2023 Chianti Classico Brochure
Goedhuis Waddesdon
Beautiful, nuanced wines from the region’s top producers
Following a trip to visit various growers across Tuscany, we are delighted to bring you a selection of gorgeous Chianti Classicos from the region’s top producers.
Producers:
Querciabella
Badia a Passignano
Castello di Ama
Riecine
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Much has changed since Europe’s oldest wine appellation, Chianti, was first demarcated in 1716. The hackneyed image of cheap gluggable wines in straw baskets is so out of step with the revolution taking place, particularly within the Chianti Classico sub-region.
The beautiful rolling hills and ancient geologies of Chianti Classico produce multiple and diverse expressions of world-class Sangiovese. But Chianti Classico’s blessing is also its curse: its varied terroirs and nuanced wines can be difficult for the wine lover to navigate, not helped by decades of ill-defined labelling laws. The region is working hard to remedy this, and the recent introduction of 11 Chianti Classico subzones (known as UGAs) is the first step in a quest to guide consumers, creating new and more focused interest and helping better define a complex area.
These are exciting times for Chianti Classico. Its identity, whilst still in flux, is gradually becoming clearer for the consumer. For now, the wines continue to be criminally underrated in the mainstream but are starting to generate major interest. With a recent run of exceptional vintages and prices remaining incredibly accessible, there has never been a better time to put some Chianti Classico in your cellar.
In this brochure we have selected the best examples from a variety of Chianti Classico communes. To guide you in your purchases, we have prepared this informative brochure containing producer reviews and tasting notes, a glossary of terms specific to the region and an explanation of the various Chianti Classico communes.
Querciabella
Querciabella represents the pinnacle of complex, high altitude Chianti Classico.
Founded in 1974 by businessman and passionate oenophile Giuseppe (Pepito) Castiglioni and based near the town of Greve, this estate boasts vineyard parcels in four of Chianti Classico’s most esteemed sub-zones: Greve, Radda, Lamole and Gaiole. As well as producing Chianti Classico wines, the estate is also famous for being part of a radical but highly select group of producers in the 1980s to eschew Chianti Classico regulations to create one of Italy’s leading so-called ‘Super Tuscans’, Ca’Martina.
Querciabella is now in the hands of Pepito’s son Sebastiano who continues to innovate and push the boundaries. Guided by a solemn respect for nature and sustainability, the wines are vegan, organic, and biodynamic. Manfred Ing is the estate’s hugely talented and delightfully affable winemaker. With 14 vintages now under his belt, Manfred is fully ensconced at Querciabella and making some of the best wines in all of Tuscany characterised by their dazzling purity and effortless grace.
Chianti Classico 2019
£114.00 per 6 bottles IB | £156.04 per 6 bottles DP inc. VAT
True to the saying that ‘the whole is greater than the sum of its parts’, Manfred likes to blend parcels from four different communes in order to achieve his ideal Chianti Classico, combining the freshness and fragrance of his high-altitude vineyards in Greve, Radda and Lamole with the chalky minerality of Gaiole’s limestone-rich soils. The attention to detail here is just staggering, with the blend made up of 62 separate ferments, which brings incredible nuance to this 100% Sangiovese. Like us, Jancisrobinson.com’s Walter Speller admires its “Great polish and shine and fantastic crunchy tannins… A real beauty”. Chianti Classico is simply unbeatable value, and Querciabella’s 2019 is knockout. Drink 2023-2033.
Chianti Classico Riserva 2019
£190.00 per 6 bottles IB | £247.24 per 6 bottles DP inc. VAT
This 100% Sangiovese Riserva is made from predominantly Greve and Radda fruit, with a little bit of Gaiole. Each commune brings subtle nuances to the blend: Greve a racy, electric energy, Radda a vivid, textural intensity of fruit and Gaiole an irresistible saline minerality. The result is a Riserva that is regarded as one of the finest on the market. We were blown away by its crystalline purity and flawless balance and so was Antonio Galloni who calls it “a terrific wine”. Drink 2023-2035.
Chianti Gran Selezione 2018
£400.00 per 3 bottles IB | £489.61 per 3 bottles DP inc. VAT
Made from 100% Greve fruit with not a hint of new oak, this 2018 Gran Selezione captures the commune’s high-altitude terroir with incredible poise and precision. Fragrant and floral, its high-toned red fruit is seductively sweet, tinged with twists of tangy blood orange and mineral complexities. Long, supple and elegant, Walter Speller highlights it as one of the wines of the vintage. Drink 2023-2033.
Badia a Passignano Marchesi Antinori
Badia a Passignano is part of the famous Antinori portfolio, located just 3 kilometres south of their famous Tenuta Tignanello estate.
Named after the famous monastery that lies among the vineyards, Badia a Passignano sits within the San Donato in Poggio UGA. It is one of Chianti Classico’s most ancient winemaking areas. In fact, in 1983 a one-thousand-year-old vitis vinifera plant was discovered on the land surrounding the estate.
