tuscany

SIMPLY A GREAT, GO-TO, VALUE RED

We’ve been pretty open about how we go about things here and, most relevant to this discussion, my friends, are things that concern us in the big picture. One of them is ‘noise’. We were among the first in the wine biz to do extensive e-marketing, but these days there are lots of establishments trying their hand at it. Our concern is that, with everyone feeling they need to say whatever they are offering is the greatest ever, perspective goes out the window.

On top of that, the ‘score inflation’ we alluded to years ago has only gotten worse. As more critics are coming online and dishing out ever higher scores so they can be noticed and, more importantly, quoted, the solid, perfectly respectable low-90s reviews on value wines seem to have considerably less impact than they did a few years ago. It seems at times even $10 wines are expected to generate mid-90s reviews or the consumer is unmoved. That is the result of score inflation.

We’ve have always tried to temper our rhetoric to fit the situation. Eventually, we feel, if you say everything is the greatest of all time, you will eventually lose your credibility. So forgive us if we are going to simply say that this is a delicious, imminently quaffable, well constructed red that is versatile with a wide array of foods but can be enjoyed by itself for its charming, fruit driven demeanor and it’s a particularly palatable value as well.

The wine we are talking about in this case is the Petra IGT Toscana Zingari 2018. We did a larger scaled offering on the on the Zingari 2017 replete with email and dueling 93 point scores from Wine Spectator and James Suckling. Truth be told, the 2018 might be a little juicier and certainly fills the role of well-priced, go-to red quite nicely.

Petra has their whole range of high-end gear as well, anchored by their flagship $90 bottling. But what has captured the fancy of the wine-buying public is this exceptional value from their estate vineyards, what was once an experiment has turned into something altogether different.

Petra is considered one of the more progressive wineries in Tuscany. It was founded in 1997 in Suvereto’s Val di Cornia (Maremma) by Vittorio Moretti and his daughter Francesca, encompassing a 700+ acre estate, a third of which is planted with vineyards. The winery sits hundreds of feet underground with a tunnel-like wine cellar.

What started as an experiment has turned into one of the better red wine values you will find. Zingari was originally proposed as a fun, experimental wine to see how Syrah, Merlot, Sangiovese and Petit Verdot all worked together in their younger estate vineyards (now 16 years old). The results were promising and the wine was officially commercialized. The rest is history. The 2015 garnered a 92 from Wine Spectator and the 2017 was the double-93 ‘coming out party’.

But as we know, scores can come and go, as can reviewers. On any given day, the same wine can get a different score from the same source based on a broad array of unrelated factors. But the folks at Petra are still doing outstanding work in the value arena and with think this 2018 is at least as good as last year’s version, maybe better.

The blend in 2018 is again Merlot, Sangiovese, Syrah and Petit Verdot aged in a combination of larger barrels and smaller French barriques prior to bottling. The wine is joyful, exuberant, bright, and captures both the ripeness of the harvest as well as lift from the nighttime cooling coastal breezes.

We can provide a score and a nice review on the Petra IGT Toscano Zingari 2018 from James Suckling, “A fresh, vivid red with cherries, currants and hints of hazelnuts and chocolate. Medium body. Racy finish. Like the vivid acidity that runs through this. Drink or hold…92 Points.”

But at $14.98, value plays in somewhere and, in this case, on virtually ‘any given day’, this wine will deliver plenty of personality and play nicely alongside most anything you have in mind. Ultimately that is the point. At this kind of price there aren’t a lot of choices beyond soulless, mass marketed juice. This one has some flair and personality. Easy choice.

STRIKING, LATE BREAKING 2016 CHIANTI RISERVA

We haven’t had the occasion to talk a lot about Tuscan 2016s very much of late. Sadly, the bulk of them have pretty much passed through the market. But we aren’t so far along that the possibility of something popping up has totally passed. That said, a brief reminder that we think 2016 in Tuscany is one of, if not the best vintage we have experienced in our four decades of doing this.

The Bindi Sergardi Chianti Classico Riserva I Colli 2016 isn’t a label we are intimately familiar with though we have carried a few examples over the years. But we don’t remember anything quite like this one. This is definitely the ‘home run’ version, a Chianti with driving, ample, outgoing fruit, and an array of gorgeous notes of sour cherry, earth, wild herbs, chocolate, and spice. This is a Chianti that is big on flavor but still poised to support food with a measured underpinning of acidity that pushes the wine across the palate.

