Both 2023 and 2024 had their challenges for winemakers, but that doesn’t mean these vintages are void of great value-for-money wines.

This year’s value picks focus on chillable, quaffable annatas rather than bottles which rise above their station.

But as a reminder that Chianti Classico offers amazing value throughout its ranks, in addition to the entry-level annatas I've also included one Riserva and one Gran Selezione that won’t break the bank.

Related articles

With a young generation embracing it, and historical estates continuing to defend it, Chianti Classico Riserva remains resilient to the vagaries of vintage, climate and trends.

Even as former Riservas continue to be upgraded to Gran Selezione, Chianti Classico's middle tier is still seeing its share of new wines.

Sofia Ricasoli, who represents the 33rd generation of the region’s most legendary wine family, has chosen Riserva for her one and only Chianti Classico made under her own label.

‘It’s a more historical category than Gran Selezione’, she rationalises. Launched with the 2021 vintage, Innesto means ‘graft’ and references a return to her deep roots after studying and practising law, while at the same time looks toward the future.

Challenges aplenty

Aware but undeterred by the myriad of challenges facing the wine industry today, Ricasoli asserts, ‘The greatest is climate change – more so than market or economic conditions.’

Indeed, climate challenges were front and centre in 2023, with a significant reduction in quantities due to peronospora (downy mildew), hail and drought.

After losing 80% at his Monte Bernardi estate, Michael Schmeltzer essentially folded what are typically three separate bottlings into a single soulful Riserva. Other estates didn’t bottle a Riserva at all.

The Riserva 2023s that were bottled reveal some issues managing ripeness and volatile acidity. Several examples were already fully evolved, contradicting the spirit of the category.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, my top picks come from the region’s cooler pockets: Castello di Querceto in the upper reaches of Greve, Castello di Volpaia in the fresh, forested subdistrict of Radda, and Castellaccio’s Lama dei Cortacci above the hamlet of Lamole at a lofty 700 metres.

I would recommend drinking these over the next five to eight years. San Giusto a Rentennano’s reliably excellent Le Baròncole is an exception and needs more time in bottle.

Chianti Classico's up-and-comers

Read the rest of Michaela's Chianti Classico analysis:

2022 and other late releases

2022 is shaping up to be a far more consistent vintage than 2023. Revisiting some 2022s released last year alongside some 2022s debuting this year reveals a highly successful cohort.

Combining density with grip and zip, they offer a solid decade of drinking potential. Among this year's releases, L'Erta di Radda and Val delle Corti are highlights, while Podere Ferrale is yet another promising new name.

Meanwhile, the category's stalwarts continue to live up to their formidable reputations, highlighted by Castello di Monsanto’s vivacious 2022, Badia a Coltibuono’s refined 2021, and Castell’in Villa’s intricate, age-worthy 2020.

Michaela's pick of Chianti Classico Riserva

Related articles

Elevated from Riserva to Gran Selezione for the 2023 vintage, Maurizio Alongi’s standout Vigna Barbischio proudly touts the UGA (Unità Geografiche Aggiuntive) of Gaiole – one of eight subzones now permitted on Gran Selezione labels.

Similarly, Cigliano di Sopra has debuted its first ever Gran Selezione, from a single vineyard in San Casciano planted in 2016.

Maddalena Fucile admits that it’s unusual to declare this lofty status for fledging vines – for context, the estate’s Riserva features 50-year-old plantings.

‘If a vineyard is born with the right stuff, it can be a Gran Selezione even from its youth,’ she reasons.

I was also charmed by Il Poggiolino’s resinous Le Balze and Poggio al Sole’s glossy Casasilia. Both hail from San Donato in Poggio and offer satisfying drinking over the next decade.

As the majority of 2023 Gran Seleziones won’t be released until at least next year, I will reserve final judgement for now – however, several estates including Tregole and Castello di Ama have already indicated that they will skip the vintage for their Gran Selezione.

And while Rocca delle Macìe did produce its Fizzano Il Crocino label, the family chose to use the fruit from their prized plot usually destined for their flagship Sergio Zingarelli bottling in the Riserva instead.

2022 and 2021: Perfect scores and changing rules

The 2022 and 2021 Gran Selezione releases cast a brilliant spotlight on the classification, offering cellarworthy gems promising 10 to 15 years of evolution.

Notably, Castello di Ama’s magnificent Bellavista 2022 earns the distinction of receiving my first ever 100-point score for a Chianti Classico.

Enjoy its longstanding signature blend of 80% Sangiovese and 20% Malvasia Nera while it lasts, as it will soon be tweaked to conform with revised regulations due to come into effect for the 2027 vintage, which stipulate a minimum of 90% Sangiovese.

Furthermore, because the updated protocol for Gran Selezione will prohibit Merlot altogether, the estate has withdrawn its La Casuccia bottling from the Chianti Classico denomination as of the 2022 vintage.

An 80/20 blend of Sangiovese and Merlot, it is now labelled as a Toscana IGT.

Marco Pallanti, who launched the wine in 1985 and was instrumental in establishing the Gran Selezione category, expresses regret.

‘I have always believed that the best wines of the zone should be Chianti Classico,’ he states. While a loss for the denomination, La Casuccia will find itself in good company among the region’s exceptional Super Tuscans.

The majority of Gran Seleziones today are made exclusively from Sangiovese, having been conceived relatively recently or evolved with foresight of the category’s direction.

Castello di Fonterutoli’s Badiòla is one such example, and rings out in 2022 as a clear reference point for Radda’s cool, radiant and racy profile.

Expanding horizons & new projects

Fully embracing the UGA endeavour, Antinori’s new trio of Gran Selezione from San Casciano, Castellina and Gaiole shine for the second consecutive year.

In other news, the company announced that it has taken over management of Castello di Cacchiano, a historic property once part of the original Ricasoli empire. Expect a facelift there.

With the 2022 vintage, Fèlsina marks its 60th anniversary. Throughout this time, the Poggiali family have been steadfast champions of Sangiovese.

Their Colonia wonderfully captures the wild, earthy sunbaked allure of Castelnuovo Berardegna.

From the same UGA, San Felice’s second vintage of La Pieve combines structural and fruit richness in an approachable package.

Now under the direction of Carlo De Biasi, San Felice is embracing regenerative agriculture. Through the LIFE VitiCaSe project, they have established four pilot vineyards, in collaboration with Castello di Albola and Tenute Ruffino, serving as an educational hub for improving soil health and increasing carbon capture capacity.

Other noteworthy nascent Gran Selezione bottlings from 2022 include Castello di Gabbiano’s Vigneto Cerbaiola, sourced from a single parcel in San Donato in Poggio, and Pomona’s Vigna del Termine.

The latter will eventually bear the UGA of Vagliagli – one of three additional subzones permitted from 2027.

Don't forget the 2022s

Not to be outdone by the 2022s, the late-release 2021s offer as much pleasure as cellaring potential.

Among my personal highlights, Castagnoli’s transportive Salita and Nardi’s effusive Vigna del Pino both wave the flag for the Castellina UGA.

Built for the long term, Castello di Monsanto’s celebrated Vigna Poggio from San Donato in Poggio is outstanding. Likewise, Panzano-based Le Cinciole comes out with its best ever vintage of Aluigi.

Finally, after years in the making, Querciabella has released three new Gran Selezione representing Greve, Radda and – another UGA-in-waiting – Lamole.

‘This was Sebastiano’s dream,’ says long-time winemaker Manfred Ing. However, Sebastiano Cossia Castiglioni ceded ownership of the winery to his sister Mita Castiglioni and her son Andrea before seeing the project reach fruition.

The wines are a stunning testament to his legacy, with the Radda bottling getting my top vote.

Ultimately, no single subzone triumphs above the others. Instead, the exciting and diverse wines emanating from across the region serve to reinforce the UGA project, cementing the ongoing commitment of Chianti Classico's top estates to the Gran Selezione category.

Read the rest of Michaela's Chianti Classico analysis:

Michaela's top Gran Selezione released this year

Gran Selezione: Best of the rest

Related articles

Old-school or contemporary? Chianti Classico’s wineries argue that 2024 is both.

‘They recall the Chianti Classicos produced in vintages of yesteryear,’ says Monteraponi’s Alessandra Deiana, who describes them as elegant, fine boned and lively.

At the same time, wineries are hopeful that these chillable, chuggable reds will appeal to today’s tastes. ‘It’s what wine drinkers are looking for now’, asserts Paolo Paffi at Casa Emma.

What is the 2024 style?

Stylistically, the 2024 Chianti Classico annatas are slender and frisky, with modest alcohols typically hovering between 12-13%.

Quality, however, is mixed. Those that shone are vivacious, agile and refreshing, exhibiting lovely perfumes and extraordinary lightness with satisfying flavour.

Some are less charming, even a bit angular, while the weakest examples reveal lean and diluted wines with green, unripe tannins.

Embodying the beauty of 2024, Badia a Coltibuono is my top annata. Other highlights include Monteraponi, Jurij Fiore & Figlia’s unoaked Sonocosì, and Principe Corsini’s Villa Le Corti for value.

Viticcio spent less time in wood to allow for an earlier release and is all the better for it. Both San Giusto a Rentennano and Poggerino show a bit more density and structure relative to their counterparts without forsaking the identity of the vintage.

While the annata category is often a treasure trove of wines that overdeliver, this is less prevalent in 2024. Even so, most sit comfortably and modishly within their station.

I am less inclined to put away a few bottles ‘for science’ as I often do; instead, it is a vintage for immediate and uninhibited drinking.

For those – like me – who love lithe sprightly reds, the vintage’s successes are worth buying. Who knows when a profile like 2024 will come around again?

Clinging on to organics

Chianti Classico 2024: Vintage in depth

The 2024 vintage of Chianti Classico is certainly unlike any other in the last decade. A wet spring, followed by the dry and progressively hot summer somewhat resembled 2023.

September and October, however, were marked by cool temperatures and unremitting rain, the likes of which growers had not seen in years.

‘That extended ripening cycle gave us lower alcohol, brighter acidity, and a freshness and luminosity in the wines that I find genuinely exciting,’ raves Roberto Stucchi at Badia a Coltibuono.

While many echo his enthusiasm, others are less convinced. Matteo Buccerelli at Antico Podere Casanova decided against bottling a Chianti Classico altogether, claiming that the wine is ‘too thin’.

By all accounts, the growing season was gruelling. The wet spring brought high disease pressure, and after devastating losses to peronospora (downy mildew) in 2023, agronomist teams were extra vigilant about staying on top of spraying.

The vines rebounded from the low yields of 2023 with a bumper crop. The Chianti Classico consorzio reports a total production of 305,000 hectolitres in 2024, which is 50% more than 2023, and the highest since 2019.

At San Giusto a Rentennano, Luca Martini di Cigala says that green harvesting was ‘fundamental’ to achieving full ripeness.

He dropped 25-30% of bunches between July and August, and another 10-12% at the beginning of September. ‘Too often, grape thinning is done too late or not at all,’ he emphasises.

The heavy loads were exacerbated by the rain in September, which plumped up berries and slowed ripening, particularly in areas with less sun exposure. The once common practice of deleafing became vital again.

According to several growers, achieving phenolic ripeness was a challenge, especially in vineyards where the summer heat had blocked photosynthesis. However, waiting for ripeness increased the risk of rot.

The long and onerous harvest lasted well into October and required multiple passages in between downpours.

Thin, delicate skins demanded gentle vinifications. Winemakers cited everything from less pumping over, avoiding punching down and shorter macerations.

The latter was also due to logistics, as there were just so many grapes to vinify – estates scrambled to get their hands on more vats to deal with the surfeit.

‘2024 was undoubtedly difficult to manage, and costlier compared to other years,’ says Angela Fronti at Istine. ‘Nevertheless, it was highly rewarding in the end.’

Read the rest of Michaela's Chianti Classico analysis:

Late release – A look at the 2023s

Michaela's pick of Chianti Classico 2024 (& late releases)

Related articles

Michelle Cherutti-Kowal MW, Jason Millar and Stefan Neumann MS tasted 77 wines, with 5 Outstanding and 22 Highly recommended

Unoaked Italian reds: Panel tasting scores

77 wines tasted

Exceptional 0

Outstanding 5

Highly recommended 22

Recommended 45

Commended 5

Fair 0

Entry criteria: producers and UK agents were invited to submit red wines of any vintage from anywhere in Italy, made from grape varieties indigenous to the region of production, either 100% varietal or in a blend containing a minimum 85% of indigenous varieties; no vinification or ageing in oak of any type was permitted

Eschewing the oak

Wooden barrels have been used in the wine industry since Roman times, with producers commonly making use of local woods such as acacia, pine or chestnut.

Over time, oak became the preferred material due to its tight grain and abundance across Europe.

As winemakers recognised its positive influence on tannins and flavours, oak gained dominance in today’s wine industry.

Ripe black fruit flavours mixed with smoky (oak-derived) vanilla equals enjoyable drinking experiences for most consumers.

In the production of reds, winemakers use oak barrels or chips to add flavour and complexity, and to help soften tannins, which begs the question: don’t all red wines have oak?

There are more unoaked red wines made than we might initially realise; often they’re simpler, fruitier wines intended to be drunk young – Beaujolais and young Rioja being notable examples.

Yet no other country has more of an association with unoaked red wines than Italy.

The decision to not use oak is based on the desire to preserve the pure expression of a grape variety, to highlight regional terroir, or to create a fresher, more fruit-driven style.

Vessels such as stainless steel, concrete vats and clay amphorae allow for minimal intervention, letting inherent flavours shine – ‘wines without lipstick’ is how Jason Millar described these wines; completely exposed, without any beautification.

‘Wines that bring an element of joy to the drinker’

For this tasting, 17 of Italy’s 20 regions were represented. Piedmont, Tuscany and Sicily topped the list in terms of entries.

Sangiovese was the most popular variety, followed by Barbera – understandable, given that they’re two of Italy’s most planted varieties.

The main discussion among the judges was whether an unoaked wine could be more than simple and fruity. Could it be complex and have the ‘wow factor’?

The top achievers were simple but also concentrated and delicious expressions – ‘wines that bring an element of joy to the drinker’, according to Stefan Neumann MS.

Ultimately, our question was answered.

Without oak, these wines were capable of expressing purity and a true sense of place. And they certainly had that wow factor!

What to eat with unoaked Italian reds, by Fiona Beckett

So varied are these wines in terms of region and grape variety that it’s difficult to make a generalisation about wine matching, other than to focus on what kind of food unoaked Italian wines might successfully pair with in comparison with oaked wines.

By and large they’re younger, lower in alcohol and less expensive than their oaked counterparts – more for everyday or at least relaxed weekend drinking than fine dining.

