Winemaker Notes
This wine is perfect with pasta dishes.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2007 Chianti Classico Riserva Croce (Sangiovese) shows more freshness and focus than the Campaccio in this vintage. Deceptively medium in body, the Croce hovers on the palate with compelling red cherries, flowers, tobacco, mint and underbrush. The French oak contributes volume and warmth, but without overpowering the more subtle elements that make this such a delicious, expressive bottle. This is a fabulous effort from Terrabianca. I slightly preferred the Croce to the Campaccio. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2024.
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Wine Enthusiast
Croce Riserva shows elegant, fine lines that do a great job of showcasing the Sangiovese variety. Forest berry, blue flowers and white almond make up the bouquet and the wine is fresh and silky on the close.
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.