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  • Chianti Classico Riserva tasted in 2026
  • Chianti Classico Collection 2026 Gran Selezione

Chianti Classico tasted at Chianti Classico Collection 2026

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.

I bring this up because some of the wines I tasted may have under performed, but since I tasted Chianti Classico late on day two, after the Gran Selezione and Riserva wines, I was not able to revisit some of my questionable calls. I would have liked to of course, but my notes are what they are, offering my opinion of what was poured. 

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 be they are of course displayed to me, but I am usually more focused on setting my 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 a visually impaired tasting.

At Chianti Classico Collection 2026 we had access to a broad selection of Chianti Classicos across the last three vintages, where I focused my attention.

2024 is being called a classic vintage, high acid, lower alcohols, etc. Though from the small sample set of Chianti Classico, and larger sets from satellite appellations, I have a modest concern that some of the wines might be a bit dilute. Not surprising given the late season rains and high yields. 

2023 on the other hands 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, 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.
Wines below are listed in the order that they were tasted. 


2024 Brancaia Chianti Classico 
100% Sangiovese
Lightly fruity, though this smells raw and dilute.  Easy going, simple and lean. Pleasant with some juiciness and citrusy red fruits. Simple short and a bit dilute. Gamay like 83pts

2024 Castellare di Castellina Chianti Classico - Castellare
95% Sangiovese, 5% Canaiolo
Fairly fruity, spicy, and floral.  Lots of weight and flavor up front, not much of a finish.  Easy if firm. Not bad but just a touch dilute. 86pts

2024 Castello di Meleto Chianti Classico
Spicy, pomegranate, red fruits, orange rind, good nose. Moderately plush in the mouth, short, nice mineral scent, pleasant and easy to drink. Fairly fruity. 86pts

2023 Monsanto Chianti Classico
90% Sangiovese, 5% Canaiolo, 5% Colorino
Complex on the nose with a slightly musky and floral nose.  Good focus and snap on the plate, nice length, elegant and refined with red fruit and lots of floral accents. Delicious. 92pts

2023 Fattoria San Giusto a Rentennano Chianti Classico
95% Sangiovese, 5% Canaiolo
Dark, fudgy, candied fruit, sour plum and meaty. A bit too tannic, subtle but finishes with very assertive tannin.  Has some nice fruit, slightly exotic berry fruit, but bitter tannic finish. 84pts

2023 Fèlsina Chianti Classico - Berardenga
100% Sangiovese
Nuanced floral nose, delicate, fine red fruit and green herbal scents.  Smooth, polished, integrated simple but pure long and fairly stony, nicely done, slightly burnished red fruits. 91pts

2023 Gagliole Chianti Classico - Rubiolo
100% Sangiovese
Earthy and perfumed, very attractive, lively bright red fruits. Smooth, moderately rich and round with lovely fruit yielding to a chalky, dusty polleny finish. Delicious and joyful.Archtypical CC 90pts

2023 Jurij Fiore & Figlie - Sonocosì Chianti Classico
100% Sangiovese
Lightly perfumed with complex sandy soil, citrus, red hots, and lilac aromas. Lovely palate feel, elegant rand efined with depth of flavors, juicy delicate raspberry-strawberry fruit, delicious and refined. 93pts

2023 Monte Bernardi - Retromarcia Chianti Classico
100% Sangiovese
Earthy, dried mushrooms, a touch of VA, lingonberry astringent red fruits.  Round, fairly ample, soft and evolved. A bit too tannic and chewy. 84pts

2023 Monteraponi Chianti Classico
97% Sangiovese, 3% Canaiolo
Spicy, earthy and polleny, wild raspberry. Bright, nice fruit nice lift, good cut on the plate, with a mineral wash on the lightly tannic finish. Solid. 89pts

2023 Montesecondo Chianti Classico
90% Sangiovese, 5% Canaiolo, 5% Colorino
Deep, musky. Lots of fresh berry fruit on the nose with a black tinge to it, framed by stone and lilac notes. Larger scaled, fairly rich, polished and deep, fabulous, good length, bit of weedy herbalness on the stony finish. 94pts

2023 Mori Concetta - Morino Chianti Classico
80% Sangiovese, 10% Canaiolo, 5% Colorino, 5% Pugnitello
Cedar, woodsy, smells a bit like pancakes, balsamic, dark fruit. Burnished fruit in the mouth, a bitter steeped tea quality, too tannic, tough, deep but too tannic, taut,  Might improve, impressive. 88pts