This shows everything that gets us ranting about 2016, great fruit, superb balance, great presence on the palate, and the unmistakable impression that there are a couple of gears the wine has yet to reveal. It’s all here and, in truth, this was one of the easier calls because there was plenty going on right up front.

While they may not be among the best known names in Chianti in the American market, they have certainly put in their time. Located just outside Siena, the family claims the “I Colli estate represents the history and soul of 23 generations of the Bindi Sergardi family, which built this hamlet at the end of the 1400s.”

They certainly got dealt a winning hand in 2016, and they have the critical acclaim to prove it. From WIne Spectator, “This is bright and linear in profile, displaying cherry, strawberry, bitter almond, earth, iron and tobacco flavors. Balanced and taut, lingering with a mix of fruit, mineral and savory elements. Best from 2022 through 2043…93 points.”

This wine impressed us right out of the gate and we are probably more on the level of enthusiasm of James Suckling, who wrote, “Aromas of raspberries, sour cherries, dates, chocolate, dried herbs and five spice. Medium- to full-bodied with fine tannins and a creamy, velvety texture. Layered and balanced with a caressing feel. Long, spicy and savory finish. Drink now or hold…95 points.“

An exceptional effort in a traditional style from a historic harvest, an exciting find this late in the game.

BOLGHERI FOR THE PEOPLE

Bolgheri, near the Tuscan Coast, is the source of some of Italy’s most compelling wines. It is also a unique area in which Bordeaux varietals thrive and create polished, stylish reds that are a category unto themselves. Solaia, Orenallaia, and Sassicaia are some often first names that come to mind. Later to the game was Antinori’s Guado Al Tasso. While we are as much of a fan of the ‘big dogs’ as anyone, they don’t come cheap. That’s why when they rolled out the Antinori Il Brucato, good Bolgheri on a budget, we were excited.

It gets the royal treatment. Upon arrival in the cellar, the selected clusters for Il Bruciato were destemmed and gently crushed. Fermentation and maceration on the skins took place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. A portion of the Merlot and Syrah musts were kept at lower temperatures during fermentation to better preserve each grape variety’s distinctive aromas. Part of malolactic fermentation took place in barriques and part in stainless steel tanks and was completed by the end of the year for all grape varieties. Subsequently, Cabernet Sauvignon was blended with Merlot, Syrah, and a small percentage of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot then put back into barriques where it was left to age before bottling.

Curiously, the first vintage of this ‘junior Guado’ was made in 2002, one of the worst vintages in Tuscany in the last few decades. We’ve sold it since its initial release here and have carried most vintages since. Always a solid performer, we must admit we haven’t been as thrilled with the wine as we were in the early days relative to other choices, probably in part because we see much more really cutting edge Italian wine on the market now. The press seems to indicate that the recent versions were definitely on an upward trend from the early offering. That said, the 2020 Antinori Guado Al Tasso Il Bruciato is the most interesting version we have tasted in a long time.

The description from Advocate’s Monica Larner make the point, “I tasted the Guado al Tasso 2020 Bolgheri Rosso Il Bruciato from barrel, but the wine will hit the market in September of this year. Compared to the previous vintage, this edition is richer and slightly denser with nicely concentrated fruit. That extra textural support is a characteristic of this fortunate vintage. This accessible blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah offers tight mineral notes, toasted spice, almond and lots of dark, luscious fruit. To the palate, the wine exhibits softly caressing tannins…93 points.”

Also from James Suckling, ” Aromas of sage and currants with blackberries follow through to a full body with intense, round tannins that are nicely crafted. Fresh, flavorful finish. Some dried herbs at the end with a slightly grilled-meat undertone. Drinkable now, but better in two or three years…93 points.”

The $26.98 fare is certainly quite reasonable for something from this prized terroir.

DONNA LAURA CHIANTI RISERVA ALTEO 2018

We’ve done our part over the years to raise the image of Chianti from the straw fiasco bottles to a wine that should be taken seriously, and a number of high-performing producers have given us the vinous tools to make that point. But a number of scenarios call for a Chianti to simply be that tasty, honest bottle to grab to foil a plate of pasta, risotto, or any one of a number of red wine dishes. It’s important to know who the players are in an important wine area like Chianti. But it is equally important to find quality options for that go-to, guilt-free, ‘house pour’ category as well. It just isn’t as easy to find viable value options that live up to our standards. Donna Laura Chianti Riserva Alteo 2018 is one that does.

