin structure, good enough acidity lends this some brightness on th modest finish. It does deliver a good dose of black and red cherry fruit, It’s larger scaled but not a powerhouse, it offers a classic profile in a slightly reduced intensity, just a bit dilute, but delicious and pretty easy to drink. It’s not impressive but I do like and enjoy this quite a bit. Great everyday bottle 88pts
2023. Castellare di Castellina - Il Poggiale Chianti Classico Riserva
90% Sangiovese, 5% Canaiolo, 5% Ciliegiolo, 15,000 bottles
Castellina
Quite marked by oak, with fruit, floral and herb aromas layered under the new wood. Bright and crisp on entry, then the oak notes accent the slightly vegetal, herbal character of this wine. Wood tannins are fairly well integrated if obvious. And the finish is gentle with good length but retains a toasty oak inner mouth perfume. This has a lovely delicate and fresh texture, and offers some interest, but the oak is just a bit too prominent at this point. It’s a modest wine so I don’t see how this finds its balance. 84pts
2023. Castello di Albola Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 80,000 bottles
Radda
Earthy, leathery and savory on the nose, with cedary notes vying with sweet dried herb sweet green fennel seed top notes. Has a certain mass to it, but lacks depth of flavor. Quite pleasant with a nice mineral wash and dusty soil tones showing good persistence on the finish, but this lacks some depth of fruit. There’s also a touch of excess wood tannin on the finish here, but so little that I can see that resolving nicely. It’s a very pleasant wine, easy to drink, cut from classic cloth, just slightly underwhelming. 87pts
2023. Castello di Meleto Chianti Classico Riserva
Barrel Sample
95% Sangiovese, 5% Merlot, 70,000 bottles
Gaiole
Very fragrant, there’s some graham cracker like notes, probably from larger format wood here, and the fruit is slightly confected, cool, dusky, But there’s a lot of boysenberry and lingonberry fruit here along with deep, dark, earth tones and handfuls of braised herbs with a minty top note. This feels like it was produced with notably ripe fruit. It’s broad, and rich, and a bit sticky in the mouth, the tannins are fine and dusty, and the acidity well integrated, There’s a richness to this that doesn’t feel quite natural, and the fruit barely covers the moderate tannins on the modest finish. It has a decent flavor profile, rich with early fruit, briar, and braised herbs, but lacks harmony and length. A touch chewy and clumsy but I can see this having fairly broad appeal. 85pts
2023. Castello di Querceto Chianti Classico Riserva
92% Sangiovese, 8% Canaiolo, 80,000 bottles
Greve
This smells good, slightly high toned, fresh wild berry fruit, red currant a whiff of smoke, fine grey soil tones, rather pure and unfettered. Lovely on entry, it’s a lighter style wine, retaining good freshness and transparency. There is succulent red fruit here, good soil tones that drive the moderately long finish, and a touch of elegance as the tannins, soft and subsumed, gradually take over the dusty and again rather mineral finish. This is a subtle and modestly scaled wine but it has excellent balance and seems to capture the potential of the vintage very well. Eminently drinkable 91pts
2023. Castello di Volpaia Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 60,000 bottles
Radda
Big, bold, balsamic and musky aromas greet the nose followed by boysenberry and spicy black berry fruits. This smells so richly of the woods. Gorgeous. Soft in the mouth, Has a certain delicacy to it. Delivers exactly what the nose suggests, just turned down a notch or two. Clay soil tones drop out the moderately long finish. There’s a light sense of dilution here, but the flavor intensity is still engaging with a great delivery of fruit, and tons of balsamic and clay soil complexity. Great inner mouth perfumes as well. A winner 93pts
2023. Cigliano di Sopra - Vigneto Branca Chianti Classico Riserva
95% Sangiovese, 5% Canaiolo, 2,000 bottles
San Casciano
Lightly minty, and floral on the nose with complicating notes of candied violet, ginseng, and sassafras. A small wine on entry, well balanced and lithe, with a pleasant palate of small cherry fruit framed with more of the candied, savory notes found on the nose. Finishes rather abruptly with a touch of a blood orange twist and powdery tannins, and a juicy finale. Small but not bad, though really for short term consumption.It is a pleasure to drink though. 86pts
2023. Fattoria San Giusto a Rentennano - Le Baròncole Chianti Classico Riserva
Barrel sample
97% Sangiovese, 3% Canaiolo, 16,000 bottles
Gaiole
Shows some oak and some jammy fruit on the nose along with balsamic, woodsy undertones and a touch of beefiness. Smooth, rather generous in the this line-up. Delivers a nice mouthful of fresh, clear red cherry fruit su[ported by appropriately stiff tannins. Fine acidity here which lends a juiciness to the long finish. Rather elegant and finely textured, this could use some time in the bottle, maybe 2 or 3 years, but this has everything it needs to age into something fine for the vintage. 92pts
2023 Il Molino di Grace Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 25,000 bottles
Panzano
Balsamic, damp rich earth, and a light lashing of oak greets the nose along with some green edges recalling salted caper berries and fennel seed. The oak become gently more evident. A touch of density here, a bit too much extraction, fairly tannic for the fruit it carries. This delivers more weight and tannin than flavor, it’s lightly chewy and short with decent flavors that are covered by the tannin. I doubt this will age well. 83pts
2023 La Vigna di San Martino ad Argiano Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 3,700 bottles
San Casciano