In regions such as Tuscany, where red wine is predominantly an unoaked wine, it often takes the place of a white – the go-to with a homely chickpea and rosemary soup, for example, or a simple plate of pasta before moving on to a more serious wine with the meat.

Pizza is another obvious option, which isn’t to diminish these wines – it’s an underrated foil for a simple, well-made red.

With their typically pronounced acidity, unoaked reds are a natural match for salumi and, perhaps less obviously, for fish. There’s no reason why you can’t drink a light Sicilian red such as Frappato with pasta con le sarde (with sardines), for instance, or a Bardolino with some garlicky grilled prawns.

See all notes and scores from the unoaked Italian reds tasting

The judges

Unoaked Italian reds panel tasting results:

Wines were tasted blind

Related articles

2026 is a great opportunity to venture beyond Montalcino’s best-known names and take a chance on lesser-known properties.

Well stacked with fleshy fruit, ripe girdling tannins and bolstering acidity, the newly released 2021 Brunellos deliver across the entire gamut of price points – you really don’t need to pay top dollar to experience the true pleasure of the vintage.

But if you do want to spend a little bit more, the superstar estates’ classic bottlings are well worth considering too, as many rise to the quality level of their higher-priced vineyard-selection stablemates.

Those from Le Ragnaie, Casanova di Neri and Canalicchio di Sopra over-deliver to such an extent that they more than merit the extra splurge.

‘You really don’t need to pay top dollar to experience the true pleasure of the vintage’.

Perennial picks

Perennial value picks from the region’s southwest include Castelgiocondo and Il Poggione, with Col d’Orcia boasting a particularly impressive showing. Other trusty houses like Talenti and Val di Suga show the elegant side of the vintage.

Castelgiocondo

One of the most widely available Brunellos out there, Castelgiocondo is as satisfying as it is dependable.

Col d’Orcia

Not just a perennial value but a serial over-achiever, with 2021 upping the ante on complexity and ageability. My top value pick.

Il Poggione

Emblematic of the vintage, Il Poggione turns up the volume with heady scents, sumptuous fruit and plush, layered tannins.

Emerging talents

Off the beaten track, I can highly recommend buying the Brunello 2021s from emerging talents like Caprili, La Palazzetta and Patrizia Cencioni – before they become the next icons.

Caprili

With no AdAlberto Riserva on the cards for 2021, this annata bottling incorporates the best of Caprili in 2021.

La Palazzetta

An up-and-coming property, La Palezzetta’s star continues to rise. Best to check it out before prices follow.

Patrizia Cencioni

With equal parts zest, chew and personality, this should charm on any occasion during its decade-plus lifespan.

More smart picks

Canalicchio di Sopra

Once again, Canalicchio’s ‘classic’ Brunello stands shoulder-to-shoulder in quality with the estate’s cru bottlings, while being easier on the wallet.

Carpineto

Possesses plenty of structure and stuffing for ageing – and for the price – making it a smart buy for the cellar.

Talenti

Poised to satiate those seeking elegance, fragrance and immediate gratification.

Val di Suga

One of the vintage’s lighter, finer-framed examples, while still delivering Brunello depth and tension.

Brunello di Montalcino 2021: Michaela’s top value picks

Related articles

• Two of Italy’s superstar wine estates launched their new vintages last week – read our editor’s opinion
• Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2023 in bottle: A first look at a powerful vintage of great potential
• Willamette Valley 2023 vintage report: 20 of the year’s most polished and precocious Pinot Noirs

To make a Riserva, or not to make a Riserva was the question in 2020.

With lower quantities overall and good rather than outstanding quality, the vintage was not an obvious contender in my opinion, especially given the character of the wines.

This isn’t to say that the 2020 Brunello Riserva are without merit.

Some I liked very much, though not necessarily more than their annata counterparts. Indeed, they are surprisingly fresh, fragrant and seductive.

It is the immediate accessibility, modest depth of fruit and gracious structure that made me question the potential for the Riserva category.

Split down the middle

When I polled producers last year, they were split almost equally down the middle. Those for, were enthusiastic; those not, were categorically against.

‘I consider 2020 a vintage for long ageing due to the quality of tannins and freshness,’ asserts Daniela Perino at Fuligni, whose Riserva bottling for the wine’s 50th anniversary was truly merited.

For Il Poggione, the Bindocci family was convinced by the balance of structure and elegance that their old-vine Riserva cru Vigna Paganelli demonstrated. Based on the wine, it is impossible to argue with their decision.

Conversely, Katia Nussbaum at San Polino replied with a capital ‘NO’.

Without denigrating the vintage for Brunello, she explained that it didn’t satisfy either of her criteria for Riserva: ‘greatness beyond compare, or mythology’.

She means of the latter a wine with a compelling narrative – like her unbelievable 2017 Riserva, for example.

A matter of taste

Approximately 50 Riservas were available for preview – about half as many as the 2019s last year.

As a set, they magnify the heterogeneity of the 2020 vintage and the diversity of estate philosophies.

In less successful examples, the vintage’s freshness is lost, without sufficient depth or intrigue to replace it. A number are already oxidised, making me seriously question their ageing potential.

Most of the 2020 Riserva are overshadowed by Le Chiuse and Biondi-Santi’s stellar late-release Riservas – 2016 and 2019 respectively – but my top two picks come from the 2020 vintage, from opposite sides of the region characterised by very different terroirs.

Winemaker Leonardo Berti chose to take Poggio di Sotto’s Riserva out of cask after just 36 months to preserve its freshness and fragrance.

Longer, he explains ‘would have compromised the drinkability of this vintage and robbed it of an essential part of its identity.’

Conversely, Il Marroneto’s Riserva saw a full 54 months in wood. ‘I always try to let the wine be perfect using the barrel, not the bottle’, describes Iacopo Mori.

Affectionally nicknamed ‘The Monster’, one particular cask of Madonna delle Grazie revealed a singularity throughout the entire refinement process and the family couldn’t help but bottle it separately.

It is the estate’s second-ever Riserva (the first was the 2013) – and one of the very few 100-point ratings I have ever awarded.

Brunello Riserva: Top buys

2020 is not a vintage I would categorically recommend paying the extra money for Riserva. However, a few are well worth seeking out.

Of the 20 I chose to recommend (plus late releases from Biondi Santi and Le Chiuse), most are ready or almost ready. In general, 10 to 12 years is a safe drinking bet. Just a small handful really demand more time – such as Conti Costanti, Caprili’s AdAlberto, and Lisini.

Related articles

• Brunello di Montalcino Vintage Report: The best of the ‘intense’ new 2021 wines
• Sassicaia and Ornellaia launched their new vintages last week – here’s our expert opinion
• Seven north Italian wine trends to brighten up your tastebuds in 2026

With its 14th century fortress and landmark clock tower, the walled medieval town of Montalcino has altered little over the two decades I’ve been roaming its cobblestone streets. Its wine scene, on the other hand, continues to evolve.

Recent changes include an increased allowance for Rosso di Montalcino production and the abolishment of the consorzio’s five-star rating system for Brunello. Most exciting, though, is the rise of a new generation at both historic and younger estates.

These fresh faces are crucial for keeping one of Italy’s benchmark red wines relevant, and they are behind some of my favourite picks from the just-released 2021 vintage.

I visited Montalcino in early September that year. By then, the figurative dust and anxiety surrounding the spring frost had long since settled. The vines had survived the dry, hot summer thanks to a couple of downpours late in the season.

As the sun beat down during my vineyard visits, it still felt like the height of summer – that is, until dusk fell. Those chilly nights fuelled the palpable sense of optimism for the imminent harvest.

2021: Vintage character

Three key elements of the growing season shaped the character of the wines in 2021. First, early April frost resulted in losses upwards of 50% in some pockets. For luckier growers, it simply served as a ‘natural green harvest’.

Next, the summer was hot though not torrid, but more significantly, the lack of precipitation was second only to 2003. Yet as vines were carrying a lighter load, water stress was curbed, particularly with rain arriving just in the nick of time.

The resulting grapes were small and concentrated. Finally, marked diurnal temperatures differences leading up to harvest helped to preserve beautiful acidity and encouraged complex aroma and flavour development.

Over four years later, with wines now in bottle and set for release, producers’ early enthusiasm has developed into widespread appreciation. ‘2021 has the precision of 2016 with the concentration of 2019,’ declares Argiano’s Bernardino Sani. ‘The only risk was to over-concentrate.’

Le Chiuse’s Lorenzo Magnelli concurs. ‘With small berries and lots of skins, it was important to have a light hand to preserve elegance’. For the first time ever, he trialled a ‘reverse saignée’, essentially removing the top 10-centimetre layer of the cap to balance out the ratio with the juice.

2021 was a particularly difficult year for Cupano. Shortly after its vineyards were decimated by frost, owner Lionel Cousin passed away. Nevertheless, his right hand, Andrea Polidoro called it a beautiful vintage. ‘It shows how Sangiovese can taste in a warm, dry year with lots of fruit and energy – which was lacking in 2020.’

He likens it to 2013 but with more layers.

Divergent opinions

At the neighbouring Camigliano estate, winemaker Sergio Cantini recalls a similar frost in 2001, but describes the wines’ character as comparable to 2015. ‘2021 has more finesse of structure though’, he specifies. I tend to agree.

Rising star Tommaso Squarcia at Castello Tricerchi is less bullish. ‘I have to be honest, everyone thinks 2021 is a legendary vintage,’ he states. ‘It is good, but not legendary.’ Between the frost and drought, he points out the similarities with 2017, though admits that 2021 wasn’t as hot.

‘I am happy with our 2021s because they are fresh’, he says, adding that he believes 2022 will be better.

As always, the divergent opinions and experiences reflect Montalcino’s diversity. This has finally been captured by the first-ever vineyard map depicting the heterogenous altitude, exposure and situation of every plot.

The consorzio-led initiative is accompanied by a significant increase of weather stations to give a more comprehensive overview of the growing year while generating more precise data about each specific pocket of vineyards. It should also provide a useful tool for producers as they continue to confront the vagaries of climate.

New faces; New challenges

Movers and shakers

Overall, estates’ classic Brunellos are almost every bit as good as their ‘selection’ counterparts in 2021, even while the latter continues to increase in number. An alternative to Riserva, these selection bottlings typically come from single vineyards, offering a site-specific expression.

Campogiovanni takes this concept to its extreme with its micro-parcel P#327 label. The second release, its 2021 is notable for its energy and tension.

In the case of Lisini’s promising new wine, Poggio Severo is a direct response to the changing climate. ‘After witnessing vines at lower elevations suffering in the increasingly hot and dry summers, we wanted to explore higher elevations,’ explains Ludovica Lisini.

The tiny estate of L’Aietta is an exciting new discovery for me. Here, Francesco Mulinari’s miniscule ‘Alberelli’ bottling (first made in 2019) hails from his original plot of bush vines.

Once traditional in the region, bush vines (also known as alberello) are making a minor comeback. While prized for their resilience in drought conditions, Mulinari points out the drawback: ‘Low hanging fruit makes it easier for even the smallest wild boar to eat’.

Addressing both climate and younger drinkers, Santiago Cinzano Marone from Col d’Orcia unveiled his CMC Lot 1 with the 2019 vintage last year. With the unpredictable weather, he observed that the same single plot does not necessarily excel each vintage.

As such, he defines the project as an itinerant cru. As for the style, ‘it is round rather than austere, made for my generation’, he describes. The 2020 is among a handful of solid late releases included in my recommendations.

Similarly, Giodo has introduced a new label called Prètto. Thirty-five-year-old Bianca Ferrini works with her father Carlo to select lots that exhibit the most immediacy, approachability and vibrancy. It will sell for approximately half the price of the winery’s flagship Brunello.

New labels

Finally, Montalcino also welcomes a couple of new brands. With the 2020 vintage, the Cecchi family launched Aminta, featuring the young Giulia Cecchi at the helm. There has also been much hype around the boutique JG Benda label. 2021 represents the first vintage of Brunello, though the estate declined to provide samples to journalists given the limited quantity.

The vintage reveals no shortage of up and comers. Besides Castello Tricerchi, I was charmed by Valeria Vittori’s lovely wines at Molino di Sant’Antimo in Montalcino’s southeastern extreme.

And nearby La Palazzetta continues to show promise with second-generation winemaker Luca Fanti. I am also keeping an eye on Ruffino’s Greppone Mazzi estate, under the guidance of Alberto Stella since 2024, and Mastrojanni, where Giulia Harri has presided since 2022 – the same year she was awarded Best Young Italian Winemaker by Italian magazine Vinoway.

On the outgoing side, longtime winemaker Cecilia Leoneschi recently announced her departure from Castiglion del Bosco. And after over two decades managing Castello Banfi, Enrico Viglierchio has left for a similar role with Alejandro Bulgheroni Family Vineyards, whose Montalcino properties include Podere Brizio and Poggio Landi.

Brunello 2021: Who is it for?

While some examples will be ready to divulge their charms immediately, others will require more time for simmering nuances to bubble to the surface – or in some cases for their power and exuberance to temper. I am more confident in the ageing potential of 2021 than I was with 2020 and currently suggest a window of 10 to 15-plus years.

Top names like Canalicchio di Sopra, Le Chiuse, Le Potazzine, Poggio di Sotto and Salvioni shine in 2021. Le Ragnaie’s Casanovina Montosoli and Pieve Santa Restituta’s Sugarille vie for the vintage’s top wine along with Il Marroneto’s classic Brunello. The latter is the absolute epitome of 2021’s elegant side.

Other wines built along graceful lines are Castello Romitorio, Tassi’s Giuseppe Tassi, Talenti and Val di Suga. For more opulent examples, seek out Camgliano’s Paesaggio Inatteso, Fattoi, La Fiorita, and Argiano’s Vigna del Suolo. Meanwhile, Pietroso and Uccelliera are among the vintage’s brawnier specimens.

As such, 2021 is a vintage that will satisfy the hedonist looking to dive right in as well as the collector who revels in future rewards. In either case, the wines will deliver plenty of bang for the buck.

However – as always – buyers are well advised to read the fine print (aka the reviews), rather than react recklessly to the scores to ensure that their purchases correspond to personal tastes.

Brunello di Montalcino 2021: Michaela’s top picks

All the scores

Related articles

• Two of Italy’s superstar wine estates launched their new vintages last week – read our editor’s opinion
• Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2023 in bottle: A first look at a powerful vintage of great potential
• Willamette Valley 2023 vintage report: 20 of the year’s most polished and precocious Pinot Noirs

In advance of Decanter‘s full report on the new 2021 vintage of Brunello di Montalcino – coming to Decanter Premium in February – I want to provide a brief overview of what Sangiovese fans can look forward to this year – and the wines which impressed me the most.