The back story here is that the current proprietress of Tolaini, Lia Tolaini Banville, was greatly inspired by her aunt, Laura. The story goes that Banville, on a summer holiday traveling from her birthplace in Canada to her ancestral home outside the city of Lucca at the age of six, Lia met her Aunt Laura for the first time who would become a driving force in her life.

So why are we talking about Lia Totaini-Banville, owner of Banville importing and quality oriented Tolaini estate that produces a number of wines including highly reviewed Legit Cabernet? Well the name Donna Laura is a tribute to her aunt, but this Chianti is produced by Lia. As they tell it, “In 2004 an opportunity arose to write a new chapter in the story, this time at Tolaini Winery in Castelnuovo Berardenga with the production of Lia’s own wine label Donna Laura. A loving tribute to the woman whose lessons of family, tradition and honor would share double billing with Lia’s own heritage…”

We had no idea about the connection at the time we tasted it, but that is a pretty significant demonstration of how the work of quality producers somehow shines through. The Sangiovese grapes for the Alteo (a mashup of the names of Lia’s sons Alessandro and Matteo) are selected in Donna Laura’s vineyards in Castelnuovo Berardenga, one of Chianti’s ‘sweet spots’. They are carefully destemmed in the winery and put immediately into steel vats without crushing. The must is kept in contact with the skins for about 20 days with pumping over every 10 hours and 1 delestage a week.

Chiantis in this price range often suffer from being acidic or undernourished. This is neither, with a lovely, cohesive roundness from front to back to the currant and classic cherry fruit laced with floral notes and a touch of earth. It is a perfect demonstration why you seek little wines made by very conscientious producers as opposed to someone putting together a ‘blend’ to hit a ‘price point’. It’s all about intent. We’ll take it easy on the adjectives but it fulfills its mission nicely, a pleasing, easy drinking, soulful, surprisingly successful ‘riserva’ offering of Chianti from top terroir at a very modest ($11.98) price. You don’t have to tell anyone it cost so little.

ANOTHER JUICY MAREMMA FROM A PROVEN SOURCE

Elisabetta Geppetti has been on quite the roll of late. She has been a favorite around here for a long time and her Saffreddi bottling is among the Tuscan elite. Her 2016 Fattoria Le Pupille Morellino di Scansano Riserva was a major feature for us as well as one of the stars of the show in our minds at the 2019 Tre Bicchiere tasting. She represents the best of Maremma at every level.

Fattoria de Pupille Morellino de Scansano is their ‘entry-level’ bottling, this one a lovely and generous effort from the 2019 vintage, another pretty sharp harvest based on what we have tasted so far. As a vintage ‘19s are little less structured than the 2016s, but boast plenty of accessible fruit and a juicy demeanor, very important with value-priced, ‘workhorse’ entries.

The Fattoria de Pupille Morellino de Scansano 2019 is a blend of 85% Sangiovese, 10% Alicante, and 5% Ciliegiolo. It sees only 6 months in stainless steel. This one hit the streets ready for service and, qualitatively and given the price, it’s a candidate for anyone’s ‘house red’ rotation. Sure it’s good with pizza and pasta, but it can work nicely with all manner of grilled meats as well. Dark cherry and mulberry, some wild herbs and notes of spice, there is plenty of substance with bright underpinnings of acidity and fairly tender edges for a youthful red.

Antonio Galloni’s breezy description sets the right tone, “The 2019 Morellino di Scansano is bright, perfumed and very easy to like. Drink this lithe, easygoing Morellino over the next few years, while the flavors remain bright. Dark red cherry, dried herbs and spice linger nicely.”

Similar sentiments from James Suckling, “A red with plum and cherry character, as well as hints of terracotta and rust. It’s medium-bodied with firm, tangy tannins and a long, flavorful finish. This is always a good, go-to red. Drink now… 92 points.” Quaff on.

AIA VECCHIA: QUIETLY MAKING MAGIC

As one the writeups posted below will mention, this is the 20th Anniversary of this delicious Bolgheri source. It all started with a bang in 1998, kicked of by Hungarian winemaker Tabor Gil who came from nearby Ornellaia to head this new estate. We loved the style of the house from the beginning, with both a very suave top label in Sor Ugo, and a classy and very well priced value bottling Lagone.

As something of a personal interest, we have followed this estate ever since. Admittedly while those earliest efforts were quite seductive, it has been something of a feast or famine kind of label since those early days. One year would be delightful, the next not quite so thrilling. Still, when they were good, they were very good and we always came back to check out the newest edition to see where it landed in the pantheon of this distinctive house. Sadly Tibor Gal’s untimely passing in 2005 ended his development of the project.