Smoky with a slightly confected frutti del bosco, black fruit pie tone, Has nice gentle balsamic top note, and some fine oily herbal nuances. Smooth and rich in the mouth, Lots of bright acidity here, supports the juicy red and wild berry fruit very well. Great tannins soft and almost in the background but offering a bit of grip through the long, wild raspberry toned finish. This has good weight and depth with fine clarity on the palate. There a sense of underlying minerality, lighter soil, that ifs followed by nuanced herbal scents and a dried citrus pith element to the relatively long finish. Excellent wine 94pts
2023 Mons Driadalis Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 1,200 bottles
San Casciano
Smoky, earthy and gently leathery nose takes on a dried berry fruit note along with some citron peel notes. Smooth, a bit neutral on the palate, lacks a bit of liveliness. Short, Not unpleasant, just not very flavorful, and pleasantly structured for a youthful wine. Some fruit peeks out on the finish, red fruit, fresh and small with some dusty soil tones,but this fails to make much of an impact on the palate. Though there is nothing obviously wrong here. 84pts
2023 Mori Concetta - Morino Chianti Classico Riserva
80% Sangiovese, 10% Canaiolo, 5% Colorino, 5% Pugnitello, 600 bottles
San Casciano
Balsamic and earthy with a sweet carob note, some spicy boysenberry notes along with candied cherry tones. Low intensity flavors of burnished cherry fruit, briarwood, and something dried mushroomy appear on the palate, along with some hard, angular tannins, but it’s pretty underwhelming. This smells better than it tastes, it does deliver gently balsamic fruit on the palate, with a soil driven finish of moderate length, but is at the moment a bit too tannic. This does show some promise though. I can see this improving over the mid term, 3-5 year, as it does offer good inner mouth perfumes and retro nasal persistence. 87pts
2023 Riecine Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 6,000 bottles
Gaiole
Fine clay soil notes, a touch of campfire, warm, gentle confected black cherry and mulberry fruit pop on the nose, this shows good intensity and incipient complicating notes of cigar, cooked tomato and a roasted beefiness. Smooth, moderately rich, showing a touch of density but not weighty. Then this simply drops off. It’s not terribly tannic, and has a lovely mouthfeel delivering that slightly spicy, balsamic, boysenberry and wild cherry load of fruit, and does start to lengthen with just a little bit of air. But it does finish on the short side with a lovely clay and pebble minerality and crisp little tannins. A rare 2023 that seem to demand some cellaring, I doubt this will ever be great, but it has the balance and all the element to evolve positively for 3-7 years and become something more notable. 90pts
2022 Buondonno Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 10,000 bottles
Castellina
Rather open with a sweet leather and tobacco framed core of spicy wild cherry fruit accented with sage, green fennel seed, and pencil lead notes. Smooth, supple and broad in the mouth, already showing the earliest signs or tertiary development. Lots of tobacco here, with a nice core of earthy black cherry fruit that leads to a fine, rich with herbal inner mouth perfume. Thers a hint of mintiness that emerges with air. This is moderately tannic and slightly chewy, it’s a larger scaled wine and one that needs 2 or 3 years in the cellar but the flavor profile seems to be developing more quickly than the structural element so this should turn quite tertiary with age. Quite classic, a bit strict and austere. 91pts
2022 Ca' di Pesa - Burrone Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 5,000 bottles
Panzano
Smoky, lightly jammy, lingonberry and red cherry fruits, clay soil, gorgeous spice base notes. Sweet tobacco, smells like a warm vintage. A bit washed out on the palate this is fresh with lovely red fruit and that terrific impression of soil on the fairly long finish,but this just feels a little loose and subtle. . Tannins are quite firm still, fairly abundant, and there’s no shortage of acidity, the soil must be quite poor here, but this does also deliver a nice wildflower note in the mouth. Not terribly harmonious but more than pleasant. 89pts
2022 Cafaggio Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 10,000 bottles
Panzano
Smells a little sulphury, Has a lot of black soil, black spice driven aromas along with, dark, leathery fruit but the so2 is killing the nose. Smooth, finely textured, oh I wish I could smell this because it has fine wild cherry, tarry herbal spice notes, and a light soil tone in a very pure, linear, and everso slightly sweetly fruited style. Terrific medium bodied style, lithe and elegant. With great persistence and purity of fruit here, loosely knit soil, lends this finesse. Herbal and wildflower notes emerge on the fairly long final.This should be great 94pts
2022 Cantina Poggio Borgoni - Borromeo Chianti Classico Riserva
90% Sangiovese, 10% Merlot, 15,000 bottles
San Casciano
Seashells, smells saline, burnt blood orange rind, wild cherry, fresh button mushroom, and a gentle balsamic tone come together very nicely on the nose. A bit powerful and a bit matte in the mouth. This is a mouthful, but its not chewy, it has bit too little acidity to remain lively in the mouth and yet it retains admirable clarity on the palate. Tannins are well judged, I wish I liked this more, it really offers fine depth, some old vine character, and great clarity to the wild berry fruit with a hint of plum skin on the palate, and rather finely rendered grey soil and spice notes through the lengthening finish, but its just a bit to clumsy. So close. 88pts
2022 Caparsa - Caparsino Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 7,000 bottles
Radda
Bright, slightly leathery with a hint of barnyard, emerging brett, but also rather floral and nicely marked with mineral water minerality, a touch of smoke and some chestnut wood. Lovely in the mouth. There’s an edge of sweetness to the beautifully rendered and pure red cherry slightly raspberry toned fruit layered over mineral notes and sandy soil tones. Gently austere, elegant with finesse on the finish. This is exactly what I look for in CCR. The Brett is an issue, but at the moment it’s just an accent note, lending leatheriness to the palate, The weight, balance, and tannins here are as good as it gets, and the persistence to the soil laden fruit flavors is also excellent. I score this with the caveat that it will probably never be this good again, but judging solely what I have in the glass this is a comfortable 95pts
