Winemaker Notes
#19 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2018
Produced entirely from native varieties, predominantly Sangiovese with addition of Colorino and Pugnitello. It is a medium-bodied Chianti Classico with a distinguished personality and notable for its elegance. Traditional fermentation practices are employed with average-length maceration, followed by 12 months maturation in large Slovenian oak casks.
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Spectator
Expressive and smooth, this hits all the right notes, with pure black cherry, black currant and violet flavors. Touches of earth, iron and tobacco add complexity. Shows fine harmony and length. Best from 2020 through 2036.
-
Wine Enthusiast
This boasts enticing aromas of wild berry, pipe tobacco and violet. On the smooth, juicy palate, polished tannins lend lithe support to black cherry, crushed raspberry, truffle and a hint of baking spice.
-
James Suckling
This red shows raspberries and blueberries with hints of roasted meat. Medium body, soft tannins and a clean and pure finish. I like how the acidity and fruit are so integrated. Drink or hold.
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.