An event held last November, the 34th edition of ‘Benvenuto Brunello’, brought together preview samples of Brunello di Montalcino 2021, Brunello Riserva 2020, and Rosso di Montalcino reds (2022 and 2023 vintages) from 123 wineries.

To some extent, the 2021 vintage of Brunello di Montalcino surprises with structured yet weightless wines. Furthermore, to the delight of those who love the typicality and character of Brunello expressed with greater immediacy and finesse, the 2021s are ready to be enjoyed now.

Brunello di Montalcino: Factbox

Brunello di Montalcino is Tuscany’s Sangiovese in purezza – while Chianti Classico and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano typically blend Sangiovese with other varieties, both local and international, Brunello’s production regulations stipulate 100% Sangiovese. The local clone of the variety is Sangiovese Grosso, aka ‘Brunello’.

Grape: 100% Sangiovese

Ageing: Minimum four years (five years for Riserva), two of which must be in wood.

Surface area: 24,000 hectares, 15% of which is under vine

Denomination: DOC since 1966; in 1980 it became one of Italy’s first DOCGs (along with Barolo and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano).

‘A symphony of fragrant aromas’

An expressive vintage, 2021 has an immediate charm. The well defined, perfectly ripe fruit, not being excessively covered by oak, opens in a symphony of fragrant aromas.

The human hand proved vital, as ever, and the attention paid to the vineyards was reflected in the wines, with a decidedly high overall level.

Overall, structures are clearly defined, tannins are firm but well integrated and, in many examples, a compact texture supports vibrant energy and freshness throughout.

Compared to the previous vintage, wines from right across the Montalcino viticultural area have shone in 2021.

Below is a small selection of wines to look out for, including some lesser-known producers as well as top names.

Alessandra’s pick of 2021 Brunellos to look out for:

Italy newsletter: Sign up today

Make sure you don’t miss our complete Brunello di Montalcino 2021 analysis: sign up to our monthly Italy newsletter for free today and stay up-to-date with the latest in Italian wine.

Related articles

• Wines of the Year 2025: Italy
• What’s hot on Sicily? Our editor’s 2025 guide
• Three Barolo producers having a breakout moment

Romagna has shared Sangiovese with Tuscany for centuries.

Which region cultivated it first is open to conjecture, but the most likely hypothesis is that it was first grown in the Appenine slopes of the Romagna Toscana, an area culturally and linguistically Romagnola but which was under the rule of Florence from the Middle Ages until the 1920s.

From here, it spread west into neighbouring Chianti and southeast into the hills of Romagna. As it travelled, it took different paths, starting with the name.

In Romagna the first written reference, dated to 1651, is to ‘Sanzuvesa’, subsequently Italianised into the modern day ‘Sangiovese’ [Quoted in Sangiorgi e Zinzani, Romagna Sangiovese, Storia e Identità di un Famoso Vino e di un Antico Vitigno (Valfrido ed. 2017) p.12].

In Tuscany, a certain Girolamo da Firenzuola made the first known reference to ‘Sangioveto’ in 1552, [idem, p.18] and it was by this name that the variety was most commonly known in the region until well into the 20th century – in his famous notes for the blend of Chianti, Baron Ricasoli refers specifically to Sangioveto and not Sangiovese.

Shared heritage

Whether the Sangiovese of Romagna and the Sangioveto of Tuscany were the same grape with different names, or different but related varieties, we will never know, but throughout the 19th century, it was common for authors on both sides of the Appenines to make a distinction between them [Ian d’Agata, Native Wine Grapes of Italy (University of California 2014) p.427].

The ambiguity was only finally resolved in 1970 by the Italian National Grape Variety Register, which established the name of the variety as Sangiovese, and Sangioveto as an official synonym.

Although Romagna can rightfully claim the origin of the name Sangiovese, its wines have always been considered the poor relative of those of neighbouring Tuscany.

One reason is certainly the scale of production. The 9 million bottles a year of Sangiovese di Romagna are dwarfed by the 35-38 million of Chianti Classico, according to the official data.

Another is that Romagna has been dogged by a reputation for quantity over quality – and it has to be said that the generous permitted yields for basic Sangiovese di Romagna DOC do not inspire confidence in that respect.

However, there is another side to Romagna and it is represented by the Sangiovese Superiore category, and above all by wines from the region’s MGA (menzione geografica aggiunta) sub-zones.

Romagna’s wine area

The Romagna viticultural area stretches along the hills to the south of the ancient Roman via Emilia which links Bologna to the Adriatic at Rimini. By long tradition, it is divided by administrative area into five macro-zones, corresponding to the provinces of Imola, Faenza, Forli, Cesena and Rimini, and within these boundaries into the 16 sub-zones.

Some, such as Bertinoro and Brisighella, are well known for their long history of winemaking. Others, like Coriano and San Clemente, are much less familiar. Brisighella is the largest of the sub-zones, with a surface area of 1,700 hectares, while the smallest, Mercato Saracena, has a mere 129ha.

The area is composed of a long series of valleys and ridges which run from the foothills of the Apennines northeast towards the plain of Emilia. The climate and soil variables are determined by the distance from the sea and altitude.

Moving inland, the climate becomes progressively more continental, while areas nearer the coast feel the moderating effects of the winds off the sea, which translates into differences in harvest times and in the structure of the wines.

Wines from the Rimini sub-zones are lighter and fruitier, while those from the hinterland are firmer, drier and more compact.

Soils change along the east-west axis, but also – importantly – moving up the valleys from the lower to the higher slopes.

A recent local government study describes Emilia Romagna as a region with one of the most complex geological structures in the world, and this shows in the soil maps.

Soils range from ferrous clay through fossil-rich limestone to chalky marl and sandstone marl, with innumerable variations depending on the bedrock.

In the latest of his splendid geo-viticultural maps, master cartographer Alessandro Masnaghetti gets the number of soil types down to 15 (with his apologies for the omissions).

The Romagna subzones

At the annual tasting of the Consorzio Vini Romagna in September 2025, I had the chance to taste current vintages from all but one of the 16 Sangiovese di Romagna Superiore sub-zones.

There were wines in nearly all of them which caught the eye. The standouts from the tiny Marzena MGA were the rich and silky Riservas made with the sensitive touch of Cristina Geminiani, whose Fattoria Zerbina has carried the flag for quality winemaking in Romagna for many decades.

At Bertinoro, another long-standing champion of quality winemaking, Giovanna Madonia produces wines of depth and substance which reflect the clay and limestone soils of the sub-zone.

At the much lesser known Castrocaro in the Province of Forli, Marta Valpiani showed vibrant fruit-focused wines with a tangy mineral quality.

But the two sub-zones which impressed me most, for the number of quality wines and their decisive terroir character, were Predappio and Modigliano.

Predappio

Predappio is one of the larger sub-zones, with a surface area of 1,200 ha. It stretches from low foothills up to around 400m, along two valleys with slightly different soils; clay on limestone in one case and a chalky marl in the other.

The wines are tightly structured with firm acidity, fine, dry tannins, and a grippy, earthy-mineral finish. In the younger 2023 vintage they were perhaps a little austere, but with the extra year in the bottle, the 2022s were more relaxed and were showing very attractive fruit.

These are wines with great personality and definite ageing potential. Top producers include Condé, Dei Donà, La Collina del Tesoro, Pandolfa-Noelia Ricci and Podere dal Nespoli.

Modigliana

Modigliana is one of the smallest of the sub-zones, with a surface area of just under 240ha. It is the most distant from the plain, tucked away between 300m and 600 metres above sea level in a densely wooded area at the foothills of the Apennines.

It consists of three steep valleys which converge at the village which gives its name to the sub-zone. The most planted is the valley of Ibola, which has the highest sites and which, due to its elevation, is often the latest picked in the region.

The sandstone soils vary in depth across the valleys, but are unusually homogeneous, giving a unity to the wines.

Modigliano Sangioveses are fresh, savoury and refined, medium to light bodied, with aromas which capture the herby-garrigue side of the variety. They are a masterclass in finesse, but they also have proven ageing ability.

Top producers include Ronchi di Castelluccio, La Casetta dei Frati, LU.VA, Menta & Rosmarino and Villa Pappiano.

Sangiovese Superiore

The Sangiovese Superiore sub-zones present all the nuances of the interaction between the terroir and the variety in its purest, mono-varietal form.

Production is much more limited – according to the Consorzio Vini Romagna, it amounted to a total of 518,933 bottles in 2024 – but these site-specific wines offer some of the most exciting Sangiovese to be found anywhere today.

Sangiovese in Romagna: 13 to try

If you are a fan of the variety, these are wines you will want to know about.

Italy newsletter: Sign up today

Get the best recommendations, vintage analysis, regional and cultural insights and more delivered to your inbox once a month, helping you to stay up-to-date with the latest in Italian wine.

Related articles

• Buyer’s guide to Romagna Sangiovese
• Romagna wine tour
• Terre di Pisa: Bridging the coastal and continental styles of Tuscany

Seven wine styles to drink with pork:

White wine

• Riesling
• Viognier
• Chenin Blanc

Red wine

• Sangiovese (Chianti Classico)
• Mencia
• Grenache / Garnacha (red or rosé)
• Gamay (Beaujolais)

Decanter Premium is the ideal last-minute gift for wine lovers!

Is red or white wine best with pork?

Pork is quite a versatile meat that can match brilliantly with both red and white wines – not to mention orange wine – depending on what you’re cooking or eating. 

Try Riesling white wines or juicy reds with relatively high acidity to cut through the fat content of roast pork belly, or comforting Grenache-led red blends with midweek bangers and mash.

Tuscany’s Sangiovese-fuelled reds, with their balance of structure, wild berry fruit and acidity, can be delicious with a porchetta-style roast or slow-cooked pork shoulder at the dinner table. 

‘Italian reds always have that wonderful acidity that’s perfect with pork,’ wrote Decanter food and wine expert Fiona Beckett in this festive pairings piece.

Food and wine pairing principles

Food and wine pairing has been the subject of debate among wine writers. While proponents outline certain principles, personal taste is hugely important in this arena.

Even classic wine styles may vary between individual producers, but experimenting with different combinations and trying new bottles can be part of the fun.

When it comes to choosing a wine to pair with pork dishes, Jean-Baptiste Lemoine, deputy director of food and beverage at The Goring hotel in London, previously told Decanter it’s important to consider:

• the cut of the pork;
• the way it’s cooked;
• the sauce you are serving it with

Matthieu Longuère, a master sommelier and the wine development manager at Le Cordon Bleu London culinary school, told Decanter in 2024. ‘Whatever the meat is, it depends what you do with it.’

Think about matching the intensity of the wine with that of the dish, as well as any acidity and sweetness brought by ingredients in the meal.

Wine with pork belly and suckling pig

For tender, melt-in-the-mouth suckling pig, Lemoine advised drinking lighter styles of red. These include Spanish Mencia, Nerello Mascalese from Sicily, Pinot Noir from cooler regions or Chilean Carménère.

He also recommended Riesling with a touch of sweetness. This can be a classic with pork belly, too.

‘Roast pork belly works best with a wine that has a high level of acidity plus a touch of sweetness,’ wrote Fiona Beckett, naming 25 top food and wine pairings.

Germany is renowned for top Riesling wines, from dry styles to varying sweetness levels. Great Rieslings are also found in Alsace and the US Finger Lakes area, as well as parts of Austria, Australia, New Zealand and Canada – to name a few sources.

Flavours in the dish can help to lead your wine choice, too.

Apricots in this cider vinegar-roasted pork belly recipe ‘would lead me in the direction of Viognier rather than Riesling’, Beckett noted. 

In a Decanter ‘perfect pairing’ article for chestnut-stuffed pork fillet, she said: ‘Given the sweetness from the chestnuts, prunes and redcurrant jelly, I’d go for a wine that has a touch of sweetness itself. [For example] Alsace or New Zealand or Oregon Pinot Gris, or an old-vine Chenin Blanc.’

Wines to drink with a roast pork

‘Roast pork calls for something that combines richness with acidity, whether it’s white or red,’ Rhône expert Matt Walls previously told Decanter.

For white wine lovers, ‘Condrieu [Viognier] can be a brilliant match for pork roasted with herbs like Oregano or Marjoram,’ said Walls, who is Decanter’s Rhône correspondent and a contributing editor.

He also advised considering fresher styles of Chardonnay, as well as Chenin Blanc from either the Loire Valley or South Africa.

Tuscan reds, such as Chianti Classico or the vaunted wines produced around the hilltop town of Montalcino, can be delicious with a herby pork roast, or a porchetta-style festive dish – as previously noted. 

Walls pointed to Grenache-led wines, as well as Pinot Noir from warmer climates. Grenache is known as Garnacha in Spain, and stole the show in a Decanter panel tasting of red wines from Aragón last year.

Wine to drink with pork sausages

Walls returned to the Grenache theme when considering a wine for pork sausages. ‘For a classic bangers and mash, I tend to reach for a young Grenache-based wine like a southern Rhône.’

Classic blends of Grenache, Syrah (Shiraz) and Mourvèdre – and variations on the theme – are produced in many regions, from the Rhône and Languedoc-Roussillon in France to parts of South Australia and California.  

In a similar vein, the Carignan from Languedoc-Roussillon featured in the list below promises to enhance comforting bangers and mash on an autumnal evening, wrote Decanter’s David Williams in his recent review.

Other options include Gamay-based Beaujolais Cru, which can also make a great wine match for traditional Christmas ham. 

Don’t ignore rosé wines or orange wines at the dinner table, either.

Dry rosé wines could be a good bet for BBQ pork, whether pulled or cooked as a chop, said Lemoine. However, the meat might overpower some of the more delicate styles.

Decanter’s Williams recently recommended this budget-friendly, off-dry orange wine led by Grüner Veltliner. ‘A cushion of sweetness makes this a great match for spicy pork dishes,’ he wrote.

Watch out for too much oak in some wines

Beware of wines with prominent oak flavours when it comes to some pork dishes. 

Oak in wine can be tricky with sweet and sour pork, for example, said Longuère at Le Cordon Bleu London. 

‘The oak is quite bitter, quite smoky. If you have something sweet, it tends to make it taste quite metallic. And if you have something quite high in acidity, it clashes.’

Great wine with pork: Inspiration from our experts

The following wines have all been tasted by Decanter’s experts and include bottles at a range of prices.

Related articles

Wine with turkey: A food pairing guide

Wine with beef: Pairing advice and styles to try

See more food and wine pairing ideas

Camartina is a Super Tuscan you need to know – but there’s a pretty good chance you haven’t heard of it.

While the likes of Tignanello, Ornellaia and Sassicaia have dominated this illustrious category for decades, Camartina has kept a lower profile; a kind of ‘if you know, you know’ wine rather than an international superstar – despite winning plenty of plaudits along the way.

