Winemaker Notes
This fine Riserva wine is made from the best grapes of eight select vineyards in Castello di Albola, each of which contributes to the end result by delivering a particular note of Sangiovese, made from a single grape variety. The bouquet evokes the strength of the forest and the elegance of the higher rows; with every sip, it translates the warmth of this land into a powerful expression. After resting for almost three years, including fourteen months in oak barrels and another eighteen months in bottle, the ageing process brings out a buoyant personality, with smooth tannins, and a savoury, concentrated taste with hints of black fruit and cut flowers.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Starts out supple in texture, showcasing cherry, strawberry, mineral and almond flavors. Firm and racy, with a linear frame and fine energy on the resonant finish. Terrific length.
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James Suckling
A juicy red with plums, chocolate and hints of pine needles and dried herbs. Medium body. Flavorful finish. Drink now.
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Wine Enthusiast
New leather, underbrush, balsamic notes of camphor and iris aromas meld together in the glass. On the austere palate, close-grained, drying tannins accompany dried cherry, blood orange and exotic spice alongside hints of bitter-almond and roasted coffee bean.
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.