Winemaker Notes
The Balifico has a vivid ruby color with a dark purple tinge. The nose is elegant, displaying aromas of blackberry and blueberry with hints of oak and cinnamon. This is a smooth wine with good structure and a long finish tasting of red fruit.
Blend: 65% Sangiovese, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
The nose is tangy and fresh, yet balanced, with aromas of black plum skin, black olives, blackberries, damp top soil, fresh brewed coffee and wet crushed rocks. That element continues on the palate with balsamic and more blackberries, although lots of pepper, tensely coiled tannins and bright acid add liveliness.
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Wine Spectator
A vibrant red, packed with juicy cherry, raspberry, floral and mineral flavors, this is expressive and approachable now. The dense, dusty tannins flex on the finish, while this is harmonious and long overall. More elegant than powerful and very classy. Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2026 through 2043.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The certified organic Volpaia 2021 Balifico is a blend of 65% Sangiovese and 35% Cabernet Sauvignon (with 8,000 bottles produced). This wine has a really fun fruit profile with lots of bright cherry that's framed by a fine-powdered mineral note. I find that combination to be very attractive and quite inviting, especially at the dinner table. The wine has the freshness to cut through fatty foods or meat and the dusty tannins needed to fuel a long finish.
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Vinous
The 2021 Balifico, Volpaia's Sangiovese/Cabernet Sauvignon blend, is another superb wine in this range. Dark-toned fruit, gravel, incense, licorice, chocolate and dried herbs build beautifully, leading to a dense, substantial finish framed by equally insistent tannins. Ideally, readers should cellar this for at least a year or two.
Rating: 94+ -
James Suckling
Youthful ester character with plums, red fruit and sweet spices. Crisp acidity that’s not fully integrated, with chewy tannins, a tight finish and a toasted aftertaste. From organically grown grapes. Best after four to five years.
Legendary in Italy for its Renaissance art and striking landscape, Tuscany is also home to many of the country’s best red wines. Sangiovese reigns supreme here, as either the single varietal, or a dominant player, in almost all of Tuscany’s best.
A remarkable Chianti, named for its region of origin, will have a bright acidity, supple tannins and plenty of cherry fruit character. From the hills and valleys surrounding the medieval village of Montalcino, come the distinguished and age-worthy wines based on Brunello (Sangiovese). Earning global acclaim since the 1970s, the Tuscan Blends are composed solely of international grape varieties or a mix of international and Sangiovese. The wine called Vine Nobile di Montepulciano, composed of Prognolo Gentile (Sangiovese) and is recognized both for finesse and power.