Camartina is the flagship wine of the Querciabella winery, located in Ruffoli, overlooking the Chianti Classico commune of Greve in Chianti. The estate was founded in 1974 by Giuseppe Castiglioni, who had lofty ambitions for his wines right from the start.

Notes on 40 years of Querciabella’s Camartina listed below

The Tachis factor

Castiglioni brought on renowned winemaking consultant, Giacomo Tachis, who had already proved his worth elsewhere by almost single-handedly creating the new category of Italian wines which collectively became known as the ‘SuperTuscans’.

Tachis had played a leading role in commercialising Sassicaia (which had originally been a wine for private consumption by the Incisa della Rocchetta family), and developing Tignanello and Solaia during his time as head oenologist at Antinori, where he was still working while consulting for Querciabella.

Camartina’s first vintage was 1981. It was designed to capitalise on the waves being made by those early Super Tuscans, using Querciabella’s finest Sangiovese plots blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and sometimes a little Merlot.

Back then, achieving fully ripe Sangiovese was not a given, and so these international varieties helped to give the wine a richer, glossier feel.

Camartina achieved early success but Castiglioni and Tachis – not ones to stand still – began to iterate and evolve the ‘recipe’.

The development of Camartina can be split into five key ‘eras’…

1981-1998: Sangiovese sings

The first era is typified by the original blend of 70-80% Sangiovese, 20-30% Cabernet and up to 10% Merlot, as conceived by Tachis. The earliest iteration of Camartina was very similar to Tignanello in this regard, highlighting the Tachis influence.

In 1988, Querciabella became certified organic, a decision driven by Castiglioni’s vegetarian son, Sebastiano. It became one of the first wineries in Italy to gain certification.

In the late-1990s, Castiglioni retired and Sebastiano took the reins at Querciabella. What followed was a period of transformation that would set the stage for the years to come.

Italy newsletter: Sign up today

Get the best recommendations, vintage analysis, regional and cultural insights and more delivered to your inbox once a month, helping you to stay up-to-date with the latest in Italian wine.

1999-2003: Chrysalis moment

This brief but very dynamic period for the estate was marked by the end of Chianti Riserva production in 1999 – until it was brought back 12 years later – and the departure of Tachis.

Tachis’ last full vintage, 1999, saw the Sangiovese in Camartina reduced to 60% and the Cabernet increased to 35%, signalling the beginning of a ‘chrysalis moment’.

The wine emerged at the end of this era in 2003 fully formed but almost unrecognisable from its former self. Cabernet Sauvignon was now the dominant variety in the blend (70%), giving the wine a flashier, more generous character in comparison to the relative delicacy of the Sangiovese-dominant years.

A side-effect of this change was that production had to be dramatically reduced, as there just wasn’t enough Cabernet Sauvignon to maintain Camartina’s former 35,000- to 39,000-bottle production at its height. Going forward, production would be between around 10,000 and 18,000 bottles, sometimes dipping even lower, depending on vintage.

It’s easy to think that the omnipotence of the US critics at this time had a part to play in the decision to make such a drastic change towards a Cabernet-driven wine.

But Querciabella’s current winemaker, Manfred Ing, explains that the key factor was a desire to clearly distinguish Camartina from the estate’s Chianti Classico, which was undergoing a transformation of its own towards a purer Sangiovese expression by 2004.

A new millennium dawns

In 2000, Querciabella embarked on a biodynamic path. Already certified organic, and inspired by Nicolas Joly of Coulée de Serrant, Sebastiano was keen to take the next step towards a holistic wine estate, with sustainability, quality and transparency being the ultimate goals.

2000 was the maiden vintage for Palafreno, originally a Merlot/Sangiovese blend but today 100% Merlot.

Marking the end of this era, as well as the proud first phase of Querciabella’s history, founder Giuseppe Castiglioni passed away in 2003.

2004-2009: Status quo

The third era is a relatively stable period for Camartina. The new formula of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Sangiovese proved its worth as the consistency and quality from vintage to vintage was admirable – but there was more to come.

2010-today: A fresh pair of eyes

The fourth and most recent era marked the arrival of consultant Luca Currado and winemaker Manfred Ing, both from Vietti in Piedmont. With them came a recalibration of winemaking, including the introduction of micro-vinifications, which Ing explains allows for ‘more laser focus’ on each parcel before blending.

French oak vats are utilised for the Cabernet, while the estate’s best Sangiovese, found in both the Chianti Classico Gran Selezione and Camartina, is treated to submerged-cap fermentation in cement tanks, which is, says Ing, ‘more about infusion than extraction…something I learned a lot about in Piedmont’.

Around 40-50% whole-bunch fruit is used during fermentation , ‘giving a different layer of complexity’.

Since Currado and Ing’s arrival, there has also been a gradual move towards incorporating oak tonneaux for ageing the Sangiovese, while the Cabernet remains in barriques. The percentage of new oak has also been reduced, around 20% – even for the Cabernet – and the toasting is typically medium-light to minimise oak impact.

Patience is key for Ing and his team. ‘We prefer to be more patient with our picking,’ he says, explaining that waiting for optimal phenolic maturity can be risky but they make the winemaking process much easier to follow and the results are better.

Veganism and higher plots

In 2010, Sebastiano became vegan and, in line with his personal philosophy, banned all animal products at the winery, even manure.

The team stopped using the small selection of biodynamic preparations they had been using before, and began using a diverse selection of over 30 different cover crops (‘green manure’) instead. The winery became certified vegan in 2012.

Today run by Mita Castiglioni and her children, Andrea and Selene, Querciabella retains its organic and vegan philosophies, combined with the forward-looking vision that has always characterised the estate.

In 2020, Querciabella purchased plots in high altitude Lamole and began incorporating some of its fruit into Camartina and the Gran Selezione for the first time.

As an evolution of the previous decade, it’s perhaps too early to say for sure, but the results so far look pretty spectacular.

This year marks Camartina’s 40th anniversary with the release of the 2021 vintage. And it’s never been better!

Our Italy editor’s tasting notes for 20 vintages of Querciabella’s Camartina:

Related articles

• Chianti Classico Gran Selezione: New releases rated
• Why has Tuscany’s Orcia Valley become a talent magnet?
• Our Italy editor meets Bibi Graetz, tries his latest vintages, and learns how one wine got its naughty name

Last month, Bibi Graetz made a flying visit to the Decanter office in Paddington on his way to Norway.

He had sent ahead an impressive line up of his most recent bottlings, and the few of us who were in the office on a Friday were treated to an in-depth run down of the wines from the enigmatic man himself.

Since his first vintage in 2000, Bibi’s range has steadily grown and evolved. Early vintages were an ode to the predominant style of the time – concentrated and extracted – but he soon realised this wasn’t for him, and the style has gradually changed.

It’s been a journey based on trial and error, but his wines today are more expressive and alluring than ever.

‘I work very wide and let the plants go free’, says Bibi of his viticultural approach. In this way, yields are kept naturally low, and he tells us he hasn’t carried out a green harvest since 2019.

In the past, Bibi relied heavily on bought-in fruit and leased vineyards, however more recently he has been able to buy up more land of his own.

Casamatta was originally conceived as a super-high production red to financially carry the rest of the range, hitting 500,000 bottles in its earliest configuration. But in 2018, the decision was made to support the range in a different way: by showcasing the quality potential.

Numbers of Casamatta were reduced dramatically, starting in 2018, and today it’s a 30,000-bottle production, akin to a second wine of Testamatta.

Of Bambole, a new project, Bibi explains that he wanted to make a duo of wines that would specifically appeal to sommeliers. It also fulfils his desire to continually experiment and iterate.

The white is is single-vineyard old-vine Trebbiano Toscano, a historic but unsung white variety, while the red is a partial whole-cluster Sangiovese from the same vineyard.

What’s in a name?

Soffocone di Vincigliata comes from vines on the hill of Vincigliata, to the east of Fiesole.

Bibi relates that he wanted to find a fitting name and began thinking along the lines of something ending with ‘…aia’ or ‘…one’, influenced by other high profile Tuscan reds, but realised there were so many it had become a bit clichéd.

So he instead named the wine not just after the hill the vines grow on, but also what some hot-under-the-collar teenagers sometimes get up to there. The artwork doubles down on this idea!

The super-limited Balocchi range is Bibi’s artist’s palette, or chef’s pantry. The name means ‘toys’ and the idea is to make interesting wines from small plots of vines – in some instances just a couple of rows – which aren’t used in his other wines.

It’s a project he began in 2020, when we all had a bit more time than usual, and allows him to go off-piste.

Balocchi No.0, for example, is a memorable blend of Chianti’s lesser known varieties, Canaiolo and Colorino, and harks back to the first ever blend of his flagship, Colore.

Testamatta & Colore

Bibi believes Testamatta 2023, the new release, is the best he’s ever made, and I have to agree.

I’ve tasted several verticals of Testamatta and Colore in the past, and you can see a definite change in the wines for the better at around the same time he began incorporating north-facing parcels and more of his own fruit.

The 20% of fruit from Lamole in the 2023 definitely lends to the delicacy and vertical precision in the tricky vintage, and every berry counted in a year when he saw production down from an average 100,000 bottles to 32,000 bottles.

Colore also uses fruit from Lamole in the blend, but Bibi saves the oldest vines for this bottling. They’re around 90 years old and help give Colore its more concentrated, deep character.

The 2023 is a fantastic wine, briny and saline with generous fleshiness, but for me it doesn’t quite reach the heights of Testamatta this year.

Italy newsletter: Sign up today

Get the best recommendations, vintage analysis, regional and cultural insights and more delivered to your inbox once a month, helping you to stay up-to-date with the latest in Italian wine.

Tasting with Bibi Graetz:

Related articles

• The heroic winemakers of Isola del Giglio
• Our expert reveals her 12 favourites from 130 fine wines hitting Bordeaux’s marketplace – including one 100-pointer
• Terre di Pisa: Bridging the coastal and continental styles of Tuscany

The sea is hardly ever in sight when wandering the hills east of Pisa, the Tuscan city which is home to the world-famous leaning tower.

The Monti Livornesi range right behind the coast forms a natural barrier, creating a more continental landscape than the proximity to the Tyrrhenian shores would suggest.

Yet, the maritime influence is evident in the gentle breezes, lush vegetation, and intense light permeating the picture-perfect ridges flanking Arno River tributaries.

Scroll down for a selection of Terre di Pisa wines

Despite housing a few historical estates, this area has long lacked a specific identity for its wines. Producers either claimed the Costa Toscana IGT to follow the coastal Super Tuscan trend, or highlighted a connection with inland Tuscany by producing Chianti.

The Terre di Pisa DOC was born to define its essence as the missing link between these two sections of the region, yielding wines that can blend the best of both worlds.

An appellation for top-shelf wines

Encompassing 19 townships in Tuscany’s Pisa province, the Terre di Pisa DOC runs about 40 kilometres along the southern bank of the Arno River, touching the metropolitan area of Florence.

Although vast, the majority of the vineyards within the appellation lie around the villages of Terricciola and Peccioli at its core, roughly halfway between Bolgheri and Chianti Classico.

A tradition renewed

Created in 2011, the appellation is rooted in a far longer tradition. Medieval abbeys and imposing renaissance villas testify the historical relevance of the area. Viticulture has always been a major driver of the local economy but the vineyard area plummeted after the abolition of sharecropping in the 1950s.

Wine production only regained traction in the early 1990s.

‘The rise of coastal Tuscany encouraged investments in this area,’ says Ginevra Venerosi Pesciolini, the president of the consorzio Terre di Pisa, and the owner of leading estate, Tenuta di Ghizzano.

‘Producers finally started overcoming prejudices about the wines of Pisa being light and simple, mostly drawing inspiration from Sassicaia and other pioneering Super Tuscans.’

While some producers embraced the Vino da Tavola – and later IGT – classification associated with Super Tuscans, others continued sticking to Chianti at least for their entry-level offerings.

The Terre di Pisa DOC was conceived specifically for upper tier wines, mandating lower maximum yields than both Chianti and the broader IGTs, and a minimum of 18 months of ageing, including 12 in oak.

But we have just passed a revision of the regulations that will limit compulsory oak ageing to the newly-introduced Riserva category,’ explains Riccardo Gabriele, director of the consorzio.

This revision aims to increase production, currently limited to around 500,000 bottles annually.

A tale of two styles

Defining the style of an appellation contemplating different grapes is always challenging yet two factors give the most successful examples a specific identity.

The first is the peculiar climate: ‘The filtering effect of the Monti Livornesi lowers humidity, mitigates heat and strengthens diurnal shifts, but the reverberating effect of the sea often results in almost coastal luminosity,’ remarks Lorenzo Serra Cervetti, co-owner of the historical Badia di Morrona estate.

The geology is unusual for Tuscany: oyster shells and other marine fossils often appear among the rows.

‘These fossils hint at the presence of limestone, which has a strong influence on the aromatic profile. But the soil composition varies notably across the valley: some parts are sandier while others are rich in clay,’ adds Pesciolini.

Thriving on the clay-rich peaks and formerly used for making Chianti, Sangiovese is emerging as the appellation’s flagship variety – the wines labelled as Terre di Pisa Sangiovese must contain at least 95% of the grape.

‘Our Sangiovese can be delicate and red-fruited or fuller and darker, but it’s neither as austere as versions from vineyards on galestro [the typical schistous clay of Central Tuscany], nor as generous as expressions from warmer areas,’ Pesciolini explains.

A distinctive saline streak marries high-pitched aromas and luscious fruit, allowing the best examples to blend varietal traits with a warming Mediterranean allure.

Sporting the Terre di Pisa Rosso appellation, the blends featuring international grapes are a bit less consistent. While some producers still lean towards excessive extraction, the best examples blend the typical concentration and balsamic aromas of coastal Super Tuscans with slightly more understated fruit and nervier acids.

Not only reds

White grapes are on the rise, too: ‘They often work well where red ones don’t’, says Adolfo Benvenuti, resident winemaker at Badia di Morrona.

Mainly focusing on Vermentino (minimum 50%), the newly established Terre di Pisa Bianco (or Terre di Pisa Vermentino) category offers a compelling range of styles, ranging from easy-drinking to complex and cellar-worthy.

All the whites, however, share the same mix of structure and energy as the reds, reflecting once again the unique combination of maritime and continental influences.

Terre di Pisa: Five producers to know

Badia di Morrona

This historical estate centered around the namesake medieval abbey pioneered quality Sangiovese production in the area by releasing VignaAlta, a benchmark single-vineyard wine since 1994.

