Castello di Monsanto Chianti Classico Riserva 2012
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James
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Robert
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Product Details
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Somm Note
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Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A silky and pretty red with dried cherry and lemon peel aromas and flavors. Full to medium body, firm tannins and a fruity finish. Silky and racy. Tangy finish. Always a classic.
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Wine Enthusiast
Fragrant and elegantly structured, this blend of Sangiovese and 10% Canaiolo and Colorino opens with lovely aromas of pressed violet, iris, perfumed berry and baking spice. On the palate, notes of white pepper, toast, espresso and anise accent the black cherry core. Tightly knit but polished tannins give it a firm finish. Drink 2016–2022.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Here is another very authentic wine from Castello di Monsanto (and a great value too). The 2012 Chianti Classico Riserva 50 Vendemmie shows pretty layers of intensity and wild fruit, but it never strays far from its Sangiovese roots (20% Colorino and Canaiolo are also in the blend). This is a pure and genuine expression. Red rose petal emerges from the bouquet as do wild spice, blackcurrant, forest floor and black truffle. The mouthfeel is silky and softly caressing. There is a vein of acidity that will carry this wine forward over the years as it continues its evolution.
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Wine Spectator
Currant, cherry and strawberry fruit highlights this elegant, juicy red. Open yet firmly structured, with plenty of energy on the long, tobacco- and spice-filled finish. Drink now through 2022.
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The Castello di Monsanto estate was established by Fabrizio Bianchi in the hillsides of Barberino Val d’Elsa in the province of Florence in the north-central reaches of the Chianti Classico denomination. Bianchi worked to clear a vineyard he named “Il Poggio” (“The Hill”), which would be utilized for production of a single vineyard wine riserva, the first example in Chianti Classico. Always the pioneer, Bianchi began to eliminate the white varieties, Malvasia and Trebbiano, from his Chianti Classico in 1968, preferring to use only the traditional red varieties of Sangiovese, Canaiolo and Colorino.
Cellar innovations in the early years included Slovenian casks for aging, instead of old chestnut barrel, as well as the introduction of stainless steel tanks for fermentation. Furthermore, Castello di Monsanto harvested the first 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, ‘Nemo,’ from the ‘Il Mulino’ vineyard. Today, the Monsanto estate totals 500 acres, of which slightly more than half are woods, while olive orchards occupy an additional 37 acres. Vineyards, situated between 800 and 1,000 feet above sea level, account for 175 acres. Three quarters of the plantings are Sangiovese, the basis for Chianti Classico, while Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are the next most widely planted varieties.
One of the most impressive components of Castello di Monsanto is the cellar and its underground tunnel, some 820 feet in length that serves as an aging cellar as well for a potential total of 1,500 barriques. This cave system, one of the most dazzling in all of Italy, took six years to build by hand. The gallery, connecting the new cellar with the original, is located underneath the castle and dates back to 1740.
Today, Fabrizio Bianchi and his daughter, Laura, represent the tradition and elegance that have been associated with the estate throughout its existence. “Il Poggio” was not just an innovation back in 1962; it truly represented a new vision for Chianti Classico. Today, each new vintage is eagerly anticipated as one of the very best bottlings of this wine type.
Each of the wines of Castello di Monsanto, from the award-winning Chianti Classico Riserva, to ‘Nemo’, a Super Tuscan, to the lush and exotic Vin Santo ‘La Chimera’, are true Tuscan treasures. Simply what you would expect from Castello di Monsanto, the grand jewel in the heart of Tuscany.