2022 Castello di Ama - Montebuoni Chianti Classico Riserva
95% Sangiovese, 5% Merlot, 40,000 bottles
Gaiole
Reticent and dark on the nose, really not getting much here save some rosewood and bloody notes along with strong balsamic forest floor. Smooth, almost polished but still juicy on entry. This is obviously well made, a bit to perfectly proportioned and squeaky clean perhaps, but there’s no denying the appeal of the voluptuous feel, soft tannins, and well integrated juicy acidity. The fruit is pure, red cherry, slightly plummy, and strawberry toned with a softness and elegance to it. It’s not the most complex wine, offering up a gentle hint of clay, with some citrus notes on the backend and through the finish but for purity of fruit and balance this is a standout. 93pts
2022 Castello di Bossi - Berardo Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 60,000 bottles
Castelnuovo Berardenga
Shoe leather, lipstick, a touch of VA, some rather burnished cherry fruit and pressed floral aromas greet the nose. Shows medium scaled but slightly more glycerine rich in the mouth with stronger inner mouth perfumes than the nose suggests. Lots of dried orange peel, roasted chestnut, and leathery aromas and flavors are joined in the mouth by a vibrant core of furnished ranier cherry fruit that shows exceptional persistence. There’s a generally tarry cast to this, suggesting the warm of the season, but there’s also a fine green herbal streak on the palate, with slightly chewy tannins suggesting a more moderate exposure. This is slightly old school, perfectly blending an edge of rusticity while capturing an excellent growing season. It’s a bit rough and tumble in the mouth, not an elegant or refined wine but offers lots to like. 93pts
2022. Castello di Gabbiano Chianti Classico Riserva
95% Sangiovese, 5% Merlot, 110,000 bottles
San Casciano
Quite fruity with melony overtone to the jellied blackberry, black cherry fruits. This smells a bit atypical, has some petrichor and stone tones as well as a hint of bloodiness but the fruit smells a bit to meaty and dark. Juicy, lightly plump and very succulent in the mouth with a slightly extracted over steeped tea feel. This is sort of fun; a bold, tart citrus and red fruited wine with chewy tannins and a surprisingly bright acidity on the slightly stoney finish. Not bad but feels a bit forced. 85pts
2022 Castello di Monsanto Chianti Classico Riserva
90% Sangiovese, 5% Canaiolo, 5% Colorino, 190,000 bottles
San Donato in Poggio
A bit compact on the nose and marked with an early note of gentle wood influence followed by sandy soil tones, wild flower aromas and a core of deep, juicy, cherry, black raspberry fruit that gains a gently fresh mushroom framing note. Crystal clear on the palate but moderately rich with some gentle power to it as it delivers this brisk black cherry, wildflower inflected, sandy soil based midpalate with a hint of salinity. This is great, it has a sense of refinement and elegance already but is obviously very young. The tannins are ripe and abundant and dominate the long finish but the fruit squeaks out on the final, all fresh and floral with a candied edge to the black cheeriness. Has a light vein of balsam that traipses across the palate. Great cut and energy on the plate, will be wonderful wine in 3-5 years and last for a decade plus after that. 95pts
2022 Castello di Radda Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 8,000 bottles
Radda
Deep, fairly brainy and balsamic on the nose with notes of muddy earth and floral extracts along with jammy lingonberry and slightly plummy fruit notes. A bit large scaled in the mouth and slightly hollow on the palate. A wine that goes pop on the finish, there seems like a lot to this early on but it turns to light white cherry, citrusy, and subtle soil tone on the modest finish. It’s a pleasant wine, easy to drink, but simple. 86pts
2022 Castello di Verrazzano Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 30,000 bottles
Montefioralle
Dark and slightly brooding on the nose, réticent with a walnut streak and oily herb notes paired with a metallic minerality. Powerful and dense in the mouth, almost chewy, could use a bit more acidity. Deep, powerful and well endowed with dark, incipiently leather, bricks, dried red cherry, and slightly candied fruit flavors that linger on the moderately long finish. This lacks brightness, but the tannins are well judged, and it definitely has a lot of substance, but even if this ages well, as I expect it might, it’s never going to be a vivid wine, if you’re looking for power that might achieve a certain velvetiness with age this is good bet. 88pts
2022 Castello la Leccia Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 7,500 bottles
Castellina
Very sweetly herbal on the nose with a ricola quality layered over the core of slightly oxidized, tobacco laced black cherry fruit, has a coffee cream accent to the aromatics. A bit matte in the mouth, the tannins are very well managed here, polished and rounded yet abundant, there’s just not enough acidity here to keep this bright, but it does deliver a terrific array of brick, dusty tan soil, cherry pit, fresh wild berry, and slight bay leaf flavors that show excellent clarity and fine persistence. An excelelnt wine that just lacks a hint of brightness, I think this will age very well given 3-6 years in the cellar and enjoyed for the following decade. Just lacks some cut. 91pts
2022 Dievole - Novecento Chianti Classico Riserva
95% Sangiovese, 3% Canaiolo, 2% Colorino, 60,000 bottles
Vagliali
