Winemaker Notes
Ruby red color. The nose is ethereal, with hints of cherry, light balsamic notes and sweet almond. In the mouth, it is voluminous, with well-structured and typical tannins of the ancient river terrace of Brolio.
Professional Ratings
-
James Suckling
Aromas of al dente cherries with citrus peel. Flowers, such as red roses, also come through clearly. Medium to full body, with open grain tannins that caress like cashmere. Chewy, fresh and vivid. Give this three to five years to come together.
-
Jeb Dunnuck
A youthful and reflective ruby into magenta, the 2020 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione CeniPrimo opens to layered aromas of cedar, kirsch, fresh leather, candied raspberry, and sweet licorice. Medium to full-bodied, it’s refined and plush on the palate, with a velvety texture that never feels heavy, clean, balanced acidity, and a long finish.
-
Wine Spectator
A complex, focused red marked by enticing aromas of cherry, black currant, violet, mineral and spices. Dry and bracing, with a firm, mineral-infused finish. Shows fine balance and a lingering aftertaste, where the fruit, mineral and savory elements converge. Best from 2025 through 2043.
Among Italy's elite red grape varieties, Sangiovese has the perfect intersection of bright red fruit and savory earthiness and is responsible for the best red wines of Tuscany. While it is best known as the chief component of Chianti, it is also the main grape in Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and reaches the height of its power and intensity in the complex, long-lived Brunello di Montalcino. Somm Secret—Sangiovese doubles under the alias, Nielluccio, on the French island of Corsica where it produces distinctly floral and refreshing reds and rosés.
One of the first wine regions anywhere to be officially recognized and delimited, Chianti Classico is today what was originally defined simply as Chianti. Already identified by the early 18th century as a superior zone, the official name of Chianti was proclaimed upon the area surrounding the townships of Castellina, Radda and Gaiole, just north of Siena, by Cosimo III, Grand Duke of Tuscany in an official decree in 1716.
However, by the 1930s the Italian government had appended this historic zone with additonal land in order to capitalize on the Chianti name. It wasn’t until 1996 that Chianti Classico became autonomous once again when the government granted a separate DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) to its borders. Ever since, Chianti Classico considers itself no longer a subzone of Chianti.
Many Classicos are today made of 100% Sangiovese but can include up to 20% of other approved varieties grown within the Classico borders. The best Classicos will have a bright acidity, supple tannins and be full-bodied with plenty of ripe fruit (plums, black cherry, blackberry). Also common among the best Classicos are expressive notes of cedar, dried herbs, fennel, balsamic or tobacco.