2023 Ormanni Chianti Classico
100% Sangiovese
Spicy, dark, slightly dusty, muddy soil driven aromas. Bright, dark, fruit rich with mineral earth, moderately tannic, a little Christmas spice to the red  berry fruit. Slightly bracing, acid driven finish. 86pts 

2023 Poggerino Chianti Classico
100% Sangiovese
High toned, grapey, and slightly nouveau smelling, with stemmy, dried herb undertones.  Clean and brisk, slightly jammy with powdery tannins, clean and clear, a little truffle and a little chewy. 88pts

2023 Principe Corsini - Villa Le Corti Chianti Classico
100% Sangiovese
Very fragrant, very floral, rich and fruity. Round, fairly rich, finely tannic, lovely tension and richness, bright cherry fruit,  nice clay on the finish. Bracing. 90pts

2023 Bertinga - La Porta di Vertine Chianti Classico
100% Sangiovese
Grapy balsamic, and sweet on the nose with a round and bright impression on the palate.  fine vivid purple tinged fruit, easy drinking but firm slightly simple and dilute finish, not bad but a little short. 86pts

2023 Castellinuzza e Piuca Chianti Classico
90% Sangiovese, 10% Canaiolo
Very fruity, bright, high toned, with a touch of wax, cranberry. A bit flat on entry, matte, burnished fruit, earthy, soft and moderately rich a bit chewy, a bit clumsy, tannic 84pts

2023 Castellinuzza/Claudia Cinuzzi Chianti Classico- Cinuzzi
95% Sangiovese, 3% Canaiolo, 2% Malvasia Nera
Fairly reticent with only some candied red fruit aromas. Simple, sort of extracted tannins, not much to this, simple candy grape cherry fruit. Polished, rich, some medicinal notes. Interesting. 85pts

2023 Castello di Ama Chianti Classico - Ama
96% Sangiovese, 4% Merlot
Heathery, herbal, high toned, effusive, fruity, Smooth and focused on the palate with fine red fruits, earthy, leathery and then floral flaovrs then bright, with great powdery mineral cut and energy across the plate, a bit youthful. Bitter cherry, Classic 94pts

2023 Castello di Bossi Chianti Classico
100% Sangiovese
Light, a little spice, red fruit, fragrant and floral, violet. Round, rich easy style. Rich with soft tannins,  burnished cherry fruit, pleasant if a little simple. Spicy. 87pts

2023 Castello di Verrazzano Chianti Classico
100% Sangiovese
Darkly herbal, dark fruits, earthy, spicy, round, in a richer style, quite pure and transparent, earthy, clay mineral driven, good cut, tannin to lose, long, a bit mini CCR but excellent in this rugged style. 92pts

2023 Castello la Leccia Chianti Classico
100% Sangiovese
Beautiful fruit and lilac nose, with a drop of musk. Bright, pretty ripe, nicely structured, a bit short but pure and richly flavored while light footed, classic earthy finish. Moderately powerful 90pts

2023 I Fabbri/Susanna Grassi Chianti Classico - Lamole
100% Sangiovese
Very fragrant and pure fruit framed with green herbs, wild berry fruit.  Rounded but bright and succulent, very fruit driven totally transparent with wild berry and soil driven flavors. Classic trattoria wine. 90pts

2023 Isole e Olena Chianti Classico
90% Sangiovese, 10% Canaiolo
A little jammy and weedy at the same time. Pretty but black toned on the nose. Rich, glycerin front loaded with rich leathery flavors then turning sweeter on the finish with good acidity. Very ready and easy to drink. 89pts

2023 Istine Chianti Classico
100% Sangiovese
Jammy lingonberries and foxy grapey, Brambley. A bit loose, wide open, fruit profile matches the nose, a bit chewy, thins out on the finish, OK 85pts

2023 Jurij Fiore & Figlie - Tuttosommato Chianti Classico
100% Sangiovese
Bright, sandy soil, white cherry, Moderately rich, chewyish, not tannic, lots of red cherry fruit, powdery on the finish a hint of gaminess, lovely with appropriate evolution. 90pts

2023 Le Miccine Chianti Classico
100% Sangiovese
High toned, floral with aromas of fresh red fruit, very bright and very stony,  Crisp, finely textured, wonderful inner mouth perfumes all floral and light red and white cherry fruit. So pretty and gently tense. 92pts

2023 L'Erta di Radda Chianti Classico
90% Sangiovese, 10% Canaiolo
Grapy, wild berry fruity, a little ink and black spiced. Round, clear on the palate, soft but tense, very pure and clear with a fine zesty, crisp finish, soft  tannins. Very terroir driven 91pts