Fattoria Fibbiano

Managing old vines and clones of Sangiovese, this 18-hectare estate produces some of the area’s most intriguing expressions of the grape.

Podere La Chiesa

Maurizio Iannantuono and Palma Tonacci left a successful career in the tech industry to found this 14-hectare boutique winery with an ultra-modern cellar. They make characterful, contemporary wines.

Tenuta di Ghizzano

The appellation’s most renowned producer, farming 20 hectares biodynamically and crafting classic wines with a ‘lo-fi’ twist.

Varramista

Overseen by renowned winemaker, Federico Staderini, and revolving around a majestic renaissance villa previously inhabited by the Piaggio and Agnelli families, this estate relies on Syrah to craft unusual and especially refined reds.

Terre di Pisa DOC: 20 wines to try

Related articles

• The hidden wine gems of the Italian coast
• The heroic winemakers of Isola del Giglio
• Limestone soul: Mapping the St-Emilion plateau

National Chianti Day was originally conceived by importer, Santa Margherita USA – which represents Chianti Classico estates Santa Margherita and Lamole di Lamole – and aims to highlight the qualities of the famed area in Tuscany.

It’s an area of rolling hills, cypress, chestnut and oak trees, olive groves, villas, stone castles and – of course – wineries aplenty.

Below, we have highlighted some delicious Chianti recommendations, and not a fiasco (the traditional round bottle in a straw basket) in sight! You’ll find some picks from the established names of Frescobaldi and Barone Ricasoli as well as some UK supermarket recommendations.

Chianti & Chianti Classico: What’s the difference?

It’s easy to look past the differences between Chianti and Chianti Classico, but these Sangiovese-based wines actually belong to two distinct DOCGs (similar to the AOC system in France).

While Chianti DOCG constitutes a vast 15,500 hectares of vines, Chianti Classico DOCG is concentrated on the original, hilly zone situated halfway between Florence and Siena and totals 6,800ha of vineyard.

Chianti Classico was a subzone of Chianti from its inception in 1967 until 1996, when it was granted its own separate DOCG. The vineyards here are typically at higher altitudes than those of Chianti DOCG.

Chianti: What’s in the blend?

Chianti DOCG wines must be a minimum of 70% Sangiovese, but Chianti Classico DOCG wines demand a minimum of 80%. Both DOCGs permit the use of local and international varieties: Canaiolo Nero, Ciliegiolo, Colorino, Foglia Tonda, Malvasia Nera, Mammolo, Pugnitello, and also major international varieties, such as Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah.

Chianti DOCG permits a maximum of 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and/or Cabernet Franc, and a maximum of 10% of white varieties Malvasia and Trebbiano. Chianti Classico DOCG is no longer permitted to include white varieties in the blend.

Ageing requirements

Chianti DOCG wines can be sold from 1 March in the year after vintage, often suitable for drinking young.

Chianti Classico DOCG wines increase minimum ageing to around 12 months, being sold from 1 October in the year after vintage. This can give the wines greater complexity and cohesion, and helps to round off the raw edges of youth.

Classification hierarchy

Chianti DOCG has three classifications: Chianti, Chianti Superiore and Chianti Riserva. It also has seven sub-zones (such as Rùfina and Colli Fiorentini) which each have their own, stricter requirements including lower yields, longer ageing and higher alcohol.

Chianti Classico DOCG also has three classifications: Chianti Classico (known as ‘annata’), Chianti Classico Riserva and Chianti Classico Gran Selezione.

Changes were recently made to the Gran Selezione regulations including increasing the minimum required Sangiovese content from 80% to 90%, and introducing 11 sub-zones.

Decanter’s picks for National Chianti Day:

Related articles

• Chianti Classico annata new releases: The wines to buy in 2025
• Chianti Classico Riserva new releases: Top picks in 2025
• Chianti Classico Gran Selezione: New releases rated

A quiet revolution is underway in Montalcino. A reset of vineyard quotas approved at the end of 2024 is destined to dramatically increase the production of Rosso di Montalcino, creating exciting new prospects for what has traditionally been regarded as Montalcino’s second wine.

Rosso di Montalcino is a kind of younger sibling. Like Brunello di Montalcino, it must be made from 100% Sangiovese and its DOC overlaps in toto with that of the DOCG.

Theoretically, yields for Rosso are marginally higher than for the senior wine, at 90 hl/ha as opposed to 80 hl/ha, but in practice yields across the denomination are similar and generally lower.

Notes for 12 excellent expressions of Rosso di Montalcino below

The differences lie in the ageing: Brunello comes out after four years, of which at least two years must be in wood, while Rosso can be released at one year from the vintage, without any requirements for the type of ageing.

The amount of wine which can be produced in a DOC/DOCG zone in Italy is controlled through a vineyard register, which specifies the area allocated to any given denomination.

In the case of Montalcino, up until September 2024, a total of 2,100 hectares were registered for the production of Brunello and less than a quarter of that area, 520ha, to Rosso di Montalcino.

Imbalance

This can be seen as an anomaly. ‘The quality pyramid at Montalcino is untypical’ says the newly-elected president of the producers’ consorzio, Giacomo Bertolomeo, ‘because it is inverted, with the biggest production at the top end of the pyramid and the entry level at the bottom.’

To redress this perceived imbalance, in September last year, the consorzio voted to substantially increase the area allotted to Rosso, adding an extra 352ha to the quota for a total of 872ha.

The consorzio is quick to point out that this increase will not involve any new planting. Rather, there will be a reallocation of existing rights, with vineyards previously registered to other denominations becoming available for the production of Rosso.

This means in theory that a producer can switch from an IGT production to Rosso – although this is the least likely scenario because IGT vineyards are mainly planted to international varieties and hence not available for the production of Rosso – or use vineyards previously allocated to Brunello.

The impact in terms of number of bottles is significant. According to the consorzio’s figures, average annual production of Rosso has hovered around 3.6 million bottles in recent vintages, against the 9 million bottles of Brunello.

Following the opening of the vineyard register, the potential production of Rosso di Montalcino from the 2024 vintage, which is due out in the autumn of this year, will more than double to 7.3 million bottles.

Rosso di Montalcino was originally conceived along the lines of Bordeaux’s second labels; as a way of maintaining the quality of the top cru of the estate by early bottling of parcels of younger vines or less well-sited vineyards, or by declassifying wines which do not come up to standard for long ageing.

An identity of its own

Many producers today reject this ‘deficit’ interpretation. Elisa Sesti from the estate of the same name believes passionately that Rosso di Montalcino ‘is an important expression of the terroir in its own right [which] allows you to put your finger on the pulse of Montalcino’.

Francesco Bufalini from Scopone has the same view. ‘Rosso has an identity of its own, which originates in the vineyard and comes from site selection’.

At Castiglione del Bosco, winemaker Cecilia Leoneschi adopts the same approach, making three single-vineyard Rossos (more than any other producer in Montalcino), each vinified and aged to reflect a specific sense of place.

This policy works for larger properties with vines in different locations. Small estates with single blocks of vineyard, however, often do not have the same options for site selection and in these cases the Rosso comes from a cellar selection.

Luciano Ciolfi at San Lorenzo picks the whole estate at low yields, vinifies all the fruit together, and at the end of the first year of ageing selects barrels ready for early drinking to bottle as Rosso.

Poggio di Sotto, whose Rosso has attained iconic status (and prices to match), follows the same procedure but monitors the lots over a longer period and releases a ‘white label’ Rosso after spending two years in 30hl Slavonian oak casks.

Around 40% of Poggio di Sotto’s total production is dedicated to Rosso, which is one of the highest proportions of any estate at Montalcino.

Communicating terroir

Montalcino is one of the greatest places in the world to grow Sangiovese, but it is limiting to think of Brunello, for all its majestic quality, as the only expression of the terroir.

Rosso di Montalcino is equally capable of communicating the character-defining variations in soils, elevations and topography of the region, but in a way which is immediately accessible.

It is conceived to deliver freshness and fruit aroma on release, with all the vibrant energy of young Sangiovese, but is capable of ageing comfortably over five to six years or more, is decidedly food friendly, affordable – and the good news is that it is due to become much more readily available.

Baudain’s 12 Rosso di Montalcino picks:

Related articles

• Rosso di Montalcino: Superb Sangiovese on the rise
• Best value Brunello di Montalcino 2020: 10 to buy
• Baudains: Wines from the Tuscan coast

Every year, wineries in Chianti Classico release their newest wines, which rather than being one homogeneous vintage are always represented by a range of different vintages.

This is partly dictated by regulations (for example, Chianti Classico Riserva and Gran Selezione require more ageing before they can be released) but is also a matter of choice which varies from winery to winery, with some choosing to age their wines for extended periods before releasing them onto the market.

Below, Michaela Morris talks us through the recently bottled 2023 vintage of annata, the first step on the Chianti Classico ladder, and also discusses the various late releases launched in 2025.

Chianti Classico annata 2023 vintage rating: 3.5 /5

An incessantly rainy spring with high humidity led to widespread peronospora (downy mildew) attacks. Summer was hot and dry with higher-than-average temperatures persisting through to harvest. Quantities are down overall but the first crop of annata wines make for lively and exuberant near-term drinking.

Michaela’s pick of top scoring and notable Chianti Classico wines below

Chianti Classico’s annata category has long been a reliable source for value. Given the diverse challenges of the most recent vintages and the efforts made to overcome them, these latest releases are all the more impressive.

Several estates hit hard by peronospora (downy mildew) such as Tregole, Quercio al Poggio and Castello di Ama ended up making just one Chianti Classico bottling in 2023. Poggerino opted to forgo a Riserva selection this year, to the benefit of the estate’s annata, which is among my top value picks. Other standouts include Castello di Monsanto and Fèlsina.

Revisting 2022 with some late releases, I rediscovered what I appreciated last year – the freshness, crunch and succulence that belie the vintage’s heat. For this, look no further than Tenuta di Carleone and Rocca di Montegrossi.

Without sacrificing the charm of the annata category, these releases also show more gravitas next to 2023 and in general suggest more longevity – between five to seven years. Appealingly textured tannins are dry and powdery rather than soft and velvety, and wines like Le Fonti and Fontodi exemplify the grip and punch of the vintage.

See all of Michaela’s tasting notes & scores from her Chianti Classico report

By comparison, Le Miccine’s 2022 is on the more lithesome side. It represents the first vintage without Colorino, which is now being grafted to Sangiovese.

‘It’s a north-facing plot which I believe will help us in the future to maintain some nice acidity,’ explains Paula Papini Cook.

Equally concerned about the changing climate, Tenuta di Casanuove has invested in north-facing parcels and is also replanting Canaiolo Nero.

‘It is a great tool because it doesn’t accumulate a lot of sugar and has a gentle structure that blends with Sangiovese,’ explains oenologist Cosimo Casini. The 2022 speaks to the new direction at this estate.

Completing my selection of 90 annata recommendations are half a dozen new releases from 2021, with Le Cinciole and I Fabbri’s Terra di Lamole particularly of note, as well as the excellent 2020 Castell’in Villa.

The 2023 vintage

Presenting a new set of challenges, ‘2023 was as much a year for the skilled as it was for the lucky,’ asserts Angela Fronti at Istine.

With minimal rainfall, another warmer-than-average winter brought inevitable fears of spring frost. The region breathed a collective sigh of relief when cool temperatures in early April delayed bud break. Growers were equally happy when it began to rain, especially given the previous years’ drought.

April, therefore, wasn’t the problem. But when temperatures rose and the rain didn’t stop, May and June were. ‘It was like a tropical climate’, describes Michela Rossi at Quercia al Poggio. With the humidity, peronospora (downy mildew) exploded.

When it comes to fungal disease, oidium rather than peronospora is much more common in Chianti Classico’s typically warm, dry climate. Producers, therefore, are well versed in dealing with the former but less so the latter.

‘Some of us made the mistake of trusting terroir and experience’, says Jurij Fiore. Despite spraying eight times, he lost 50% of his grapes.

Punishing weather

As vineyards didn’t have time to dry out between downpours, leaves remained damp for a month and a half, requiring constant treatments.

‘If you were late by a day, you were in trouble,’ recalls Natascia Rossini at Podere La Cappella – ‘but it was impossible to enter the vineyard’.

Sophie Conti at Tregole decided to skip two treatments because the risk of slipping with the tractor was too high. At Viticcio, Daniele Innocenti performed 19 sprays, compared to just six in 2022.

‘We applied less copper more often to stay under the organic certification limits but still lost grapes.’

Monteraponi’s Michele Briganti believes that organic producers were particularly punished, yet in the same breath he notes, ‘when there is an infection, it is too late – even with conventional treatments. The illness remains asleep so it can do damage later.’

To add insult to injury, the temperamental spring also dished out localised hail. ‘For us, 2023 was not so much a problem with peronospora,’ says Monica Raspi at Pomona. Instead, she estimates hail damage between 30-40%.

Others grappled with both. Gabriele Buondonno saw 80% of one of his vineyards decimated by hail in half an hour. Fifteen days later, another storm took out the rest of it. ‘Then there was peronospora…’, he adds.

July finally brought dry, clement conditions corresponding with the region’s norms. ‘It was hot but not extreme like 2022’, says Maddelena Fucile at Cigliano di Sopra. Both water and heat stress were mostly kept at bay.

However, by the end of August, temperatures reached 40℃. ‘It was as if it hadn’t rained in the spring’, says Cosimo Casini at Tenuta Casenuove, who was among those that observed a slowdown in maturation.

Above-average temperatures persisted through September and harvest, with estates largely picking between 20 September and 10 October. Grapes required careful sorting, ‘but what was healthy was healthy’, Conti asserts.

Quality prevails

For 2023, quantity rather than quality is the issue. The consorzio reports a total production of 200,000hl – 22 to 30% less than the decade’s average.

Individual losses, however, vary enormously. Monte Bernardi was down a whopping 80%, whereas Le Cinciole estimates a more modest shortfall of 10-15%, for example.

Overall, quality prevails in the glass. The wines are clean, lively and exuberant, with a slight Sangiovese tartness that I love. I noticed a glossier candied or confected character, however they are not overripe, stewed or exaggerated in alcohol.

The 2023s are poised to give plenty of pleasure over the next four to five years – an absolutely respectable drinking window for annata.

Michaela’s top scoring and notable Chianti Classico recommendations:

See all of Michaela’s tasting notes & scores from her Chianti Classico report

Italy newsletter: Sign up today

Get the best recommendations, vintage analysis, regional and cultural insights and more delivered to your inbox once a month, helping you to stay up-to-date with the latest in Italian wine.

Related articles

• Chianti Classico Gran Selezione: New releases rated
• Bordeaux 2024: Full vintage review and top-scoring wines
• Napa Cabernet 2022: Vintage report and buyer’s guide

With an ever-increasing number of Gran Selezione labels – either new wines or more significantly Riservas that have been ‘promoted’ – a logical assumption is that Chianti Classico’s middle category might be shrinking.