The estate produces a single wine, a Chianti Classico Gran Selezione produced exclusively from the finest Sangiovese grapes harvested from the monastery’s historic vineyards. Cared for by the winemaking team at Tignanello, vinification is carried out at Tignanello’s state of the art winery before being aged in the monastery’s historic 10th century cellars.
Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2020
£270.00 per 6 bottles IB | £343.24 per 6 bottles DP inc. VAT
This Gran Selezione demonstrates just how responsive the Sangiovese grape variety is to site. 100% Sangiovese, this 2020 is delightfully true of its San Donato in Poggio terroir, revealing the rich, darker fruited face so typical of this ancient commune. Aged in Hungarian oak barrels for 30 months, the 2020 is sumptuous with a wealth of dark, inky fruit that envelops the palate. Balsamic, clove and toboacco complexities give terrific nuance to the opulent fruit and creamy tannins. We love its long, luxurious finish.
Drink 2023-2035.
Castello di Ama
In the historic heart of Chianti Classico, Castello di Ama is one of the region’s leading properties. The success of this hillside estate located in the cool-climate commune of Gaiole lies with winemaker Marco Pallanti and Lorenza Sebasti, daughter of one of the original founders. In the last 35 years, they have elevated the wines to new levels of greatness. As Antonio Galloni puts it, they are “quite simply some of the most singular expressions of Chianti Classico readers will find”.
This estate has made a beautiful set of 2019s about which leading critic Antonio Galloni raves: “This set of releases from Lorenza Sebasti and Marco Pallanti is the most impressive I have ever tasted here. Pallanti has long coaxed notable intensity from these vineyards, but the 2019s add dimensions of freshness and energy that are simply breathtaking The wines are strong across the board, while the 2019 flagship wines - La Casuccia, Bellavista and L'Apparita - are off the charts great.”
Tasting with Lorenza we were seriously impressed. Complex, elegant and structured, the Castello di Ama wines are some of Chianti’s most exciting and this set of 2019s are particularly remarkable.
Castello di Ama Collector Case 2019
We are pleased to offer the estate’s Collector’s Case which contains two bottles of each of the estate’s flagship wines in the triumphant 2019 vintage: l'Apparita, and the two Chianti Classico Gran Seleziones, the Bellavista and the Casuccia.
£1,000.00 per 6 bottles IB | £1,219.24 inc VAT
Available for immediate delivery
L'Apparita 2019
100% Merlot, one of Italy’s great trailblazing wines. When it was first produced in 1985 it was Tuscany’s first ever pure-bred Merlot! A crown jewel of a cru, this tiny parcel at the top of the Bellavista vineyard. Galloni gives the 2019 98+ points and calls it “incredibly powerful”. Drink 2027-2040.
Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Bellavista 2019
The 2019 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigneto Bellavista soars out of the glass with breathtaking intensity in all of its dimensions. The aromatics alone are striking, but that's just the beginning. Rich and sumptuous on the palate, the 2019 is the most refined Bellavista I have ever tasted, and I have tasted them all. A healthy dollop of Malvasia Nera adds savory notes and a good deal of grip, while clean mineral nuances extend the finish. The tannins are especially polished, which they rarely are in a young Bellavista. Drink 2027-2044. 97 points. Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Casuccia 2019
The 2019 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigneto La Casuccia is stunning. What a wine! In this vintage, the aromatics are huge and expansive, a theme that comes through on the palate as well. Cedar, tobacco, dried leaves, incense and blood orange all race out of the glass. The 2019 is mind-blowing in its intensity, pedigree and overall balance. It's the wine of the vintage in Chianti Classico. Drink 2027-2044. 100 points. Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Riecine
Though Riecine's vineyard area dates from the 12th century when it was owned and managed by a monastery, the estate was not actually founded until 1971. A recent change in ownership and injection of investment, followed by the instalment of a young, very gifted winemaker in Alessandro Campatelli, have all played their part in helping Riecine become one of central Tuscany's leading wineries.
Classically styled yet produced using modern techniques, Riecine's wines are refined and superbly balanced. The vineyards, all certified organic, are located in the commune of Gaiole at 460-480 meters above sea level on a complex mosaic of limestone and clay. With its beautiful bite of acid freshness and crisp red fruit, Riecine’s Chianti Classico is unmistakably Gaiole, a devastatingly elegant study in terroir.
Chianti Classico 2021
£91.47 per 6 bottles IB | £129.00 per 6 bottles DP inc. VAT
Available for immediate delivery
This is a Chianti Classico that is always in our cellar and is opened and enjoyed on a very regular basis. The 2021 is a beautiful, elegant wine with swirls of bright red cherry fruit and delicate florals held by a crystalline acidity and soft, pliable tannins. We love its long saline finish. “This mid-weight, classy Chianti Classico is a winner”, says Antonio Galloni. We couldn’t agree more. Drink 2023-2028
Chianti Classico 2020
£81.47 per 6 bottles IB | £117.00 per 6 bottles DP inc. VAT
£129.94 per 3 magnums IB | £175.16 per 3 magnums DP inc. VAT
Available for immediate delivery
The sensational 2020 Chianti Classico from Riecine exudes vibrant red cherry and cranberry flavours. This rounded, vibrant beauty oozes stacks of personality and appeal and is the perfect red to savour and enjoy across every season. The 2020 shows the consistent high level of quality and consistency of Riecine’s Chianti Classico: it is quite simply in a class of its own. Always a huge hit with the critics, Antonio Galloni says, “The 2020 is beautifully done”. Drink 2022-2026.