A squirt of grapefruit or citron greets the nose followed by gently smoked meat notes, fine green herbal scents, a hint of hazelnut and very bright yellow cherry and lingonberry fruit aromas. Firmly midweight on the palate with decent acidity and lovely willowy fine grained tannins supporting a core of gently detailed red fruits. Tart, and slightly astringent, there’s a light wash of green herbal notes that gain prominence on the fairly long and feathery finish. This is elegant and refined with good transparency on the palate allowing the chalky, white soil, limestone notes to lend fine cut. It drinks well already but I expect this will age well on its balance. Not a wine that shouts but one that gains your attention. 93pts
2022 Fattoria Santo Stefano - Drugo Chianti Classico Riserva
80% Sangiovese, 10% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5,000 bottles
Greve
Smeels a bit like Lea & Perins, has a gentle note of oxidation, very savory, sour plum fruits, balsamic, meaty, and black olive brined. Soft, loose, tastes a bit burnt, tannic, extracted, lots of rich black berry almost black currant toned fruit here, but also lots of tannins. Chewy, old school, rustic, too large scaled, just difficult to drink now and difficult to imagine how this ages. The finish shows of decent persistence to the fruit but I would guess these tannins will easily out last the fruit here. Austere and drastic. 82pts
2022 Felciano Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 700 bottles
Panzano
Lightly smoky, shows some sweet, toasty wood spice on the nose followed by black spice, leather, black currant and blackberry fruit layered over a rusty, mineral and butchers wax, soil toned base. Smooth, polished, burnished fruit on the palate, This has a cedary, rosewood quality to the palate with a touch of wood tannin accentuated its structured nature. The fruit is fresher than the nose suggest, bright red and moderately juicy, and this has a somewhat tannic if relatively refined feel to it. Its skirts the line between rustic and refined, with comfortable, burnished fruit and subtle nutty and leather accent notes. A bit challenging to drink today, I can see this improving with another 2-3 years of cellaring. 91pts
2022 Gagliole Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 10,000 bottles
Panzano
A really nice blend of savory and fruity on the nose, quite complex, soy dried beef, pine nuts, white soil tones, gentle wildflower accents and a core of slightly dried red plum and cherry fruit shows good definition and intensity, with a faint background note of wood lending further complexity. Larger scaled, rich but not weighty, this is very nice, offering a suave richness on the palate, which is firmly supported by integrated ripe tannins. The fruit is crisp, fresh, wild berry toned and quite pure on the palate, arriving with some saline soil driven notes, dusty minerality, and a light raw almond nuttiness. On the finish the fruit turns gently darker with a black currant, black cherry accent, and a touch of herbal extract. A bit of a powerhouse but one that is rather refined and elegant. Lovely wine that should age effortless for a pair of decades. 94pts
2022 Geografico - Contessa di Radda Chianti Classico Riserva
90% Sangiovese, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Colorino, 40,000 bottles
Smoky, wild cherry, geen aspect to the nose, green fennel seed, preserved lime peel, balsamic, soy, and sage, kind of gastronomic but also a little sweet. Very broad in the mouth, soft tannins, decent acidity, this is verging on voluptuous. It is rather packed with wild cherry fruit that turns burnished on the supple fairly long finsih. A wine of immediate appeal, it is enjoyable but it lacks some of the structure I prefer. It’s a nice cocktail styled wine, that delivers a fairly classic profile of CCR flavors in a supple style. Can’t deny its appeal and in truth the tannins continue to assert themselves here, but this is so well endowed with substance that they are easy to miss. It’s better than it sounds, just lacks some excitement on the palate. 91pts
2022 Istine - Levigne Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 6,000 bottles
Radda
Sweet, powdery sugar laced candied notes with strong citrus backing to the yellow and red cherry fruit greets the nose, but this packs in terrific wild flower and fresh herbal complexity. Smells very natural and relaxed. Juicy on entry, crystal clear on the palate which features the yellow and red fruits found on the nose. This is like drinking in a meadow and a stream, it’s got all these nuanced subtle notes of river stone, wildflower, fresh herb seeds, with gorgeous fine, slightly powdery tannins. Certainly the most drinkable wine of the day, Real refinement and elegance that seems to have come naturally. This is absolutely terrific. Some will fault it for its delicacy and lighter weight but this delivers so much pleasure and joy to me, I love it. 96pts
2022 Le Miccine Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 7,000 bottles
Gaiole
Leathery, gently smoky, slightly rusted, red currant and red cherry fruits, Hints of roast meatiness and a lactic accent, It smells austere and strict grounded by limestone but made in a fruit forward style. Soft on entry, rounded and easy going with an early hint of citrus followed by tight, burnished, earthy red berry fruits. It is actually austere and more strict on the palate than I would have guessed from the nose, Not a big wine nor particularly complex but with superb crisp tannins and a fine core of wild cherry fruit accented with a dash of more clay/brown earth and some worn wood notes gracing the long finish. Textbook CCR. Delicious. 93pts
2022 L'Erta di Radda Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 3,000 bottles
Radda
Sweet and nutty on the nose with shadings of marsala, Aromas of dried mushroom, light VA, candied, dark, dried fruits, dates, prunes, carob, and cured meats. Much fresher in the mouth, though this comes off as both tannic and rather high acid, which helps keep the fruit fresher. Even then this has a brown tone to it with hints of dates, tea leaves, and dried mushrooms laced throughout the anonymously bright fruit. This is a battle to drink there is so much structure here paired with the slightly evolved fruit that it just doesn’t offer any harmony. It is impressive though. 83pts