The 2016 vintage, created by current winemaker Nicola Scottini, really brought our focus back to this estate although, admittedly, it was a pretty special vintage. We weren’t moved by the 2017s, but the newest versions, from the forward, user-friendly 2018 gave us a golden opportunity to talk about this Tuscan producer again.

The Aia Vecchia Sor Ugo 2018, as blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot that completes malo-lactic in barrel (50% new, 50% once used) where it remains for 18 months, is a lovely effort that really expresses what whole ‘super-Tuscan’ thing is about. Sweet black fruits, some dusty earth tones, smoke and graphite, when these guys are on they can run with the ‘big dogs’ for a fraction of the price.

Antonio Galloni of Vinous tells the story, “The 2018 Sor Ugo is a superb Bolgheri red. Pliant, succulent and so expressive, the 2018 offers plenty of richness, but with terrific energy, too. Black cherry, mocha, spice, licorice and chocolate all build as the 2018 fills out over time. The purity of the flavors is striking…94 points.” It’s everything the review says and, at under $35, it is one of the steals among the whole Bolgheri set.

Even a more remarkable deal is the Aia Vecchia Lagone 2018, their value red. The blend here is 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Cabernet Franc. The fruit comes from both within and outside of Bolgheri, but we dare say when this wine is ‘on’ it is one of the classiest ‘little’ wines around. The 2018 is a beauty, sleek and polished, with a round palate of dark red fruits like plum and cherry flecked with notes of spice, wild herbs and meat.

Galloni was very complimentary, particularly for a wine that sells for under $14, “The 2018 Lagone is a gorgeous wine from this estate in its twentieth vintage. Ripe dark cherry, plum, mocha, spice and licorice all meld together in the glass. The 2018 is succulent and racy, with terrific freshness and tons of style. Lagone is not as flamboyant as it was in the early days, but it still offers tons of immediacy and appeal…91 points.”

A LATE ARRIVING 2016: LE FONTI CHIANTI CLASSICO

We have often said that we are going to pursue the 2016 Tuscans until we can’t find them any more. Le Fonti is a brand new face for us…on this side of the ocean. We had a positive impression of the house based on tasting the wine at Consorzio tastings at Vinitaly, probably one of the more difficult places to precisely assess as wine. Why is it tough to get a bead on a wine at a wine show? Simply, it’s the volume. You taste so many wines so quickly to make the best of your limited time there that it’s not always easy to recall the nuances and minutia.

In any case, we liked the Le Fonti Chianti Classico 2016 (the first time we have seen it here) one on one on this side of the ocean as well. Located between Siena and Florence, the winery sits in the heart of Chianti country in Panzano. At this site, nearly 1500 feet above sea level, this 15 hectare estate consists of 9 hectares of vineyards and the rest olive trees. The current owners, the Schimtt-Vitali family, took over the estate in 1994 and have replanted the vineyards since that time with the appropriate clones and rootstock. The vineyard and olive grove are all certified organic and they take meticulous care of their holdings.

The vines are planted to 85% Sangiovese and the rest more international varietals, Cabernet and Merlot. Manuel harvest is the practice here and bleed off 10-15% of the juice to make a rose, concentrating the remaining must. The final wine, predominantly Sangiovese with a small percentage of Cabernet and Merlot are put into French oak for 12 months and another 6 months in bottle before release

This version definitely shows a more modern bent stylistically, with a nice pop of dark cherry fruit right up from and som authority to the midpalate. Plenty of fresh fruit here with the more classic notes of earth and spice, but a rounder, fresher disposition in the glass and an outgoing immediacy to the style. It has all of the ‘pop’ of the 2016s, the lifted fruit and well infused, ripe tannins, but a distinct juicy, some might say ‘modern component that will appeal to a broader audience.

Enthusiastic comments from Vinous’ Antonio Galloni tell a similarstory, “Le Fonti’s 2016 Chianti Classico is fresh, aromatically expressive and a plain delight to taste. This is an especially mid-weight, gracious style that is typical of this sector of Panzano. Spice, licorice, leather, dried herb and menthol add shades of nuance to a Chianti Classico that speaks to finesse, nuance and the natural freshness of Sangiovese in this vintage more than anything else…92 points.”

Another exciting arrival from a very special vintage, enjoy and accumulate them while you can.

