Winemaker Notes
Perfect with traditional Tuscan dishes such as ribollita and papa al pomodoro. Pairs well with grilled white and red meats.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Sleek and saturated with blackberry, black cherry and pomegranate flavors, this red has density and polished tannins. Balance is this version's hallmark, with hints of mineral, spices and cocoa powder lining the long aftertaste. Drink now through 2033.
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James Suckling
Aromas of orange peel, cranberry, and sour cherry follow through to a medium body, with fine tannins and a fresh finish. From organically grown grapes.
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Vinous
The 2021 Chianti Classico is gorgeous. Bright and vibrant, the 2021 is an absolute joy. Freshly cut roses, chalk, mint, orange peel and white pepper add an attractive upper register to this mid-weight, sculpted Chianti Classico. This poised, articulate Chianti Classico is a winner.
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Jeb Dunnuck
A bright ruby hue, the 2021 Chianti Classico is juicy and inviting with a floral perfume of fresh violets, mixed berries, and peaches, as well as a delicate note of lifted quinine. Medium-bodied, it has good energy and a linear feel, with refined tannins and a clean finish.
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.