2022 Montefioralle Chianti Classico Riserva
90% Sangiovese, 6% Canaiolo, 4% Colorino, 3,000 bottles
Montefioralle
Nicely mineral on the nose with a fine underlay of older wood supporting a core of juniper and roasted beef framed small wild berry fruits. Smooth, almost lush, rich with good depth on the palate, but not weighty. This is a little powerhouse, it has terrific dark berry fruit and mineral cut on the palate, superb tannin integration, where the tannin fill the mouth but remain tucked under the fruit and a lovely finish where the fruit gains some bitter cherry nuances and a lichen covered rocky tone. This needs another 2-3 years in bottle and should age wet for two decades, it’s rich, distinctive and deep with old veiny fruit. Delicious. 95pts
2022 Monteraponi - Il Campitello Chianti Classico Riserva
94% Sangiovese, 3% Canaiolo, 3% Colorino, 6,600 bottles
Radda
Strong toasted herb, slight yellow tomato, and light chemical tone greet the nose followed by briary and mushroomy notes. Quite clear and quite fresh in the mouth, lighter weight but transparent with yellow cherry fruit, a touch of pollen, and wildflower notes on the palate. This is juicy with crisp tannins that linger on the long finish. Decidedly less obviously ripe and more sandy soil and higher altitude toned that most of these wines. This is lightly rustic with lots of dusty tones on the long finish. Will not be the most popular wine but it offers great typicality with classic structural balance. A bit rambunctious. I like this more than most a bit anti-flavore elite 93pts
2022 Oliviera - Il Settimo Giorno Chianti Classico Riserva
90% Sangiovese, 10% Canaiolo, 1,500 bottles
Vagliali
Cooked and candied notes great the nose, This smells sweet and treacly, with leather, chestnut, and citrus scent around that core of cooked fig and pruney fruit. Smooth on entry, large scaled, fairly opaque in the mouth though with a notable cooked fruit quality, then the fruit and flavor quickly recedes leaving a raw tannic finish of moderate length. This is chewy, over wrought, and tough. I actually like the tannins here, they feel good on the palate, but there’s almost no depth of flavor backing them up, just a squirt of juicy berry fruit supported by the obvious acidity. 78pts
2022 Ormanni - Borro del Diavolo Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 14,000 bottles
San Donato in Poggio
Rather rose scented, elegantly floral on the nose with some cedary, shaved oak nuances, a hint of VA lending lift, and pretty nuanced red currant and red cherry fruits. Lovely in the mouth, with a gentle blanket of suppleness draped across a moderately structured palate. The fruit is a bit tight now, but admirably pure with blackberry hints over a core of red currant notes with their gentle astringent finale. Finishes slightly more modestly than I would prefer as the tannin clamp down a bit with a light black spice tone but these tannins are fairly sweet in nature and should not be particular long lived. This is refined, pure with some concentration and rather elegant. I would wait the 2-4 years it’ll take for this to soften up some and then enjoy it for the following decade, This should prove to be a notably suave, and pleasurable bottle to drink. 93pts
2022 Podere Campriano - Le Balze di Montefioralle Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 4,000 bottles
Montefioralle
A bit high toned and fairly nutty on the nose with a dollop of slightly jammy red currant and red cherry fruit accenting with hint of dried citrus peels and dusty light soil tones. Very well balanced, clear on the plate with early notes of braised herbs joined by pure, tiny, red berry fruit a little wild raspberry and strawberry,. I love this wine, it is gently understated, perfectly proportioned, with tannins that are notable yet pliant and enough acidity to lend this juiciness and freshness. The wine is already approachable, it offers wildflower and sandy soil nuance framing the core of fruit with fine resonance on the moderately long finish. Already attractive and so easy to drink while not being facile, this is so lovely. 94pts
2022 Podere La Cappella - Querciolo Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 5,000 bottles
San Donato in Poggio
A little liquor quality to the fruit, fruit extract intensity with a bit spiciness, There are also spicy seed notes here, crushed fennel seed and a suggestion of caraway. Bright, juicy, and fresh on entry and well endowed with bitter cherry fruits. This is a bit particular, I would guess that this comes from a. bit of an extreme terroir as it’s very mineral driven with a dark earthiness to it and the tannins are very crisp and mineral as well. The palate is very bright and juicy and the fruit here is notably fresh with tannins that fade away through the relatively long finish. It’s lovely textured but the flavor profile is not the friendliest even though it is quite complex with excellent persistence. I love this, it’s a dominatrix of a wine endowed with masses of deep fruit. 93pts
2022 Podere Terreno alla Via della Volpaia - Podere Terreno Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 6,000 bottles
Radda
A little old wood, a flick of cocoa powder, slightly cooked cherry pie filling, some pomegranate, Round but fresh, relatively slight large scaled but relatively easy drinking in style, this is a fabulous, approachable, and already drinking well, full flavored fruity glass of CCR. It’s not terribly complicated or complex but therein lies its appeal. It’s about immediacy with its cherry, citrus, and hint of nuttiness delivery with enough acidity and soft tannins to support a decent length finish and cleanse the palate. and dried lemon zest all come together nicely on the nose. A great restaurant wine. 90pts
2022 Poggerino - Vigna Bugialla Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 10,000 bottles
Radda