Yet in terms of total production percentages, the opposite is actually true. In 2018, the Chianti Classico consorzio reported a 64/32 split between annata and Riserva, based on a 10-year average.

In the last five years, the ratio shows a decrease in annata to 57%, while Riserva now represents 38%. Gran Selezione is holding steady at approximately 5%.

Nevertheless, given the high quality of annata wines and the focus on promoting Gran Selezione, Riserva might seem like a tougher sell – but this is not necessarily so.

According to consortium president Giovanni Manetti, the premiumisation of the denomination led by Gran Selezione has benefitted the entire gamut, especially Riserva.

‘With the increase of renown (and consequently, price), new room was created at the mid-point price range that fits Riserva perfectly,’ he asserts.

Scroll down for Michaela’s top-rated Chianti Classico Riserva from the new releases

Holding the middle ground

Laura Bianchi at Castello di Monsanto, confirms that they have not experienced a decreased demand for Riserva since the Gran Selezione category was introduced.

‘The two categories reinforce each other,’ she says, adding, ‘Riserva wines still have a central role because they offer a balance between accessibility and complexity.’

Roberto Stucchi Prinetti at Badia a Coltibuono concurs, saying: ‘The perception of many is that the quality/price rapport of the Riserva triumphs, and its more classic and elegant style is much appreciated.’

The estate’s new 2020 Riserva release embodies both the finesse and value to which he refers.

On the other hand, with respect solely to style, some estates’ Riserva bottlings represent the most muscular, concentrated wines within their range, and may also be a repository for the international grapes that will soon be prohibited from Gran Selezione.

Viticcio’s well-executed 2020 Riserva is a case in point.

Beyond the aforementioned, most of the Riserva I previewed hailed from 2022 and 2021; vintages that are respectively very good and excellent. That said, it is the category in which I found the most variability.

See all of Michaela’s tasting notes & scores from her Chianti Classico report

Some exhibited more explicit wood without more obvious ageing potential than their annata counterparts; or they simply lacked a compelling identity. Yet the Riserva category also includes some of the region’s most distinctive wines.

Many are from producers that don’t (yet) produce Gran Selezione, namely Cigliano di Sopra, Maurizio Alongi and Val delle Corti.

As for those that do make wine at all three levels, both Istine and Monteraponi’s 2022 Riservas stand shoulder to shoulder quality-wise with their Gran Selezione. And from 2019, Castell’in Villa’s Riserva was among my highest scoring wines across all categories.

Working hard in the vineyard

In particular, the 2021 and 2022 growing seasons were both marked by the warming, drying trend associated with climate change, the latter most intensely. Riserva highlights from these vintages underscore producers’ concerted efforts in the vineyard to mitigate those effects.

For example, the Ormanni estate has moved away from deep tilling and applies kaolin – a natural clay mineral to the vines, which acts as a natural sunscreen. The 2021 Borro del Diavolo is one of the more robust examples, yet it retains intrigue and balance.

Likewise, Castagnoli was spraying kaolin as early as June in 2022. Owner Tim Schefenacker tells me he also avoids trimming the growing tip shoots, tilting the apex leaves over the bunches as further protection from sunburn.

‘Not trimming the apex also helps to retain the malic acids in August’, he explains. While the estate’s 2022 Riserva will be released next year, a cask sample was highly promising.

Monte Bernardi’s Michael Schmelzer follows a similar practice. Although it’s labour intensive, he braids the apex shoots together, tucking them into the canopy. Besides retaining acidity, he suggests that this also preserves aromas. His 2021 Sa’etta is a testament to both.

Finally, from one of the region’s warmer pockets, San Giusto a Rentennano’s 2022 Le Baròncole is impressive. Luca Martini di Cigala’s vineyard strategy is multi-pronged.

Besides redoing terraces to better manage water, and orienting rows for new plantings northwest to southeast to moderate sun exposure, he has successfully trialled the use of hail nets to reduce UV radiation.

‘If you told me 20 years ago that I would use nets to mitigate heat, I would have laughed,’ he says. ‘In 10 years, I think we’ll see more in the region.’

In a changing climate and an evolving region, growing pains are to be expected.

Endeavours to address both appear geared to preserving the territory’s character – and keeping Riserva from being caught in the middle.

Michaela’s top Chianti Classico Riserva released in 2025

See all of Michaela’s tasting notes & scores from her Chianti Classico report

Related articles

• Chianti Classico Gran Selezione: New releases rated
• Chianti Classico annata new releases: The wines to buy in 2025
• Langhe Nebbiolo and Nebbiolo d’Alba: These 25 bottles prove it’s not all about Barolo

The hottest ticket to be had at this year’s Decanter’s New York Fine Wine Encounter on Saturday 7 June was a seat at the Biondi-Santi masterclass.

Not only did the masterclass sell out in record time, but it had a lengthy waiting list – thanks to the quality of wines on offer and the fact that Biondi-Santi’s director of winemaking and viticulture, Federico Radi, was hosting.

Scroll down for notes and scores of the eight Biondi-Santi masterclass wines

Radi captivated attendees from the start, outlining the rich 160-year-old history of the Biondi-Santi family and its Tenuta Greppo estate in Montalcino, and how tradition and terroir are expressed in the wines.

Biondi-Santi produces three wines, and the masterclass line up took guests through each, from the new-release 2022 Rosso di Montalcino, to a comparison of the 2019 and 2015 vintages of Brunello di Montalcino, and then five vintages of Brunello di Montalcino Riserva: 2018, 2004, 1997, 1988 and 1975.

Tradition, innovation, longevity

Few Italian wineries are as revered as Biondi-Santi, not only for the ageability of the wines themselves, but for the founding family’s role in the creation and continued development of this Tuscan denomination.

Radi took guests on a potted history of the estate, starting in 1888, when Ferruccio Biondi-Santi made the first wine labelled Brunello di Montalcino (named for the brown colour of the specific Grosso clone of Sangiovese he identified) and continuing through 1967, when his son Tancredi created the production rules under which the denomination was formed.

Tancredi’s son Franco, whose first vintage as winemaker was 1971, was also an innovator and behind the creation of a proprietary clone of Sangiovese Grosso, called BBS11 (Brunello Biondi-Santi 11), registered in 1978 and arguably key to the estate’s signature style.

The Biondi-Santi style, Radi explained, is conceived with longevity in mind through firm tannic structure and acidity, but also marked by great elegance thanks to a notable freshness combined with fruit sweetness which means they can retain great balance and vibrancy for decades.

Did you know?

In 1994, Franco Biondi-Santi held an epic vertical tasting, opening bottles from 1888 to 1988 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Brunello di Montalcino and show the longevity of the estate’s wines.

Italian wine expert Nicolas Belfrage MW, writing for Decanter, gave a perfect score to the 1891 Riserva – the second Brunello in history after the 1888 Riserva, and then a mere 103 years old. Franco said, for him, 1891 was the vintage against which all later vintages should be measured.

Today there are only two bottles left of the 1891 in La Storica, Biondi-Santi’s wine library, where all historic vintages of its Brunello di Montalcino Riserva are kept.

Wines released from La Storica are dressed with the original label from its vintage, including ‘la lunetta’ – the neck label which carries the number of each bottle – and a handwritten date of its departure from the cellar on the back label.

The three wines

Radi explained that while many people think of Rosso di Montalcino as an entry-level Brunello di Montalcino, it is a complex style in its own right. At Biondi-Santi, the Rossos are made using grapes from the youngest vines and aged in Slavonian oak barrels for 12 months.

The annata Brunellos are only made in the best years from hand-selected grapes from vines up to 25 years of age and (since Radi’s first full vintage in 2019) are fermented in a mix of oak barrels, concrete and stainless steel using indigenous yeasts, before ageing in Slavonian oak barrels for 36 months.

Only made in exceptional vintages, just 42 Brunello Riservas have been produced at Biondi-Santi since 1888. Hand-selected grapes come from estate vines 25 years and older and vinified with indigenous yeasts in Slavonian oak before ageing further for 36 months.

Changes and future strategies

In 2017 Biondi-Santi and Tenuta Greppo were bought by French luxury group EPI, which also owns Champagne houses Charles Heidsieck, Piper Heidsieck and Rare as well as Chianti Classico estate Isole e Olena. Radi was appointed the same year.

Since the first Brunello was made in 1888, only Slavonian oak casks had been used at Il Greppo. Now, with no Biondi-Santi family member at the helm for the first time in its history, the latest Riserva release, the 2018, was vinified in barrel, as well as concrete. Barrels again replaced casks for the maturation.

Radi explained that he and the new team aim to honour the legacy of the Biondi-Santi family by following the ethos of ‘Evolution not Revolution’.

‘It is very important for us to preserve this style that is so classic yet always current – a “new classic”,’ he said.

In addition to the introduction of smaller oak vessels as well as concrete, Radi detailed the team’s ‘four pillars’ strategy for the future:

• Regenerative viticulture – to restore health to the soils

• Parcellisation – prime plots on specific soils identified, enabling micro vinifications

• Old-vine massal selection – 40 different clones identified to improve wine complexity.

• New trellising – to manage global warming

Responding to a question from the floor regarding how climate change might affect the Biondi-Santi style, Radi replied: ‘I see our style as a tightrope walker walking on a wire. It can be disturbed by the climate – rain, winds, very cold or extremely hot – but it wants to hold on.

‘We are its balancing pole,’ Radi said of himself and the other ’sensitive professionals’ in the vineyard and cellar negotiating the vagaries of vintage. ‘We help the style not to fall.’

Radi’s recap

A memorable part of this Decanter masterclass – and one that sparked good discussion – was Federico Radi sharing a few personal descriptors for each of the wines he presented to give attendees a grasp of their structure and nature.

Biondi-Santi, Rosso di Montalcino 2022 ‘Crisp and tenacious’

Biondi-Santi, Brunello di Montalcino 2019 ‘Dynamic, balsamic, enticing, floral’

Biondi-Santi, Brunello di Montalcino 2015 ‘Generous, lush, intense’

Biondi-Santi, Riserva, Brunello di Montalcino 2018 ‘The lithe dancer’

Biondi-Santi, Riserva La Storica, Brunello di Montalcino 2004 ‘Solid and trustworthy’

Biondi-Santi, Riserva La Storica, Brunello di Montalcino 1997 ‘Sumptuous’

Biondi-Santi, Riserva La Storica, Brunello di Montalcino 1988 ‘Pure elegance’

Biondi-Santi, Riserva La Storica, Brunello di Montalcino 1975 ‘Welcome to the multiverse!’

Biondi-Santi masterclass: Exploring six decades, back to 1975

Related articles

• Tuscany’s top tier: New vintage releases
• Brunello di Montalcino 2020: Vintage report and 20 top picks
• Biondi Santi: producer profile & Riserva vertical
• Wine Legend: Biondi-Santi, Riserva, Brunello di Montalcino 1975

For me, keeping up with Gran Selezione means an ever-increasing number of wines to taste: since being introduced just 11 years ago, the category has grown from just 33 labels to 187 estates producing 245 different bottlings at the last count.

The quality and diversity are compelling, and for the the most part, prices have yet to become exaggerated. Premiumisation is to be expected of course, but the future success of the category depends on it not becoming completely out of reach.

There are still a number of producers who abstain for their own reasons, however Gran Selezione is now well represented, from the smallest of entities to the largest of enterprises.

Scroll down to see Michaela’s pick of Gran Selezione new releases

Significantly, one of the region’s most prominent and historic estates, Antinori, presents a grand total of three new Gran Selezione this year.

This brings their total to four, each from a different Unità Geografiche Aggiuntive (UGA). Unlike the Badia a Passignano bottling from San Donato in Poggio (130,000 bottles annually), the new labels from Gaiole, San Casciano and Castellina are limited to just 5,000 bottles each.

‘These won’t change the balance sheet at Antinori,’ notes technical director Dora Pacciani. ‘They were made for our passion because we believe in the Chianti Classico region and the UGA project.’

Certainly, the UGA have been a driver in the race to the top. ‘It is also partly a question of communication,’ Monica Raspi at Pomona points out. ‘The consorzio continues to focus on promoting Gran Selezione rather than Riserva.’

Given that her l’Omino Vigna Pomona corresponds to the category’s regulations, she decided to upgrade it from Riserva to Gran Selezione and it is among my top picks from a strong showing of 2021s.

See all of Michaela’s tasting notes & scores from her Chianti Classico report

Testament to success

The latest Gran Selezione releases are further testament to the vintage’s widespread success. They demonstrate great balance of rich, complex structure with fruit depth, distinctiveness and energy.

Antinori’s new bottlings are truly exciting – I was particularly impressed with the San Sano from Gaiole.

Also from the UGA of Gaiole, Castello di Ama puts out another stellar trio. The estate’s San Lorenzo gets an extra tip of the hat for the value for money it offers.

From Montefioralle, Terreno’s Sillano stands out for its brilliant illustration of grace at Chianti Classico’s highest level.

Equally notable is Isola delle Falcole’s fifth-ever vintage from a vineyard in the wilds of Panzano.

To date, it is the estate’s only Chianti Classico label, and the decision to position it at the top of the pyramid is significant for owner Emanuele Graetz. ‘Gran Selezione is our most powerful weapon to make the world understand that Chianti Classico is a fine wine territory’, he asserts.

Graetz is convinced that the best of these will be equated with the greatest Barolo and Burgundy, ‘both in terms of quality and price’.

Odds and ends

The 2021s are not necessarily austere but a year or two longer in bottle wouldn’t hurt, and most fall within a 10- to 15-year range of ageing potential.

Alongside 2021, a smattering of nascent 2022s were trotted out. However, the apparent direction is for producers to give their Gran Selezione longer in bottle before releasing them.

Among those I did try, Castello di Volpaia’s Coltassala and Castello di Querceto’s La Corte cast the vintage in a flattering light. I was also privy to a stunning sneak peek of Istine’s collection, which includes two new Gran Selezione – one from Lamole and the other from Vagliagli.

Note that these UGA (like Montefioralle) won’t be permitted on the label until 2027.

This year there are also dozens of late releases from 2020 and 2019. From the former, Castello di Monsanto (San Donato in Poggio), I Fabbri (Lamole) and Monteraponi’s Il Bragantino (Radda), along with Rocca di Montegrossi 2019 Vigneto San Marcellino (Gaiole) are cellar-worthy gems.

Across this range of vintages, it was gratifying to perceive a movement towards exalting territory over style, and, above all, a throughline of freshness even in progressively warmer years.

What’s happening in Chianti Classico?

