Chianti Classico

Santo Stefano Drugo

Chianti Classico Riserva 2018

The wine shows a typical ruby-garnet colour. The nose is intense and powerful, revealing notes of cherry liquor, a touch of black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, tobacco and wood. The palate is muscular with bold, chalky, grippy tannins. There is nevertheless a certain lightness and elegance in its character. The palate is full of spicy, woody and dark chocolate notes. Tannins are very persistent and linger throughout the flow of the wine.

Score : 14+/20 (87/100)

Santo Stefano

Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2016

The wine shows a deep, opaque ruby colour with garnet reflections. The nose is dense, slightly oxidative, heady. We find notes of liquored cherries, dark chocolate, prunes, figs, a touch of tobacco and rosemary. The palate is juicy and approachable with nice fruit sweetness and ripe, round tannins. It reveals nuances of dried and cooked cherries, berry compote, a touch of cacao, kirsch and praline. The finish is fruity and lingering. Drink now.

Score : 14.75+/20 (89/100)

Santo Stefano

Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2018

The wine shows a medium deep ruby colour with a brightening rim. The nose is dense with intense herbal notes of thyme, rosemary, a touch of lavender, bay leaf with some dried dark berries in the background. The palate reveals some elegance, with juicy acidity and grippy but polished tannins. The palate is packed with herbals mirroring the nose. Peppery notes underlay sweet black and red cherry nuances. The finish is lingering with a refreshing hint of eucalyptus. Score : 14.75+/20 (89/100)

Bibbiano Vigne di Montornello

Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2019

The wine shows an attractive ruby-garnet colour, brightening on the rim. The nose reveals a lot of smokiness, notes of cinnamon, cloves, underlaid by sweet red and black cherries, a touch of barberry and rosehip. The palate is juicy, with a lot of finesse and aerial character. The tannins are pronounced but well-managed and polished. The palate is packed with crunchy, sweet red berries, sweet spices, a touch of savoury herbs and a touch of saltiness. The finish is gourmet and succulent. Score : 16/20 (92/100)

Bibbiano

Chianti Classico Riserva 2019

The wine shows a clear ruby colour with a garnet rim. The first nose is smoky and oaky, then opening up with notes of ripe red and black cherries, wild strawberries, a touch of pomegranate and red plums. The palate is a bit tight and closed with drying, slightly bitter tannins. The flavours of ripe red berries are lifted up by notes of dried herbs and a touch of ferrous minerality. The finish is warming, even burning. The wine needs some time to integrate alcohol and tannins.

Score : 14.5/20 (88/100)

Bibbiano Vigna del Capannino

Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2019

(Organic) The wine shows a medium ruby-garnet colour. The nose is oaky and concentrated, revealing notes of stewed black cherries, balsamic, dried herbs, thyme and rosemary. With aeration nuances of sweet raspberries and strawberries appear underlaid by notes of rose petals and peonies. The palate is perfumed and flattering, unveiling a lot of gourmandise and finesse. The tannins are fine-grained and polished and the acidity uplifts the whole powerful structure of the wine. On the palate the notes of dried red cherries interlace with hints of macchia, hibiscus and pomegranate. The finish is persistent and noble.

Score : 16/20 (92/100)

Complicità Assolo

Chianti Classico 2019

The wine shows a medium-deep ruby colour. The nose is intensely floral and perfumed, seductive, revealing notes of dried rose petals, peony, ripe red and black cherries, strawberry compote, sweet crushed raspberries, a touch of sweet spices. The palate is elegant and ethereal, with juicy, vivid acidity and polished, silky tannins. It echoes the nose with nuances of sweet red fruits, a touch of red plum, floral and delicate spicy notes. The finish is fruity, silky and lingering with juiciness and finesse.

Score : 16/20 (92/100)

Complicità Assolo

Chianti Classico Riserva 2018

The wine shows a medium, slightly opaque ruby-garnet colour. The nose is elegant and restrained, revealing notes of rosemary, lavender, a touch of sour black cherries, leather, star anis and tobacco. The palate is dense and juicy with a lot of concentration, a strong woody character, powerful but polished, sweet and ripe tannins. The dense fruit flavours are supported by pleasant spiciness and savouriness of macchia and roasted herbs. The finish is long, decadent and warming.

Score : 16.5/20 (93/100)

Castello di Cacchiano

Chianti Classico Riserva 2018

The wine shows a bright and vivid ruby colour. The nose is very intense and lively, revealing notes of pickled tomatoes, some bay leaf, dill and balsamic. The palate is juicy and vivid with refreshing acidity, light-weight and elegant. The tannins are present but well-managed and fine-grained. The palate is less concentrated than the nose but repeats it with the savoury notes of pickles, a touch of sour cherries and cranberries. The finish is slightly drying. A very particular style of Chianti Classico.

Score : 16/20 (92/100)

Castello di Cacchiano Millennio

Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2015

The wine shows a medium deep ruby colour with distinct garnet reflections. The nose is dense and heady, revealing notes of macchia, roasted herbs, a touch of chocolate and cacao, black cherries in the echo. The palate is packed with alcohol, with good fruit concentration and refreshing acidity. The wine shows concentrated black cherries profile, a touch of kirsch, chocolate, lots of herbals, a hint of liqourice. The finish is long and warming. A powerful style!

Score : 16/20 (92/100)

San Fabiano Calcinaia

Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2015

(Organic) The wine shows a deep ruby colour. The nose is dense and powerful, revealing notes of ripe, almost overripe cherries, kirsch, a touch of iron with a light animalistic note. The palate is juicy and concentrated with bold, drying tannins and a voluptuous body. The wine displays notes of dried and slightly bruised cherries, dried raspberry, nuances of macchia, withered herbs, rosemary and thyme. The finish is intense, mineral and fruity, with a pleasant bitter undertone in the echo. Score : 14.5+/20 (88/100)

Casa Sola

Chianti Classico Riserva 2017

The wine shows a bright ruby colour with a broad garnet rim. The nose is intensely fruity, offering notes of crunchy red cherries, dry cranberry, a touch of barberry, notes of cola, vanilla and sweet spices. The palate is gourmet, plush and pleasantly oaky. Juicy red and black cherries intertwine with nuances of cloves, vanilla, cinnamon, with a hint of eucalyptus in the background. The tannins are bold and drying but soft and well-managed. The finish spins out with notes of macchia and dried Mediterranean herbs. Good length.

Score : 15.25/20 (90/100)

Podere Le Cinciole

Chianti Classico 2018

The wine shows a medium-deep ruby colour with a brightening rim. The nose is dense and spicy, opening up with notes of black cherries, bramble, a hint of black pepper, bay leaf and cloves. The palate is elegant, a bit restrained, with bold, grippy tannins and a nice, balanced acidity. The wine shows some minerality and finesse supported by delicate notes of dried cherries, raspberry confit and nuances of rosemary and thyme. The finish is warming, drying with a touch of herbal bitterness. Score : 15.25/20 (90/100)

Castello di Querceto La Corte

Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2019

The wine shows a medium ruby colour with garnet reflections. The nose is dense and decadent with notes of incense, sweet spices, cloves, cinnamon with some notes of rose petals and red cherries in the echo. The palate is round and polished with a nice fruitiness and suavity, noble elegance and finesse. Notes of red and black cherries and strawberries are lifted up by savoury hints of dried herbs, a touch of sweet tobacco and liquorice. The tannins are muscular and grippy but well-managed and precise. Good persistence and a warming, enveloping finish. Score : 16/20 (92/100)