A bit compressed and rich with clay soil aromas on the nose, some tobacco nuances, a dose of dried spices and just a suggestion of black currant fruit. Smooth, relatively seamless in the mouth very refined feeling. This delivers a moderately deep mouthful of black fruit though the more than ample and slightly dry tannins are dominated for the moment. This has some nutty nuance to it on the palate along with a hint of orange and some dried grassy/hay scents on the palate before it turns tart and red on the modest finish. Interesting wine Fairly typical but just missing the mark somehow. 89pts
2022. Querciabella Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 20,000 bottles
Greve
Notably oaky on the nose with underlying aromas of dark, earthy fruit, almonds and dried blood. Lovely and fresh on entry, this was a good wine but the wood tannin restricts the palate and just barely dominates the fruit through the moderately long finish. There is real, underlying freshness here, and rather finely rendered red fruit with a little citrus and raspberry tone to it, but the wine is dominated by the dry tannins, even though the wood impact is really quite subtle on the flavor profile. I think I would love this with half the wood, and it might age well, though it would be an understated and elegant mature wine. 89pts
2022 Richiari Porciglia - Porciglia Chianti Classico Riserva
95% Sangiovese, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4,000 bottles
Greve
Darkly fruited, very leathery and redolent of fresh green herbs and meadow grassiness. The fruit is dark, nutty with a dried fig top note over a core dried meat, light oak, and dark cherry fruit. Rather rich if suave in the mouth, plush almost, this is a mouthful. It’s quite well balanced, structured but with a lot of extract covering the tannins in the mouth, It’s darkly fruited, and rather deep, almost muscular thought it has a slight over steeped tea quality to it, it’s not off putting. The finish reveals a bit of dark earth and some subtle leather and dried strawberry notes but this is a bit simple if bold and rich in style. Chewy. Just a touch old school. 90pts
2022 Rignana Chianti Classico Riserva
85% Sangiovese, 15% Cabernet Franc, 6,600 bottles
Panzano
Lovely nose, softly sweet with a gently baked undertone to the fresh rainier cherry and rather curranty tinged fruits. Hints of dried meat and fresh leather help to frame the fruit, along with a fine extract of wildflowers. Clean and fresh in the mouth with that slight suggestion of sweetness parrying the bitterness of the tannins here. There’s a lot of fruit here, it’s not the most complex example though there is a hint of truffliness early on the palate and some black spice notes accentuated by the light bitterness of the tannins here. A touch of a throwback wine, quite good in its style though in need of food. 90pts
2022 Tenuta di Bibbiano - Marzi Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 24,000 bottles
Castellina
Finely herbal, white dried clay, and yellow fruited on the nose. It’s all framed by damp and smoky herbal notes. A bit of a tonic. Fascinatingly complex if not notably fruit driven. Interesting in the mouth, rather bigger sized and riper than the nose suggests, there’s rather well defined core of yellow cherry fruit here with slight fresh porcini framing notes and lots of worn wood base notes, but then the slightly medicinal and herbaceous side of this emerges. There are plenty of slightly austere tannins here and very juicy acidity as well, making this feel totally classic and the flavor profile is one that is very terroir driven; there’s little forced here, it feels well exposed if high altitude with meager soils. It needs food, something fatty and not too rich, but this has terrific cut and definition on the plate and I do find it to be very distinct and attractive., if on the lean and racy side of things. 93pts
2022 Tenuta di Nozzole - La Forra Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 40,000 bottles
Greve
Smoky and slightly jammy with an immediate hint of black olive followed by dark, leathery fruit. Moderately tannic and a bit compact, this packs in quite a tannic punch, rich with ripe fruit tannins, and acidity that manages to keep this clear on the palate. The fruit has plummy edges with a bit of a black currant core, and decent length. The tannins clamp down on the finish with its slightly minty herbal edges, sandy soil tone and touch of anise seed on the modest finish. Trying to make a statement here, I think this will age well but will never be great. 88pts
2022 Terra di Seta Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 6,600 bottles
Vagliali
Rich with floral notes, marine sediment accent, clay and orange blossom florality. Rich on the palate, lots of black cherry early on the palate with terrific cut and definition. This is tasty, the tannins are so finely grained, with perfectly integrated acidity, it s a notably fresh wine, with good persistence to the red and black fruits. Blends a subtle degree of power with terrific freshness and depth of fruit. Floral and sedimentary soil notes lend complexity as this struggles to keep its tannins covered through the succulent finsih. I think this will age very well. Totally my style. There’s a sense of stoniness here as well as an incipient blood orange notes that is gracing the finish. Might always be a touch austere, but terrific nonetheless 94pts
2022 Val delle Corti Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 8,000 bottles
Radda
Rather floral and definitely very seedy smelling, herbal tea, medicine cabinet, and herbal. Lighter bodied and fresh, lacks some depth of flavor but what is here is quite pleasant, lightly fruity and more into the pollen, tea, and floral end of the spectrum with a citrus cast to the palate. Very acid driven, the tannin are present but relatively soft. . This is easy to drink, complex if not fruity a bit short but distinctive. 89pts
2022 Vigneti La Selvanella/Melini - Vigneti La Selvanella Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 60,000 bottles
Radda
