Acclaim

“Delicately floral, the 2013 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva slowly awakens in the glass, coy at first, with a subtle mix of mint leaf and dried strawberry. Further coaxing brings out a seductive darkening effect, as the fruit evolves to black cherry, complicated by a whiff of incense, sage and spiced cedar. This is a model of purity, with textures of pure silk and polished red berry fruits that flood the palate. A burst of zesty acidity and sour citrus adds tension but also a sense of boundless energy. Fine-grained tannins emerge as the 2013 flexes its structural muscle, leaving a tart cranberry crunchiness and savory herbal tones to resonate. There are still many years, possibly a decade or more, of positive maturity in store for patient collectors.” – Eric Guido, Vinous

Pretty berry fruit like raspberries and hawthorn berries here, plus hazelnuts and orange rind. It’s bright and beautifully balanced with a medium to full body and an elegant frame of firm yet tight-knit tannins. Delicious finish. Best after 2027.

This is showing notes of walnut husk, dried oranges, sage, green strawberries and star anise. Some ground tea leaves. It’s full-bodied with tannins that are a little chalky in nature. Broad, muscular and firm finish. Try after 2027.

The 2021 Chianti Classico Fontalpino is lush and inviting with a saturated perfume of black cherry liqueur, sunny Mediterranean herbs, mossy earth, and mocha. Full-bodied with ripe, silky tannins, it retains good freshness while retaining a rounded profile and has a savory finish with notes of tea leaf. It’s a very attractive and ripe wine with lots of complexity and depth that’s going to do well over the coming 8-10 years.

The 2018 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna Dofana is a spicy and layered wine with aromas unfolding to notes of red cherry liqueur as well as lifted notes of cranberry, fresh pine, crushed rosemary, and peppercorn. Medium to full-bodied, it offers a more structured side on the palate, with ripe but present tannins, vibrant acidity, a long, savory finish, and a saline and mineral-toned profile. Notes of orange zest come through on the palate as well, with herbs of amaro.

The 2018 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna Montaperto offers an autumnal bouquet with layered aromas of chestnut, black cherry, cedar, wild herbs, and fresh leather. Medium to full-bodied, it brings wonderful purity on the palate, with a ripe but more focused and linear feel. It floats across the palate with fine tannins, and its more red-fruited profile shines all the way through the long finish, with hints of ripe orange citrus. It retains wonderful fresh acidity that never juts out of the refined and silky texture. It was my favorite in the lineup in Tuscany as well as on a second tasting at my home office.

The 2018 Do Ut Des is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot and pours a saturated red color. In the glass, it opens to earthy notes layered with mocha, plum, cedar, and sweet baking spices. Full-bodied, it has a rather long finish, with ripe tannins and a meaty texture. It’s drinking well now and should hang on nicely over the coming 7-8 years, but I would prefer to enjoy this bottle over the next several years.

The 2020 Chianti Classico Riserva Poggio Croce offers a pretty bouquet of fresh roses, tarragon, red raspberry, and orange peel. Zesty and inviting, this medium-bodied red has lovely, fresh energy with a weightless feel, ultra-fine tannins, and clean lift on an impressively long and mouthwatering saline finish.

The 2019 Campaccio is mostly Sangiovese with the addition of 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot. A polished bouquet lifts from the glass with aromas of black raspberries, fresh leather, cardamom, and cedar. Medium to full-bodied, it’s weightless on the palate, with ripe tannins and an even spine of acidity, and it has lovely length on the finish, with hints of mocha and wet stone. This well-styled wine will age gracefully over the coming 8-10 years.

The bright crimson 2019 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Terrabianca is highly aromatic with a savory cologne of forest herbs, pine, menthol, polished leather, and ripe cherries. Medium-bodied, but with more intensity and a fantastic noble structure on the palate, it opens to ripe tannins and a mouthwatering mineral texture as well as a salty finish. It had a solid showing both in the region and when I tasted it at my home office, with a warming sensibility and a lovely spiced profile. Drink 2025-2045