Discussions with wineries about strategies in the cellar revealed a growing trend to include whole berries. Sophie Conti at Tregole began experimenting with this in 2021 to soften her wines, and has found it encourages a more delicate extraction.

‘The result is a crunchier wine with greater brightness of fruit’, she asserts.

Altitude was another recurring theme. Under new ownership, Isole e Olena is currently completing a new terraced vineyard at 500 metres – the maximum elevation of the estate.

Furthermore, the small, lofty enclave of Lamole has become a buzz of activity with producers outside the district securing small plots.

Along with Istine’s inaugual Elle bottling is Fontodi’s newest offering, Pastrolo, and Querciabella’s Gran Selezione now includes fruit from recently acquired holdings there.

Michaela’s top-rated Chianti Classico Gran Seleziones released in 2025:

See all of Michaela’s tasting notes & scores from her Chianti Classico report

Related articles

• Chianti Classico Riserva new releases: Top picks in 2025
• Tuscany’s top tier: New vintage releases
• Barolo 2021: Vintage report & top wines from ‘a modern benchmark’

There are few wines that are as closely associated with their region as Chianti is with Tuscany. For 50 years, the iconic green-glass bottle bound with straw, known as a fiasco (‘flask’) graced Italian restaurants and kitchen tables around the world.

But such recognition also brings challenges – Chianti and its unique bottle became associated with basic, rather than quality, wine and Chianti’s reputation suffered as serious producers refused to use the label.

Scroll down for 20 top Chianti picked by Michelle

Fast-forward to today. The region, seemingly untouched by time, covers about 15,500ha of vineyards of quintessential Tuscan landscape – rolling hills and quaint villages – from Pisa to Siena.

And that grape, Sangiovese? Unchanged since the 16th century and still dominating plantings in Tuscany.

For DOCG Chianti, Sangiovese must make up at least 70% of the blend – as distinct from the Chianti Classico DOCG zone (not included in this article), which stands separately from the DOCG sub-zones that surround it (see map, below), and where the minimum Sangiovese requirement is 80%.

Chianti’s seven sub-zones

Of Chianti’s seven sub-zones, Chianti Rùfina and Chianti Colli Senesi are generally considered to produce the best wines. Nestled into the foothills of the Apennines, the former is the smallest of the sub-zones, but also the best known and most consistent.

Its vineyards are at a higher elevation than those of the other sub-zones and are cooled by breezes that blow through a pass in the mountain range. The resulting wines are typically elegant and graceful, with vivid fruit, vibrant acidity and a tannic structure that enables mid-term ageing.

With its warmer climate and predominantly clay soils, Chianti Colli Senesi (the ‘colli’ refers to the fact that the wines come from the hills surrounding the town from which the sub-zone take its name – in this case Siena) tends to produce wines that are fruit-forward and approachable, with softer tannins and a hint of rusticity, and generally little in the way of overt oak influence.

In places it overlaps with the Tuscan DOCGs of Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.

The five remaining sub-zones – (roughly north-south: see map, above) Chianti Montalbano, Chianti Colli Fiorentini, Chianti Montespertoli, Chianti Colline Pisane and Chianti Colli Aretini – typically produce relatively light, straightforward, fruit-driven wines that are best drunk in their youth and are often simply labelled as Chianti DOCG.

Onwards and upwards

Although the landscape and grape have remained constant, the quality and reputation of Chianti have been on an upward trajectory. Both knowledge and research have benefited the wines’ style and quality, and today Chianti represents some of the best value of all Italian reds, with UK supermarket prices generally held at the £6.50-£9 level.

Producers in the region (there are about 3,000 of them) have planted clones of Sangiovese that better highlight the red cherry fruit and juicy acidity for which the grape is known.

Wineries have the flexibility either to choose grapes from the greater area and use ‘Chianti DOCG’ on the label, or to select grapes from a single one of seven sub-regions, enabling them to make a more focused, terroir-driven wine and specify the sub-zone on the label.

Basic Chianti tends to be simple and fruity, whereas Chianti Governo – a historical winemaking tradition that uses a small portion of dried grapes – is similar but with a bit more body and alcohol. Both are made to be drunk early.

Wines labelled either Chianti Superiore or Chianti Riserva tend to be slightly more expensive and are matured in wood before bottling, adding that extra spicy nuance.

These wines are either ready to drink on release or can age, and can offer the best quality-to-value ratio, typically priced at a still-affordable level of about £9-£13.

For those willing to spend a little more, the most ageworthy and highest- scoring wines come from the sub-regions, yet compared to Chianti’s more famous (Classico) neighbours, they still offer incredible value.

With plenty to choose from, you can be assured that quality and consistency are guaranteed at every price point.

Michelle’s 20 top great value Chianti:

Related articles

• Chianti Classico: Panel tasting results
• Antinori adds three new Chianti Classico Gran Selezione wines
• Wines of the Year 2024: Italy

Launched in 1997 with the simultaneous release of 1993 and 1994, this Super Tuscan was born as a collaboration between two formidable wine families: Robert Mondavi brought California’s modern sheen to Frescobaldi’s rustic Tuscan charms.

Over the years, Luce has garnered high praise for its opulence and power.

To chart its history, I sat down with 30th generation and company president, Lamberto Frescobaldi for an exclusive interview with Decanter and a vertical tasting of all 30 vintages.

Scroll down for notes and scores on all 30 vintages of Luce

Before diving in, I ask Lamberto about the birth of Luce. ‘It was really thanks to [Robert] Mondavi,’ he replies. Speaking of him fondly, Lamberto gives context to Mondavi’s mindset when he connected with Lamberto’s father, Vittorio in the early 1990s – a full two decades after resolving to making a wine in Italy.

‘Opus One had taught him and his kids that there is no such thing as a perfect wine,’ asserts Lamberto, who credits the joint venture with the Rothschilds in Napa Valley for attuning Mondavi to place over grape variety.

‘Bob was smart enough to understand that he wouldn’t make a wine on his own,’ Lamberto continues, explaining that, in Vittorio, he recognised a like-minded entrepreneur.

Leading the project for the Mondavis, Robert’s son Tim was particularly struck by Castelgiocondo in the luminous southwestern expanse of Montalcino. Despite being in the heartland of Sangiovese, it was Lamaione – a 100% Merlot – that initially inspired Tim.

This interloper was planted in the 1970s, when the property was under French ownership.

A UC Davis graduate, Lamberto was managing the vineyards when the Mondavis arrived, and collaborated with Tim to create the Luce prototype. He recalls their early conversations. ‘Do we want to make another wine? Not really. Do we want to learn something between us? Yes.’

‘The idea to blend Sangiovese and Merlot was quite unusual at the time,’ he states, adding that it didn’t compete with other wines the two companies already made. Calling himself the ‘cowboy’, Lamberto sought the power and sexiness of Merlot, while it was Tim who favoured the firmness of Sangiovese.

‘Sometimes we were arguing, and I would exclaim, “Luce isn’t Brunello!”.’

The richly textured, generously fruited, lavish style of Luce has long made that clear in the glass.

Standing alone

Touting the partnership, bottles bore both families’ names until Mondavi sold to Constellation in late 2004. Shortly after, Frescobaldi exercised its option to buy Mondavi’s 50% stake in Luce. Following the split, both the Robert Mondavi and Frescobaldi signatures were removed from the label.

‘The idea was for Luce to stand alone,’ says Lamberto.

Nevertheless, an amicable relationship between the two families has endured. ‘Most of the time, collaborations don’t work,’ Lamberto declares. ‘But in this case, it did.’

He considers Luce a new beginning for Frescobaldi, which is significant for a family that boasts seven centuries of history in agriculture and winemaking.

‘We started transferring what we were doing at Luce to our other wines, giving more care to everything from pruning, selection and picking to vinification, managing malolactic fermentation and ageing.’

Honed winemaking

While the Super Tuscan boom has largely waned, Lamberto asserts that ‘Luce has strengthened’. Still based on approximately equal proportions of Merlot and Sangiovese – only the cool, wet 2002 vintage has ever deviated from this – production has been appreciably honed over the years.

Today, Luce is selected from the property’s 92 hectares, which are distinct from the 200ha of sister estate, Castelgiocondo. Rising from 270 to 418 metres, 21 unique parcels are categorised by five different macro-soil types.

Sangiovese is planted at higher altitudes on predominantly schist, versus Merlot which sits at slightly lower elevations on sandy clay. Organic certification for all the vineyards was achieved in 2015 (although as of 2024, the company is re-evaluating if this is the right approach to attain the highest quality grapes).

Ermanno Morlacchetti has been the head agronomist since 2000. Besides ongoing research of clones and rootstocks, he cites two key improvements in the vineyards: meticulous pruning to preserve the health of vine wood, and soil management to encourage water permeation.

‘We evaluate our work every week,’ he says. ‘It is less standardised than 20 years ago.’

Renowned oenologist Niccolò d’Afflitto continues to oversee all of Frescobaldi’s estates exclusively. The Luce della Vite brand also has its own dedicated winemaker, focusing solely on the stable of Luce, second wine Lucente, Cabernet Sauvignon-based Lux Vitis and Luce Brunello.

Bordeaux-trained Alessandro Marini assumed the role of head winemaker in 2020. With an aim to preserve freshness, he favours picking earlier.

In the cellar, ‘I am looking for balance immediately,’ he remarks.

Doing better

While originally made in the same facility as Castelgiocondo, Luce has had its own cellar since 2017. ‘We have become much more precise,’ explains Lamberto, citing the beneficial role of new technology. ‘In the past, we were crossing our fingers. Now we have many more tools.’

The oak regime has also evolved: by 2005, Luce was being aged in 100% new French oak barriques. ‘You had to in those days,’ Lamberto declares. They began easing up on the use of new oak in 2011, reaching up to 20% of second-use barriques as of the 2018 vintage.

Luce is still noticeably oak-driven in its youth, however recent vintages – particularly from 2015 on – demonstrate greater refinement of oak and tannins with better balance of fruit.

Though a bit awkward, the noughties wines are not without gems – 2008 being a particular highlight. And as for the older wines, they are time capsules of a different era and provide a baseline for what has been achieved over the years. Those from the 1990s are fully developed, with an impressive rally from the 1996.

‘Tasting the older vintages makes you feel younger because they bring back memories,’ says Lamberto as he recounts making the first trial blends with Tim. ‘Bob showed up and said, “this wine is terrific; it has complexity. But I know you can you do better.”’

From 28,000 bottles in the first vintage, Luce has reached an annual production of 130,000. Lamberto does not foresee increasing quantities further. He describes Luce as ‘a young wine with much to prove’ and his focus is on improving quality.

‘Our goal is for Luce to stand proudly among the world’s finest wines.’

Robert Mondavi’s comment about doing better has clearly become Lamberto’s mantra.

Luce: 30 years of progress

Related articles

• Best value Brunello di Montalcino 2020: 10 to buy
• The making of a megastar: Masseto
• Italy’s future greats: 10 wineries from Piedmont to Campania nominated by their peers

When it comes to a distinguished wine like Brunello di Montalcino, value is a relative concept. The challenge in 2020 is finding less expensive examples that deliver the structure and complexity the denomination implies.

As a reminder, value doesn’t simply mean the cheapest price. In this vintage, shelling out just a little bit more might result in a substantial increase in bang-for-your-buck.

Notes and scores for Michaela’s best value Brunello di Montalcino 2020 below

Familiarity

To start, I recommend trusting in familiar names. Dominating the zone’s southwestern quadrant, Montalcino’s medium- to large-sized estates boast production efficiencies as well as ample vineyards at their disposal to deliver consistent quality.

In particular, the latest releases from historic producers such as Argiano, Castelgiocondo, Col d’Orcia and Il Poggione lived up to their track record.

That said, smaller wineries needn’t be overlooked for well-priced gems. Look to less hyped labels. In 2020, post-sharecropping families Caprili and Fattoi, as well as more recently established estates Col di Lamo and Sassodisole, continue to prove their mettle.

While these may not be the highest scoring wines, they represent a sweet spot for affordable and satisfying Brunello di Montalcino.

Buy classic

Overall, the best value tends to be found among estates’ ‘classic’ Brunellos, rather than their selection bottlings which typically command a higher price.

Michaela’s Brunello di Montalcino 2020 best value picks:

Argiano

While prices may have gone up in recent years, the notable increase in quality justifies this – and the estate bottling is still relatively affordable.

Il Poggione

With ample parcels to choose from, including some at higher elevations, Il Poggione manages to create a balanced aggregate that still expresses Montalcino’s warm southern reaches.

Frescobaldi, Castelgiocondo

Among Montalcino’s most historic and largest estates, Castelgiocondo remains true to its munificent character despite a change of winemaker.

Col d’Orcia

Under ownership of the Cinzano Marone family since 1973, Col d’Orcia is a leader in research and development while continuing to produce traditional age worthy Brunello. The 2020 is no exception.

Val di Suga

With parcels in diverse pockets of the denomination, Val di Suga provides a sincere panoramic view of the 2020 vintage.

Villa Poggio Salvi

Fresh, perfumed gracious and approachable, Villa Poggio Salvi captures all that should be celebrated about the 2020 vintage at a highly accessible price.

Fattoi

A perennial pick, Fattoi is among my favourite wines of the vintage not just for the exceptional value it represents, but also for its palpable sense of place.

Col di Lamo

Boutique-size winery without exclusive pricing. The focus is on continued improvement which is manifested in the 2020.

Caprili

Giacomo Bartolommei is one of Montalcino’s bright young winemakers with a clear vision of the region’s future. His wines continue to go from strength to strength.

Sassodisole

Under-the-radar producer Roberto Terzuoli worked under Franco Biondi-Santi for several years. He now crafts characterful wines in the less touted area of Torrenieri.

The best value Brunello di Montalcino 2020

Related articles

• Brunello di Montalcino 2020: Vintage report and 20 top picks
• Best value Burgundy 2023 wines en primeur
• Wines of the Year 2024: Italy

‘Riserva is the first wine I forfeit to make a better Brunello,’ declares Tommaso Cortonesi (Cortonesi). In 2019, he and his colleagues didn’t need to make such sacrifices.

Given the sheer number of bottlings previewed – upwards of 100 – 2019 is unequivocally a Riserva year. Even the most selective producers made a separate Riserva bottling – at Le Potazzine, it was only the estate’s fifth ever. ‘We try not to make Riserva in merely good and regular years,’ explains proprietor Gigliola Giannetti.

At cool heights, she looks to warmer vintages that give more intensity, structure and density. It is among 2019’s Riserva triumphs.