2023 Montefioralle Chianti Classico
90% Sangiovese, 6% Canaiolo, 4% Colorino
Deep, leathery, dusky, dried mushroom,  light oxidation on the palate, big, soft, pillowy,  lacks focus, and turns drying on the finish, clumsy 83pts

2023 Podere Campriano Chianti Classico
100% Sangiovese
Wild berry, lightly musky, deep, fresh, and with a hint of meatiness.  Round, clear, good tension,  very classic,  fine freshness and intensity to the darker toned fruit with leather and stone accents on the moderately long finish. 91pts

2023 Podere Poggio Scalette - Chianti Classico Poggio Scalette
100% Sangiovese
Deep, slightly liquory wild berry fruit, very aromatic quite floral,  large scaled but soft and supple if glycerine, rich. Lightly chewy laden with wild berry, leather, and earthy/fruit/floral top notes, excellent classic style. Zesty, top 94pts

2023 Pomona Chianti Classico
98% Sangiovese, 2% Colorino
Smoky, clay, dusty, little spicy, round, fairly lush, easy drinking, good acidity, nice crisp tannins, a bit firm with a touch of density, but pleasant and complete. 88pts

2023 Rocca di Montegrossi Chianti Classico
92% Sangiovese, 4% Canaiolo, 4% Colorino
Dark, floral extract, deep cherry fruit, polleny flowers, leather, smells explosive.  Rich, seamless, refined, deep on the palate, rich, long and intense, not playful, a bit bloody, assertive bold style. 94pts

2023 Val delle Corti Chianti Classico
95% Sangiovese, 5% Canaiolo
Funky just a touch,, leathery, a touch of barnyard, earthy, hint of cola, broad in the mouth, transparent bit soft, rich lots of soft tannins, a touch dusty, moderately length.  Easy and attractive style 89pts

2022
2022 Caparsa Chianti Classico
100% Sangiovese
Dark, weedy, inky, umami, braised meat and herbs nose.  Big, sweet entry, lots of fruit and volume, streaked with dry tannins, big palate impression, mini CCR, firm, leathery earthy, good length, not playful. 90pts

2022 Castellinuzza e Piuca Chianti Classico
90% Sangiovese, 10% Canaiolo
Cola, a touch of oxidation, dark, leathery, herbal extract, brovril,  Big, very dry, severe, large hard tannins, clip the finish, black fruit, black spice, earth, severe, no pleasure. 78pts

2022  La Terra di Geggiano Chianti Classico - Villa di Geggiano
100% Sangiovese
Old wood, lightly cedary, wild berry fruits, black spice nut oil.  Round, almost opulent, dark, with extracted herbal notes, black cherry, long severe but interesting, not playful, expression of terroir, leathery, Still offers a lot of fruit. Hard. 90pts

2022 Le Cinciole.Chianti Classico
100% Sangiovese
Fruity a little rosy grapy, slightly jammy but bright blackberry fruit.  Sweetly fruited, round, bright a tiny hint of chew, lovely, gaining velvetiness, rich with dark fruit, easy but complex, classic bloody finale. 93pts

2022 Ragonaia Chianti Classico Podere Lecci e Brocchi
100% Sangiovese
Very floral, briar, rosewood, waxy, open, soft tannins, burnished fruit turns brighter on the backend, long juicy and bright, fine grained tannins, mature good depth. 88pts

2022 Vecchie Terre di Montefili Chianti Classico
100% Sangiovese
Clay, briar, dried mushrooms and dried herbs, boysenberry fruit. Round, rich but flat, matte in the mouth chewy, jammy, a little spice and lovely stoniness, but flat and turning heavy. 84pts

2020 Castell'in Villa Chianti Classico
100% Sangiovese
Briar, ginseng, pressed flowers, gunpowder, tea,  Bright, lightly grippy, fruity very red fruited, a bit of ginseng spice, dusty yellow soil tones, long, lots to this,  very good, very complex and very fresh. Still quite structured. 92pts

2020. Fattoria di Lamole Chianti Classico - Paolo Socci
100% Sangiovese
Gorgeous mature nose redolent of fading flowers, soft talcy powder, necco wafers, hints of violet, mint, and balsamic. Pretty open, showing less freshness on the palate than the nose but this is still intact, wonderfully floral and cranberry jammy in the mouth, tannins might be gaining the upper hand, good length, lovely fascinating wine. 93pts

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