Winemaker Notes
Aromatic nose carries scents of balsamic and dried herbs with a note of ripe plum. Black raspberry, cherry, and white pepper on the palate with good structure and a mineral driven finish.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Bright and lively on opening, the 2022 Chianti Classico leads with aromas of wild strawberries, candied flowers, tangerine, and white pepper. Linear and medium-bodied, it is focused on the palate, with refreshing acidity, fine tannins, and energetic drive through the finish.
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James Suckling
This opens with an earthy, slightly spicy nose of dark berries, crushed herbs and hints of leather and wet stones. The juicy and savory palate has a medium body with vivid acidity and a polished texture. Simple but juicy and flavorful.
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Vinous
The 2022 Chianti Classico is juicy, forward and delightful. A burst of sweet red cherry fruit, rose petal, spice and orange peel gives the 2022 tons of immediacy.
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Wine Spectator
A dense, taut red, whose cherry, strawberry and rose flavors are lifted by lively acidity and dusty tannins. This linear version flirts with elegance and will get there if the tannins integrate nicely. Drink now through 2030. 1,900 cases made, 950 cases imported.
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.
Famous for its food-friendly, approachable red wines and their storied history, Chianti is perhaps the best-known wine region of Italy. This appellation within Tuscany has it all: sweeping views of rolling hills, endless vineyards, the warm Mediterranean sun, hearty cuisine and a rich artistic heritage. Chianti includes seven subzones: Chianti Colli Fiorentini, Rufina, Montalbano, Colli Senesi, Colline Pisane, Colli Aretini and Montespertoli, with area beyond whose wines can be labeled simply as Chianti.
However the best quality comes from Chianti Classico, in the heart of the Chianti zone, which is no longer a subzone of the region at all but has been recognized on its own since 1996. The Classico region today is delimited by the confines of the original Chianti zone protected since the 1700s.
Chianti wines are made primarily of Sangiovese, with other varieties comprising up to 25-30% of the blend. Generally, local varieties are used, including Canaiolo, Colorino and Mammolo, but international varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah are allowed as long as they are grown within the same zone.
Basic, value-driven Chianti wine is simple and fruit-forward and makes a great companion to any casual dinner. At its apex, Chianti is full bodied but with good acidity, firm tannins, and notes of tart red fruit, dried herbs, fennel, balsamic and tobacco. Chianti Riserva, typically the top bottling of a producer, can benefit handsomely from a decade or two of cellaring.