Winemaker Notes
Deep ruby red. The round bouquet releases fragrances that linger beautifully, with scents of sweet violets that meld into smooth, spicy hints of tobacco leaf. This is a full-bodied red, velvety smooth marked by ripe, succulent tannins harmoniously integrated with the acidity. Perfect with wild game, roasted and grilled meats, as well as aged cheeses.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Smoke, meat and wet earth to the black fruit. Black truffle, too. Full-bodied, chewy and fruity. Lots of smoky wood. Tight and in need of time to open up, yet it already delivers beautifully polished, caressing tannins. Decant before serving. An amazing wine. Drink now.
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Wine Enthusiast
Classic varietal aromas recalling underbrush, blue flower, wild berry and crushed aromatic herb form the nose. Savory and smooth, the elegantly structured palate features juicy black cherry, cassis, dark culinary spice and tobacco alongside taut refined tannins. Fresh acidity keeps it balanced.
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Wine Spectator
A broad, rich style, backed by big, dense tannins. Black cherry, plum, earth and tree bark flavors mingle, riding the dusty tannins on the finish. Terrific length and a ripe core of fruit keep this balanced.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A strong release of 40,000 bottles, the San Felice 2016 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Il Grigio reveals a dark garnet color with medium rich concentration. The bouquet is centered on dark fruit with some dried tones of earth, tarry smoke and crushed rose. The fruit aromas are on the dry and lean side, and the tannins are also a bit evolved. For these reasons, I suggest a near-term drinking window so that you can grasp the fruit while it is still freshest.
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Wine & Spirits
San Felice makes two Gran Selezione wines, the fruit for Il Grigio coming from the estate'??s highest-elevation plots in Castelnuovo Berardenga (about 1,475 feet above sea level). The blend includes 20 percent of five indigenous varieties, including pugnitello and abrusco, which enhance the wine'??s deep color and firm structure. Half the wine aged in large Slavonian oak casks, the remainder in French oak barriques, gaining notes of licorice and anise that enliven the rich dark-cherry flavors.
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.