Winemaker Notes
This 2020 Chianti Classico showcases aromas of violets, roses, strawberries, and a hint of cypress. The immediate impact is bright and lively with an incredible flavor intensity. The flavors explode from a dark fruit center of blueberry and are framed by beautiful acids. The finish is dominated by citrus notes of blood orange, ending with lingering earthy cedar.
Blend: 85% Sangiovese, 15% Merlot
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
A salty, savory version, this red offers woodsy underbrush and loam notes, along with sanguine, iron, leather and meaty cherry aromas and flavors. Lively and balanced, with a lingering aftertaste of fruit and herbs. Sangiovese and Merlot. Drink now.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Perfumed with sweet red and blue fruit, the 2020 Chianti Classico is Sangiovese with the addition of 15% Merlot. Forward with primary fruit, pressed flowers, and wet stone, it Is round and supple on the palate, with a silky-smooth texture, notes of black cherry and mocha, and crunchy red plum on the finish. This versatile and clean style of red can be shared across the table with a variety of dishes.
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James Suckling
This has aromas of plum stones, blueberries, walnuts, beeswax and flowers. Medium-bodied with creamy, firm tannins. Firm, clean and fresh. Drink from 2023.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The entry-level Tenuta di Arceno 2020 Chianti Classico reveals ripe cherry, rosemary, potting soil and blue iris. This is a lively expression with medium fruit weight and easy-drinking appeal. It plays its cards well in terms of freshness and accessibility. Within the greater Arceno portfolio, this wine hits that sweet spot between being approachable and pleasurable. Best After 2022
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.