Refined on the nose shows an intelligent wood treatment, a minty top note, followed by braised herb, leather, black spice and slightly cooked cherry, black raspberry fruit. A bit voluptuous on entry, then this gains good focus on the palate, it is rather well endowed with dry extract and richly fruited, plummy , black cherry fruit, this is supple, suave and juicy, very fruit driven at the moment in the mouth with just a subtle streak of wood tannin that is well integrated. I like this more than I expected too. It’s good, with really good purity to the purple and red fruit, has a certain suppleness without mass, and enough acidity to refresh the palate and reinforce the fruit on the modestly long finish. I would definitely place this in the modern camp but it is delicious and fun to drink. 92pts
2021 Altiero Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 4,000 bottles
Montefioralle
Dark, earthy, fleshy, slight oak tinged burnt cherry fruit with a mineral top note. Sweet up front then quite bitter and dark, espresso tinged toasted black cherry fruit. This shows a pretty heavy hand, blending very ripe fruit, fairly assertive extraction, and enough wood to be noticed into a powerful, bold and assertive package but it come across as coarse and just too tannic. There’s fine depth to the bitter cherry mineral laden fruit, it’s just mostly obscured by the wood and extraction. 82pts
2021 Badia a Coltibuono Chianti Classico Riserva
90% Sangiovese, 10% altri vitigni, 40,000 bottles
Gaiole
Rather fresh and blood orange tinged red cherry fruitiness greets the nose followed by some gentle floral and fine herb notes. Marjoram, Some iron notes and a sandy soil tone. Smooth, supple, somewhat broad on the palate, but tense and clear as well. This has the dusty slightly sandy note of the nose paired with a sweetish ranger cherry fruitiness on the palate. Tannins are well integrated, it’s quite pretty with more mineral than fruit flavors though the finish shows a sheer wash of red fruit leading to a slightly dry finale. Feels well made and very much expressed its terroir. Probably not a very popular wine but really a pretty rendition of CCR. Just gentle and finessed. 91pts
2021 Bindi Sergardi - I Colli Chianti Classico Riserva
90% Sangiovese, 10% altri vitigni, 20,000 bottles
Valiagli
Big spicy fruity nose, lots of warmth hit these vines, Slightly musky, deep, dark earthiness, sweet leather top note, a touch high toned, so much bing cherry fruit. Dried salumi, Slavonian oak backing notes. Big and slightly chewy in the mouth, rich with dirt, cherry and savory dried sausage flavors. This is a powerhouse, it’s not terribly weighty but has a really intense quality about it paired to a strong and firm tannic backbone. It is succulent, slightly rustic but bold and with enough freshness. A black and blue steak would work here but this might be a wine better enjoyed for its lustiness in its youth than waiting for the tannins to soften and integrates. 92pts
2021 Bonacchi Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 100,000 bottles
Vagliali
Fennel, raw beef, and delicate wild berry, lingonberry aromas greet the nose, along with a gentle cedary edge. Lighter bodied with some glycerine sweetness on entry, there’s a lovely core of burnished yellow fruit here, a touch of fresh fig, and nice dried wildflower notes leading to a a moderately long finish awash with river stone minerality and delicate red fruit flavors. Very restrained and pretty, this lacks just a touch of precision and clarity on the palate but is very pleasant in a smaller, natural, slightly tannic style. 89pts
2021 Bottega - Acino d'Oro Chianti Classico Riserva
90% Sangiovese, 10% Merlot, 20,000 bottles
Valiagli
A hint of wood and little boysenberry fruit greets the nose followed by burnished rosewood, a roast beef extract, and black spices topped with a saline seashell note. Broad in the mouth, burnished fruit and wood flavors with a slight balsamic cast and hints of powdered cocoa grace the palate. This is slightly larger scaled, a bit dark and brooding, tannic but not excessively so with crisp tannins and succulent acidity driving the moderately long finish. A dark, slightly weedy wine, slightly chewy, definitely has an audience though for me it a bit too tough if still quite good. There’s lots of sweet fruit here, and I think the tannins are plenty mature to integrate well so I expect this score might be a little conservative but you have to like this dark, briary,powerful style. 89pts
2021 Castelli del Grevepesa/Valvirginio - La Verità Chianti Classico Riserva
90% Sangiovese, 10% Merlot, 20,000 bottles
San Casciano
Leather, tobacco, black fruit and wildflowers fill out the nose here along with a touch of button mushroom and some sour plummy fruit. Rich, suave, a touch chewy, this is rather packed in the mouth, It’s a dense and slightly weighty style, tannins are supple and ripe acidity lends admirably clarity to the palate, but this also has some rather severe, dark earth, and dark fruit flavors. It is impressive, and I think it will age very well, but it is big and bold, with the gentle chewiness that I don’t mind in a young wine. Great persistence to the red and black berry fruits with their slightly walnut accents. I would bet on this aging very well and turning out very well indeed with another 3-5 years in the bottle and then 12-15 years of enjoyability after that. Will always be bold. 94pts
2021 Castellinuzza/Claudia Cinuzzi - Cinuzzi Chianti Classico Riserva
98% Sangiovese, 1% Canaiolo, 1% Malvasia Nera, 1,500 bottles
Lamole
Smoky, a hint of mustiness, some casky notes, a light suggestion of barnyard, along with sweet raspberry and cherry fruits. Juicy and fruity in the mouth, a touch of banana even, this is very fruity while remaining fairly tannic, with modest length. It has a light sweetness to it as well. Not very complex though it does deliver some burnished wood notes along with the fruit, but the sweetness covers some of the detail. Easy drinking even if it packs a decent tannic punch. I can see this being very popular. 84pts
2021 Fattoria La Ripa Chianti Classico Riserva
