Winemaker Notes
Fresh, tannic, with aroma of berries, strong structure, earthy and intense taste.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Notes of glazed cherries and ripe raspberries with candied orange peel, red licorice and hints of violets. Medium- to full-bodied with chocolaty texture and firm, but polished tannins. Shows depth and richness to its fruit. Compact and lengthy. Chalky finish. Drink or hold.
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Wine Enthusiast
A savory nose of stone, soil and coffee pops with tart fruit aromas of cherries and blackberries. The palate brings sweeter, lighter cherry notes, with strawberry and salted milk chocolate. A bolt of acid pierces through a round, silken mouthfeel.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The Mazzei 2020 Chianti Classico Riserva Ser Lapo shows blackberry, blackcurrant and a savory note of toasted spice. This is a more elaborate, hot-vintage expression with extra heft and pulp. Sangiovese is blended with 10% Merlot and aged in barrel for 12 months. You can up the food-pairing possibilities with this bottle to include wild boar or stewed rabbit, thanks to the wine's generous, mid-weight texture.
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Vinous
The 2020 Chianti Classico Riserva Ser Lapo is bright, vibrant and full of energy. Crushed flowers, red-toned fruit, chalk and white pepper abound. As is so often the case, the Ser Lapo is one of the hidden gems in the Mazzei range. Then again, the core of Ser Lapo is sourced from the Caggio property, where the Mazzei family makes their top of the line Gran Selezione Ipsus.
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Wine Spectator
There is purity to the black cherry and blackberry fruit in this satiny red, which is backed by a layer of solid tannins. Earth, leather and wild rosemary accents add detail as this plays out on the lingering finish. This is an iron fist in a velvet glove. Sangiovese and Merlot. Best from 2026 through 2042.
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).
Disenchanted with Italian winemaking laws in the 1970s, a few rebellious Tuscan winemakers decided to get creative. Instead of following tradition, to bottle Sangiovese by itself, they started blending it with international varieties, namely Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah in differing proportions and with amazing success. However, some Tuscan Blends don’t even include Sangiovese. Somm Secret—The suffix –aia in Italian modifies a word in much the same way –y acts in English. For example, a place with many stones (sassi) becomes Sassicaia. While not all Super Tuscan producer names end in –aia, they all share a certain coy nomenclature.
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.