It’s hard for us to believe that there is a Chianti out there that we haven’t seen before, but the Bucciarelli Chianti Classico 2016 is just that. Apparently the property dates back a long ways, having been acquired by one Michelangelo Buonarroti (yes, that Michelangelo) on June 18, 1549. It stayed in the family until 1863. The Buciarelli family, former sharecroppers on the property, acquired it in 1982 and sold their first wine in 1986. The wine is 100% Sangiovese produced certified organic and spontaneously fermented aged in a combination of cement and cask.
We aren’t going to play the Michelanglo thing too hard because the wine really deserves its own spotlight. Located in Castellina in Chianti, it hails from southeast facing vineyards situated 1350 to 1600 feet above sea level with mostly galestro soils with some clay and alberese in the mix. There are elements to this wine that are rather unique and thoroughly captivating. The nose shows a ton of ripe, sweet mulberry fruit along with some forest floor, leather, and some rose notes that one might associate more with Nebbiolo. Plush and very expressive, the mulberry is joined by black cherry in the mouth with a spice and a stony minerality cutting in at the finish. It’s fruit and profile are very different from your typical Chianti but absolutely delicious.
Since we have no prior experience with this label, we can’t compare it to past efforts. We have to presume that coming from one of the greatest vintages in Tuscany (2016) in our lifetime probably didn’t hurt. As to press, we found nothing except a few very old reviews from Wine Spectator prior to 2005. They only produce 1000-1500 cases per year so we don’t think you’ll see it at your local grocery store, either. You’ll have to trust us on this one, but this is quite a find!