90% Sangiovese, 10% Canaiolo, 10,000 bottles
San Donato in Poggio
Gorgeous pure cherry fruit pops on the nose followed by flanking notes of raw oak, some braised herbal notes, a touch of dusty, grey earth, and suggestions of dried tomato and green olive. Lovely on entry, sleek, seamless, tannins are well integrated, Bright, early fruit on the palate has a boysenberry tone to it, then theres a slight pop of wood tannin followed by cherry pie filling and a hint of middle eastern spices. Coriander. This is very nice, it’s a bit on the modern side but tastes delicious and feels lovely with the wood tannin well enough integrated that I expect this to be quite velvety in a few years time or so. It’s a bit of a laid back wine, but one that should please many palates. 92pts
2021 Fattoria Le Fonti Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 8,000 bottles
San Donato in Poggio
A huge bouquet of leathery and braised aromas pops from the glass followed by a rather nutty, rosewood tone and a touch of lactic influence. Big and dry polished on entry, this has real mass to it, though it remains pleasantly clear on the paste, the tannins are firm but remain covered on the palate by the fruit. I want to say this is chewy, but it’s not, it’s just rich, with a good, strong vein of wild berry fruit that lingers on the moderately long finish. Makes a bold impression, it is a big wine but very well done with nothing out of proportion. I like this even if it’s a lot for my palate, and can see this aging very well as it’s already quite harmonious. Powerful stuff. 92pts
2021 Giacomo Grassi - Rolando 2009 Chianti Classico Riserva
90% Sangiovese, 5% Colorino, 5% Pugnitello, 1,500 bottles
Greve
Brainy, old wood, saddle leather, a bit of VA, a touch of blueberry and porcini over wild berry fruit. Smooth, a bit flat across the palate, dark and somehow this is very thin on the palate, has no depth to it and finishes quickly. It is remarkably innocuous, pleasant with some red fruit and a touch of soft tannin, but remarkable undistinguished, a touch of boysenberry appears on the palate, with a touch of leather on the finish. Great wine if you don’t like wine. 80pts
2021 I Fabbri/Susanna Grassi - I Fabbri Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 4,000 bottles
Lamole
Very perfumy, rather exotic smelling, this is very light and very floral with black leather backing notes, oily, seedy accents, and a pencil lead top note. Smaller scaled but nicely rounded in the mouth. Pretty, has a lot of black spice and leatheriness on the backend. The fruit is a gentle ball of red strawberry and raspberry tones on the midplate, this is gently firm and underpinned but rather refined elegant and fresh tannins. A bit on the young side but this is showing very well with its moderate scale, freshness and balance. It feels very non-interventionist, naturally expressing its terroir. Very much my style. 92pts
2021 I Sodi Chianti Classico Riserva
95% Sangiovese, 5% Canaiolo, 15,000 bottles
Gaiole
Fruity and slight oaky on the nose. High toned and slender with grassy herbal highlights. Fairly extraced in the mouth, lots of dry extract, deep, resonant wine. Its a bit exaggerated but people should love this. Tons of dark berry fruit with a suggestion of sweetness, tons of sweet fruit tannins, good freshness, The fruit is quite pronounced across the palate if a bit muddled and indistinct, though on the finish it shows some wild berry sour cherry quality along with a touch of old wood spice. It’s powerful yet simple, rich yet verging on supple. If you wanted to design a winning wine for a mainstream steakhouse audience this would be it. Giving it its due. 90pts
2021 La Terra di Geggiano - Villa di Geggiano Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 4,000 bottles
Castelnuovo Berardenga
Dark and creamy smelling with lots of black fruit, a hint of sweet pipe tobacco, a lightly balsamic top note. Big and rich in the mouth but also fairly fresh and juicy. This delivers tons of deep, slightly stoney, blackberry and black cherry fruit on the plate, its opulent with tannins that are well embedded in the mass of fruit which gains briar and dried mushroom accents on the black tea toned finish, which is fairly long and shows the powdery tannins peaking out on the final. Another large scaled wine that should be absolutely velvety in 4 or 5 years, and has emerging complicating dried herb notes lending additional complexity. It’s a mouthful of wine but very well done for when you are looking for a lusty CCR.Such tremendous intensity of fruit. 94pts
2021 Nardi Viticoltori Chianti Classico Riserva
100% Sangiovese, 4,500 bottles
Castellina
Coriander and dry spice driven aromatics greet the nose laid over a base of wild cherry fruit. There’s something vaguely funky/ wild mushroomy going on here as well. Smooth, polished a bit languid in th mouth, easy going. And fairly short. This is a relatively gentle wine, It lacks liveliness for me, but does delivery some golden currant, slightly funky, truffle fruit on the palate with good, if moderate richness and offers a pleasant finish where the bristly little tannins take hold, relatively sweet and certainly natural feeling. I would drink this but it’s rather ordinary. 85pts
2020. Viticcio Chianti Classico Riserva
90% Sangiovese, 5% Merlot, 5% Syrah, 50,000 bottles
Montefioralle
Stony and flinty and still slightly grapy, smells like lightly spicy sort of violet pastille laced candied grapes. Has a light weedy, floral note as well. Smooth on entry, well integrated, fairly complete in the mouth with that grapey note appearing early on the palate followed by some floral extracts and a nice white/grey soil tone. This is maturing well, has fine tension on the palate, and great cut on the finishes with almost salty intensity of limestone minerality that really lends energy to this. Finishes with a light tangerine, citrus tone. It’s not the most complex wine of the day, but it is fun to drink and delicious with great mineral depth and tension, particularly on the back half. 92pts