Deciphering Chianti Classico | A few technical terms
IGT
Standing for Indicazione Geografica Tipica, the IGT category was created in 1992, as a way of providing a tier for quality wines that don’t meet the regulations for DOC or DOCG. Historically, Chianti Classico DOCG stipulations were restrictive and could negatively impact quality. Therefore, some of Chianti’s top wines were labelled IGT, including Cepparello, Tignanello and Flaccianello. They proudly keep their IGT status today but could technically be labelled as Chianti Classico under modern regulations.
Chianti DOCG vs Chianti Classico DOCG
Chianti Classico DOCG is not to be confused with Chianti DOCG, a much larger zone covering swathes of central Tuscany. Chianti Classico DOCG is a small sub zone made up of high-quality vineyards and is considered the highest-quality offering for Chianti.
For a wine to be labelled as Chianti Classico, it must be a minimum 80% Sangiovese, though in practice most wines are about 90%. Other grapes such as native Canaiolo Nero and Colorino, and international grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are also permitted to be blended with Sangiovese.
Chianti Classico Riserva
For a wine to be labelled as Chianti Classico Riserva, it must be aged for just over two years in barrel plus an additional three months in bottle.
Gran Selezione
Introduced in 2013 as an even higher category of quality than the riserva, Gran Selezione wines must be made from estate-gown grapes and aged for 30 months. As of last year, Gran Selezione wines are the first to bear the name of the subzone (the UGA) on the label. The hope is that one day, the UGA will apply to all wine labels, not just the Gran Seleziones.
Unità Geografiche Aggiuntive | UGAs
The UGAs are the 11 Chianti Classico sub-zones that were introduced by the Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico in 2022. They are Chianti Classico’s 11 ancient communes, and the name can now appear on the label of the estate’s Gran Selezione wine.
San Casciano
Located in the far northwest of Chianti Classico, the warmer, lower elevation vineyards of San Casciano sit on ancient alluvial soils that have a reddish brown colour. Home to Antinori's Tignanello, the wines are defined by their muscularity and sumptuous richness.
Greve
Cool-climate, hilly vineyards rooted on the famous clay-schist galestro soils give wines that burst with freshness and crisp red fruit. The wines are known to have good ageing potential thanks to their elegant structure.
Montefioralle
Mostly sandstone (pietraforte) and clay-limestone (albarese) soils with elevations reaching up to 500 metres, the wines from Montefioralle are often some of the most approachable in their youth and tend to have more high-toned red fruit.
Panzano
In the heart of Chianti Classico, Panzano is made up of two main slopes on the famous amphitheatre, the ‘Conca d’Oro’ (the so-called ‘golden basin’). Predominantly galestro soils, the wines from Panzono typically show impressive structure, muscle and ageing potential.
Lamole
The very high altitude vineyards in Lamole (500+ metres) all face east, and have soils rich in sandstone (macigno toscano). This UGA produces floral, lifted and elegant wines that are generally lighter-bodied.
Radda
Home to some of Chianti Classico’s highest vineyards, up to 600 metres, Radda has a varied mix of soils, producing cool climate wines with perfume and lift. Organic production is particularly popular in this commune with 63% of all growers certified organic.
San Donato in Poggio
Located on the western side, this commune benefits from cooling Mediterranean Sea breezes. The high presence of marine sediments in the soils here give the wines a saline character and openness, as well as a juicy, floral note.
Castellina
One of the warmest and largest UGAs, as well as one of the original Chianti Classico districts. With a variety of vineyard elevations and soils, wines from Castellina range from being nervy and vibrant to more generous and fuller-bodied.
Gaiole
Carpeted in dense woodland at a relatively high altitude, Gaiole is a large and rather varied subzone producing a range of styles. However, with a high concentration of limestone alberese soils, the wines tend to have a tell-tale chalky minerality and crispness. Producers such as Castello di Ama and Riecine make long-lived, complex wines from this commune.
Castelnuovo Berardenga
Located in the southernmost part of Chianti Classico, this UGA’s wide open valleys are separated into two distinct areas that on a map look like the wings of a butterfly: the northern vineyards are mainly sand and sandstone while the south is a mixed of limestone-based alberese and galestro. The wines have a ripe, sun-kissed fruit profile and luxurious richness.
Vagliagli
Southwest of Gaiole, in the most southerly reaches of Chianti Classico, Vagliagli is technically part of the larger Castelnuovo Berardenga commune. It is the left butterfly wing when you look at the map. Geologically nuanced and generally warmer than Castelnuovo Berardenga, the wines here are less tannic with notable sweetness of fruit.
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