MORE MAGIC FROM CHIANTI

It has been a great run for Chianti over the last couple vintages. There has been any number of epic performances by ‘the usual suspects.’ But perhaps more exciting is the energy running through the whole category, and the appearance of a few newer faces that have a lot to offer. This pair of Chiantis aren’t necessarily ‘famous’ from a media standout. But they are everything else you could want…distinctive, elegant, and possessed of excellent expression of ‘enlightened traditional.’

We were familiar with the Bibbiano label mostly from noticing it in and among rather extensive consorzio tasting events in Europe. This is the first time we were ever presented the wine by the current importer and the Bibbiano Chianti Classico 2016 is the first version to be on the floor. These are not newcomers in general though, having been founded in 1865. Bibbiano is located in the historic Chianti region, in the municipality of Castellina in Chianti, overlooking the Elsa Valley towards the castle of Monteriggioni. Today’s owners, Tommaso and Federico Marrocchesi Marzi, represent the fifth generation to operate the estate.

Bibbiano’s current winemaker was trained under the long-standing consultancy of famed winemaker Giulio Gambelli, also famous for his long relationships with Montevertine and Case Basse di Soldera. The estate was certified organic in 2011. The Chianti Classico 2016 is 100% Sangiovese with grapes harvested by hand and fermented in accordance with their position on hill as the grapes come from both sides of the property. The fermentation is done entirely in concrete to preserve the terroir notes but also soften the profile of the wine. The flavors run from dark cherry to plum, with elements of earth and stony minerality, and a touch of spice.

The wine has a pleasing touch of rusticity in among the fruit, definitely giving it a bit of an ‘old school’ vibe, and presents a relatively fruit-forward demeanor. Having had past vintages sporadically, we’d proffer that the 2016 vintage gave this one a bit more flesh than normally, kicking it into another level. Wine Spectator said of this wine, “A racy style whose vibrant acidity drives flavors of black cherry, black currant, iron, earth and soy. Still very firm, with the acidity acting in tandem with refined tannins. Fine length. Drink now through 2033… 91 Points.”

Not sure we’d use the term ‘racy’. We’d describe it as a slight ‘chewiness’ that is quite pleasing. But, all in all, the Bibbiano is certainly tasty and satisfying, as well as a Chianti that plays very well for its moderate tab. A well-made ‘workhorse’ in a bit of a throwback style.

The Castello Romitorio Chianti Colli Senesi 2017 was something of a surprise. Not because we didn’t know the house. On the contrary, we have been selling Romitorio’s Brunellos for years. The estate is well known for their historic castle (the foundations of which may date to Roman times), their highly-regarded Brunellos, and the occasional controversial label from artist/owner Sando Chia. What we hadn’t seen before was a Chianti Colli Senesi from this notable estate.

Sando’s son, Fillipo, spoke with great enthusiasm about the Chianti project as a way to put a more affordable version of the Romitorio name into the marketplace to cast a wider net. The idea here is to make a polished version of the genre, with the estate’s tech sheet speaking about the hills around Siena and making the statement that, “This area has been known since ancient times for knowing how to produce very high quality reds that rival Burgundy for elegance.”

The grapes are hand harvested, and sorted twice, both before and after destemming. This 100% Sangiovese sees ten months in oak. We’re perfectly capable of writing notes but as we researched this piece, we found a somewhat over-the-top literary effort by MW Anne Krebiehl , “Just smell it to be transported to the ocher-colored countryside of Tuscany: the scent of parched earth and oak woods is there, together with the characteristic, harsh hint of Sangiovese marasca cherries. The body presents structure and tension without being heavy, it is fresh and pungent, a wine born for the table. Good persistence, sincere, and impactful but agile at the same time. The fruit, red currant, cranberry and Morello cherry, looks clear in the finish. It has charm and character to sell.”

Artists. In truth there is something of an ethereal sense to this very sleek Chianti that is modern yet at the same time has tradition in full view. Like the Bibbiano, it is a very classy effort for under $20, though stylistically quite different. It is also a ‘little’ wine made big time folks, a long adhered-to axiom of ours. Wee found no mention of it anywhere in the media but are happy to have discovered this beauty and anxious to see where it goes in future vintages.

DREAM ‘SWEETS’: Part 1

First off, thanks for clicking. It never ceases to amaze us that when you say something is a dessert style, people (the same ones that drink Chardonnays with 2% residual sugar and love those sweets when they are poured in their glass) scurry away. It is not a sin to like fruitier wines, nor does it mean you aren’t ‘cool’, in spite of what the populace at large might do to suggest otherwise. Far too many people act like drinking dessert wines is akin to drinking pancake syrup. But in fact the sizzling acidity that supports the great ones make them brighter and more versatile than a lot of wines out there.

