Winemaker Notes
The 2013 Mazzei Chianti Classico Riserva Ser Lapo is fresh, with aromas of berries, strong structure, and intense taste.
Pairs well with pasta with game sauce, stews, grilled red meats, mid-aged cheeses.
Blend: 90% Sangiovese, 10% Merlot
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
Delicate, creamy nose with lovely red fruit, the palate is complex and structured with fresh crunchy fruit with hints of spice, tar and leather.
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James Suckling
A pretty yet fruit-forward nose of dark cherries, plum liqueur, pressed violets, black licorice, chocolate and some Christmas cake. A full, expansive palate that is lithe and agile with velvety tannins and refreshing acidity. Very elegant and refined.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2013 Chianti Classico Riserva Ser Lapo is an excellent wine with gorgeous smoothness and soft tannins. This 90/10 blend of Sangiovese and Merlot shows the best of both grapes in their respective percentages. Production numbers are large - at 100,000 bottles - so you should have no problem locating this easy-to-drink and affordable red wine from beautiful Tuscany. Ser Lapo is dedicated to the Mazzei family ancestor who first mentioned a "Chianti" wine in the distant year of 1398.
Rating: 92+ -
Wine Enthusiast
Underbrush, grilled herb, roasted coffee bean and dark-skinned berry aromas unfold in the glass. The elegantly structured palate delivers red cherry, raspberry, sage, anise and clove framed in bright acidity and fine-grained tannins. Drink through 2020.
Established in 1435, the Mazzei family is one of Tuscany’s oldest wine dynasties and they have been cultivating vineyards and crafting fine wine for over 600 years in Fonterutoli in the heart of Chianti Classico. Leading the portfolio today are the Marchesi Mazzei, brothers Francesco and Filippo, as well as Filippo’s son Giovanni, the 25th generation. Notable ancestors include Ser Lapo Mazzei, author of the first known document (1398) using Chianti to reference the wine and region and Philip, an Italian turned American patriot whose friendship and correspondence with Thomas Jefferson inspired the idea that “all men are by nature equally free and independent,” which influenced the Declaration of Independence.
While the family has always honored their legacy, producing acclaimed wines of extraordinary aromatic richness, balance and complexity, they are also leaders in viticulture and vinification. The winery’s vineyards cover 110 hectares across 7 sub-zones of Chianti Classico featuring different soils, altitudes (720-1870 feet) and micro-climates. All their vineyards are farmed with customized organic practices that focus on soil health, preservation of biodiversity, reduction of copper use, and absorbing 5x more CO2 than is expressed out; a true commitment to reducing environmental impact and fostering sustainability. From their state-of-the-art low-impact, gravity fed cellar to their massal selections and clonal research, the current generation pursues innovation that elevates their wines and protects their ecosystem. This balance of preservation and evolution is also found in the family’s estates in Maremma (Belguardo) and Sicily (Zisola).
Beyond the usual suspects, there are hundreds of red grape varieties grown throughout the world. Some are indigenous specialties capable of producing excellent single varietal wines, while others are better suited for use as blending grapes. Each has its own distinct viticultural characteristics, as well as aroma and flavor profiles, offering much to be discovered by the curious wine lover. In particular, Portugal and Italy are known for having a multitude of unique varieties but they can really be found in any region.
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.