Castello di Ama Chianti Classico San Lorenzo Gran Selezione 2016

Professional Ratings

• 96 Wine Enthusiast

  A blend of 80% Sangiovese, 13% Merlot and 7% Malvasia Nera, this opens with aromas of black- and red-skinned berry, pipe tobacco, tilled earth and a whiff of new leather. Elegant and taut, the palate shows tension, verve and finesse, delivering juicy Marasca cherry, crushed raspberry, licorice and hints of French oak. It’s balanced, with polished, fine-grained tannins and bright acidity. Drink 2021–2036. Cellar Selection.

• 95 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
  The 2016 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione San Lorenzo is immediately more inky and balsamic in terms of aromas. As soon as you lift the wine to your nose, you get pretty tones of blackberry, cassis, rosemary essence, licorice and a touch of medicinal herb. I love when Sangiovese produces those elegant aromas, and for that reason, this wine stands tall among the three single-vineyard expressions from Marco Pallanti and Castello di Ama. It shows fiber, richness and lasting structure with a very well-managed quality of tannins.
• 95 Wine Spectator
  Offers stunning aromas of black cherry, blackberry and violet, with ripe, sweet fruit on the palate, shaded by iron, earth and tobacco elements. Supple yet well-structured, this should come together soon. Shows terrific harmony and length. Best from 2022 through 2036.
• 95 Wine & Spirits

  This is a sultry wine, sangiovese’s bright cherry flavors and edgy acidity smoothed out by the addition of merlot (13 percent) and malvasia nera (seven percent). The wine rested for ten months in barriques (18 percent new), keeping the oak influence subtle as the wine developed a silky texture and finely knit flavors of tobacco leaf, toasted nuts and savory herbs. A note of menthol adds lift to the dark fruit and herb flavors, and the finish is long and elegant.

• 93 Decanter
  San Lorenzo is the most representative wine of Castello di Ama. Rather than a single vineyard, it's a selection across all four of the estate's sites from more mature vines with an average age of 20-25 years old. Winter mint, anise and tobacco are laced through the wine, mingling with vanilla nuances. The fruit is dense, dark and powerful in the mouth but there's a plushness on the mid-palate that lends a seductive edge. Magnificent velvety tannins keep it all in check while the finishes lingers graciously.
• 92 James Suckling

  Lots of primary sour cherries, blueberries and spices here. Medium-bodied with cranberry flavors and intense acidity throughout. Little edgy on the finish, but the warmth and generosity to the juicy tannins hold this together.