Anyway, we are still fans of the genre and appreciate their place in the wine spectrum. Also, in spite of all of the negative attitude out there, we sell a lot of them…often providing we don’t say the ‘S’ word. For the moment we have a couple of gems that deserve a word. First up is the Felsina Vin Santo 2007, a fascinating and complex wine that is the result of an equally fascinating process.

The grapes in Felsina’s case are Trebbiano, Malvasia and Sangiovese that are harvested by hand and put through a rigorous sorting before the grapes are placed on mats until January/February. They are then de-stemmed and pressed, and the must is transferred to sealed, 100-litre oak casks containing the “mother” (a thick substance remaining from previous vintages).

After 7 years in storage, the cask is opened and the wine is bottle-aged for a minimum of 6 months. It’s a little bit ‘life on the edge’ because anything can happen in that closed environment for such a long period of time. When the stars align, it is magic, and this complex peach, dried apricot, carmel and spices elixir is one of those engaging examples.

Wine Advocate’s Monica Larner went off on this one saying, “The 2007 Vin Santo del Chianti Classico (375-milliliters) is a gorgeous wine with so many descriptors that apply to the ever-evolving and complex bouquet. This golden dessert wine offers distinct aromas of dried apricot, honey and saffron. But give it a few moments and earthy or autumnal tones of wild mushroom, forest floor and aged cheese also rise to the top. The effect is almost savory and definitely very sophisticated. The wine glides smoothly over the palate with creamy richness and viscous smoothness. ..94+.”

Simply a stunning way to end an evening and, if you don’t finish it, it will hold up for a few days. (Go to ‘Dream Sweets: Part 2’)

YET ANOTHER KILLER 2016 CHIANTI VALUE: CASTELLO DI VOLPAIA

Castello di Volpaia has been on our radar for a long time. We have, at one time or another, sold their black label Riserva, and specialty bottlings Coltasala and Balifico. But we can’t remember a time the ‘regular’ Castello di Volpaia Chianti Classico turned in a performance like this. Hey, this is a good house that has a solid track record and an occasional ‘home run’ (their 2015 Riserva was #3 on Wine Sectator’s Top 100 last year…of course it had been sold out for months).

But an exceptional vintage like 2016 has the power to lift the level of all wines great and small and put this ‘little’ wine into a special place. The Castello di Volpaia Chianti Classico is usually a pretty good utilitarian choice, but this time around this 2016 is touching another level. As we have explained a few times, the scores for this wine are typically going to be influenced lower by the fact that there are a number of upper tier selections from the same house for scribes to review. But the fact that everybody gave this wine a nice ‘number,’ and even nicer comments, speaks volumes.

For our part, we’ll say that the rounder texture, lift, and darker fruit component, as well as the easy-to-swallow price ($17.98), made this a must. Here are quick hits on the critic’s words,

Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media : “The 2016 Chianti Classico is all class. Fresh, floral and beautifully lifted, the 2016 offers a terrific expression of the estate in its mid-weight personality. All the elements meld together in this effortless, classy wine from the family. The 2016 is quite accessible today, but it also has enough brightness to age nicely for a number of years. What a pretty wine it is… 91 Points”

Monica Larner, robertparker.com: “Showing ripe fruit and rich intensity, the 2016 Chianti Classico (made with 90% Sangiovese and 10% Merlot) would pair nicely next to pasta with extra cheese grated on top. This wine is bright and fruit-forward with the fresh acidity to cut though the fat in cheese, butter or cream. The tight and focused nature of the wine’s sharp berry flavors would also make a perfect contrast to the natural sweetness in those ingredients. This is always a great food wine, but this vintage is even better poised to match your favorite Italian dishes…90+ points!”

James Suckling: “Aromas of cherries, dried strawberries and red plums. Medium to full body, round and ripe tannins and a nice, fresh finish. Drink now….92 points.”

Decanter Magazine: “…Merlot is included to make it more approachable, but it still has the potential to age. Red berries and earth notes reveal themselves slowly, with perfumed violet nuances showing up on the palate. Firm but refined tannins hold it all together, and the finish lingers with appetizing minerality…91 points”

Another superb ‘go-to’ from Chianti in 2016…enough said.