Winemaker Notes
Very complex and spicy nose recalling red berries, cherry jam and white pepper; abundant earthiness confirmed on the full, rich, silky and persistent palate.
Pair with grilled meat, game dishes and semi-aged cheeses.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
This shows freshness and focus with cherries, currants and hints of cocoa and nutmeg on the nose. Medium-bodied and crunchy, with a dusty texture to its tannins and a polished, juicy aftertaste. Drink or hold.
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Wine Spectator
Aromas and flavors of pure cherry and kirsch give way to eucalyptus, earth and Mediterranean herb notes. This red starts out fluid, firming up on the dusty finish. Best from 2026 through 2042.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The organic Il Molino di Grace 2021 Chianti Classico Riserva shows a dark garnet color with aromas of blackberry and ripe cherry liqueur. This fun winery is not too far from the village of Panzano, and it has a collection of eclectic artwork at its front gate. This red has a medium to full body, a spot of ripeness, broad textural richness and a point of fresh acidity.
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Vinous
The 2021 Chianti Classico Riserva is redolent of black cherry, tobacco, spice, licorice and pomegranate. It offers notable resonance and body, not to mention a good bit of character, too. The 2021 spent 16 months in cask. It's a fine effort from Il Molino di Grace.
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.