Scroll down for Michaela Morris’s selection of the best Brunello di Montalcino 2019 Riserva wines

Favourable weather and good yields

While the growing season was very warm, it wasn’t marked by extremes, and the ideal amount of rain fell at opportune moments. ‘Above all, significant diurnal temperature variations allowed for wines with great structure and longevity,’ explains Francesca Bindocci (Tenuta Il Poggione).

Beyond the favourable weather conditions, generous yields meant that producers weren’t hampered by limited quantities.

Of course, there are always exceptions, such as San Polo, that sat 2019 out. ‘We have chosen to favour cooler vintages that yield an elegant, refined expression,’ states winemaker Riccardo Fratton.

And Alessandro Mori (Il Marroneto) opted for 2020 over 2019 to make his second-ever Riserva – but more on that when it is released next year.

The quality of offerings from 2019 restores faith in the Riserva category, which in lesser vintages can feel weary after the additional year of maturation, or barely differentiated from the annata bottlings.

This problem persists in some examples in 2019, however more live up to the true spirit of Riserva.

Read: Brunello di Montalcino 2020: Vintage report and 20 top picks

Worthwhile additions

This is a testament to the producers who have a well defined concept and follow through in the vineyard and cellar. It is particularly admirable that in a warm vintage like 2019, these wines still convey the freshness I prized in the annata bottlings, along with balance and ageability – even after lengthy maturation.

In general, the Brunello di Montalcino 2019 Riservas don’t equal the profundity and tension of 2016, the last significant Riserva year. Nevertheless, they reach a fascinating level of opulence with more obvious power than their annata counterparts.

On one end of the spectrum, a velvety plushness is enticingly epitomised by Il Poggione’s Paganelli and Sesta di Sopra, while at the other end Poggio di Sotto and Conti Costanti are built around steely tannins. Then there is Baricci’s Nello, which seems wholly laden with fruit until a complex structure matrix takes hold.

Capanna and Padelletti are more elegantly sculpted yet still decidedly firm. When the pendulum finally rests, it lies perfectly centred on Fuligni.

With ageing potential between 10 and 20 years, the vintage’s many successful Riservas will make worthwhile additions in the cellar alongside the annata – and the top examples are worth the extra price.

Click here to view all Brunello Riserva 2019 wines from Michaela’s report

View all 129 of the wines included in Michaela’s Brunello report, including late-release bottlings

Which Brunello Riserva 2019 should I drink and when?

In terms of ageing, the Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2019s fall loosely into two categories: those that will be approachable upon release and may be enjoyed anytime over the next decade or so, versus those that demand more time and can be cellared for 15 years, or even longer.

Drink now and over the next 10+ years

Capanna

So securely knit, I’d even bet on this to age into its twenties, if properly stored.

Gianni Brunelli

Champions the enduring qualities of transparency and finesse over sheer power.

Il Palazzone

Brilliantly preserved freshness will continue to illuminate this wine as it gains in maturity.

Fossacolle

Already in a comfortable, mature groove but not ready to call it quits anytime soon.

Cortonesi, La Mannella

Quite simply, the best wine I have tried from this estate – and may keep performing well beyond a decade.

Needs time

Baricci, Nello

A fitting tribute to one of the founders of the Brunello consorzio, this captures the spirit of Riserva.

Fuligni

Exquisitely balanced and promises to remain elegantly poised for decades to come.

Poggio di Sotto

Unequivocally says ‘hands off’ but begs to be revisited in a few years’ time.

Le Potazzine

While almost impossibly embryonic now, it is showing just enough to reassure of a long and lively future.

Sesti, Phenomena

An otherworldly paradox of amplitude and weightlessness. Perhaps timeless as well.

Brunello di Montalcino 2019 Riserva: Michaela’s recommendations, from top-scorers to value picks

Click here to view all Brunello Riserva 2019 wines from Michaela’s report

Related articles

• Brunello di Montalcino 2020: Vintage report and 20 top picks
• Burgundy 2023 en primeur: Full vintage report & top-scoring wines
• Bolgheri 2021: Overview of a milestone vintage and top-scorers

Brunello di Montalcino 2020 vintage rating: 4/5

A hot and dry summer, with nights cooling in September and rain towards the end of the month. Graciously structured, seductive and immediately harmonious wines promise immense pleasure now and over the mid-term.

The global pandemic seems like a ghost of the distant past, yet as I tasted through the newly released 2020 Brunello di Montalcinos, inevitable references to that strange period kept cropping up. Producers welcomed the time it allowed them in the vineyard, regardless of what Mother Nature doled out.

The weather was not extreme, but it was just erratic enough to provoke minor, localised and ongoing challenges which affected some more than others. ‘It wasn’t a simple vintage’, acknowledges Giacomo Neri (Casanova di Neri). Riccardo Campinoti (Le Ragnaie), however, recalls that ‘there weren’t big problems’.

After another dry and mild winter, late March brought some rain and snow. Despite early budding, frost damage was minimal and restricted to lower lying vineyards. The first half of June brought significant downpours, simultaneously replenishing water reserves and lowering temperatures. Conditions were ripe for powdery mildew just as fruit set and berries started to develop. While fairly easy to manage in most spots, it was particularly persistent in the southeastern hamlet of San Polo.

Scroll down for Michaela Morris’s 20 top Brunello di Montalcino 2020 recommendations

Summer cauldron

As temperatures rose steadily through July, summer was undeniably hot with negligible precipitation. There were two heatwaves – one beginning at the end of July and another in late August. While both were relatively brief, the first was particularly intense, with ‘temperatures over 35°C, topping out at 39°C’, according to Francesco Ripaccioli (Canalicchio di Sopra).

Harnessing the leaf canopy to shade the grapes and protect them from sunburn was top priority, and is a practice Montalcino growers are now well-versed in.

The other concern was hydric stress, yet at worst this was described as moderate, and by many accounts largely avoided. Lorenzo Maganelli (Le Chiuse) points to the importance of soil management, explaining that by keeping Le Chiuse’s clay-based terrain well-aerated, the vines cope more effectively with heat and drought. ‘Because the plants didn’t go into stress in August, maturation was regular and uniform from bunch to bunch,’ he asserts.

Showers at the beginning of September were unanimously welcomed as they refreshed the vines and lowered temperatures. ‘The first 10 days of September were characterised by warm days and cold nights…excellent for the accumulation of polyphenols and aromas,’ says Sara Rossi (Padelletti). At Luce, in Montalcino’s southwest, winemaker Alessandro Marini concurs: ‘September was hot, but not too hot, with good temperature excursions.’

Conversely, both Salvioni and Salicutti in the southeast recall less marked temperature differences. ‘This is why we find less acidity in the wines’, explains Michela Piccioni (Salicutti). She also describes having to speed up picking to avoid over ripeness.

Picking dilemma

For most, harvest was comparatively early. Depending on location, it progressed from early September through the beginning of October. According to Riccardo Talenti (Talenti), whose vineyards are in the south, deciding when to pick was the most challenging aspect of the year.

‘The choice is to maintain the acidity and pH, so we harvested before achieving perfect phenolic maturity,’ he shares. It is a strategy mirrored at Le Ragnaie and Caprili.

In later-ripening areas, unsettled weather in late September played a determining role. A full 70mm of rain was recorded in the north on the 25th, dividing estates between those that chose to pick before and those that risked waiting.

In the former camp, Pietro Buffi (Baricci) cited sufficient ripeness, preferring not to dilute the grapes. In the latter, Roberto Giannelli (San Filippo) called the decision ‘a game changer’ for quality and style.

‘It allowed us to wait another 10 days to reach optimal phenolic maturity while maintaining a good balance of sugar and acidity’, he declares.

For others, the rain seemed inconsequential. ‘We managed to work well around the rain’, states Katia Nussbaum (San Polino). And Corte Pavone’s Hayo Loacker characterised the harvest as easygoing, noting that ‘we could pick whenever we wanted’.

A healthy crop

Thanks to low disease pressure, grapes came in healthy, although producers with hotter sites did have to contend with some dried berries. ‘Our optical selector was a big help in 2020,’ asserts Neri.

Yet compared to the prolific 2019 vintage, yields were lower, due in part to smaller grapes and bunches. ‘The average berry weight was just one gram, whereas usually the average is 1.5 to 2 grams,’ explains Buffi.

In the cellar, several winemakers mentioned slightly shorter maceration times and gentler extractions to either enhance elegance or balance intrinsic power. Yet others felt that the grapes could manage more assertive handling.

At Argiano, Bernardino Sani’s greatest concern was ensuring the wine didn’t tire during the long maturation in wood. ‘We refined the wine in big casks for the least amount of time possible – 24 months, then moved it to cement which, in my opinion, helps maintain freshness,’ he tells me.

Click here to view all of the wines included in Michaela’s Brunello di Montalcino 2020 report

Brunello di Montalcino 2020: A vintage of freshness

Freshness is one of the over-arching characteristics of 2020 and a strength of the vintage. It has been admirably preserved despite the substantial heat accumulation of the growing season.

I was also charmed by the generous aromas, seductiveness and immediate accessibility of the wines. The best description came from Federico Radi (Biondi Santi), who called the wines ‘suave’.

As admirable as these qualities are, in lesser wines this also translates as a superficiality. Specifically, I found several examples lacking fruit depth and structure. Other disappointing examples were simply overripe with hefty alcohol, suggesting that grapes were picked past their prime.

Sadly these miss out on what makes the vintage appealing.

The varying accounts of the vintage speak clearly to the diversity within Montalcino. This is echoed in the glass, where the wines are heterogenous in both quality and style. Beyond location, both picking time and winemaking approach also play an essential role.

Comparisons

2020 is not comparable to vintages of the last century. Instead, it is a curious combination of 2015 and 2018. Some examples are more reminiscent of 2015, a luminous year yielding a voluptuous fruit character. However, 2020 is slightly dialled back, and more radiant in acidity.

With an unexpected gentleness and finer frame, others recalled 2018, though with more substance. There are even similarities with 2019 – namely, the beautiful fragrances and freshness. 2020 doesn’t typically reach the same heights as 2019, which is generally more complete and nuanced, although there are a handful of 2020 wines which do outperform their 2019 counterparts.

Standouts

Among the standouts, Il Marroneto’s Madonna delle Grazie and Conti Costanti reach a rare level of profundity and density of structure. Le Chiuse and Padelletti are more finely framed but not lacking depth.

Though very different styles, Argiano, Luce and Sesti all capture the generous warmth of the southwest while remaining innately juicy. Giodo is one of my top picks for the second year in a row and Fattoi joins the ranks, not just for the sheer value it represents but for its palpable sense of place.

Most wineries came out with selection bottlings in 2020, though some were stronger than others. La Gerla’s La Pieve as well as both Cortonesi’s La Mannella and Vigna Poggiarelli labels proved their merit, while Riccardo Campinoti at Le Ragnaie continues to impress across his range of site-specific Brunellos, not to mention his estate blend.

For consideration, there are also the not-to-be-missed 2019 late releases, Biondi-Santi and Casanova di Neri’s Cerretalto.

Worth buying?

When I asked producers if they will be releasing a 2020 Riserva, they were almost equally divided. Naysayers cited everything from insufficient quantity or not wanting to impoverish the ‘classic’ bottling, to the wine not having persuasive enough Riserva identity or stamina for long ageing. This corroborated my impressions about the vintage.

Not that it isn’t good – but that it isn’t unanimously outstanding. Of course, there are shining exceptions.

The burning question is if 2020 is worth buying. Honestly, price does give me pause, especially for the most easygoing, Rosso-esque examples. As such, I encourage buying selectively and above all, by producer.

I am slightly less bullish about exploring beyond the tried and true in 2020, though there are lesser-known and newer estates like Villa La Prata and Giuseppe Gorelli that deserve attention too.

Which Brunello 2020 should I drink when?

Most 2020s will be ready to drink upon release. Some will be best within the next five to eight years; others over a more leisurely 10 to 12. Only a select few truly need to be tucked away but will reward for upwards of 15 years.

Short-term pleasure

Altesino

Upfront in its attractions and should be enjoyed when all of these are in their exuberant prime.

Banfi

A triple-threat in terms of accessibility; besides drinking delightfully now, it is affordably priced and widely available.

Talenti

Has all the estate’s signature fragrance and texture; just ready to go a bit sooner than usual.

Mid-term appeal

Giuseppe Gorelli

Third vintage is a charm for this new winery. Well-structured for a mid-term stint in the cellar.

Salicutti, Piaggione

Highlights the gracious character of the vintage and should deliver gracefully for the next decade.

Long-term reward

Casanova di Neri, Tenuta Nuova

Actually tempting now but will reveal even more of its intricacies gradually.

Il Marroneto, Madonna delle Grazie

An outlier of the vintage, the 2020 demonstrates greater density and power than its 2019 counterpart.

Brunello di Montalcino: Michaela’s recommendations, from top-scorers to value picks

View all wines from Michaela’s Brunello report

Italy newsletter: Sign up today

Get the best recommendations, vintage analysis, regional and cultural insights and more delivered to your inbox once a month, helping you to stay up-to-date with the latest in Italian wine.

Related articles

• Brunello di Montalcino 2019 Riserva: 10 picks from a triumphant return to form
• Best value Brunello di Montalcino 2020: 10 to buy
• Michaela Morris: My top 10 wines of 2024

Two bottles of the debut Tignanello 1971 vintage sourced directly from the Tuscany-based estate each sold above their high estimates at a Christie’s auction in London on Tuesday 26 November. 

One fetched £813 and the other £750, including buyer’s premium, versus a pre-sale estimate range of £300 to £500 per bottle. 

Christie’s hosted the sale to mark 50 years since Italian winemaking family Antinori first released Tignanello. 

A decision to create a Sangiovese-led wine with small amounts of classic ‘Bordeaux’ grape varieties, outside of the Chianti Classico denomination, means Tignanello is considered a pioneer of the SuperTuscan phenomenon.

Christie’s offered nearly every Tignanello vintage at auction this week. Single bottles of Tignanello 1978 and 1979 also sold for £813 each, including buyer’s premium, outpacing a high estimate of £300 per bottle.

‘The saleroom was buzzing with many bidders competing for a piece of vinous history of this world-famous Italian super-Tuscan,’ said Tim Triptree MW, international director for Christie’s wines & spirits department. All lots sold, he said.

Other highlights included: 

• Nine magnums of Tignanello 2000 – 2009 sold for £5,250 (high estimate: £4,000). There is no Tignanello 2002 vintage.
• Three double magnums (3x300cl) of Tignanello 1999 – 2001 sold for £5,000 (high e: £2,800).
• A 225-litre barrel of Tignanello 2024, scheduled for release in 2027, sold for £47,000 (e: £24,000 to £50,000).

A lot featuring the current-release Tignanello 2021 vintage, including a 12-litre bottle and overnight trip to the estate via private jet, also sold for £21,250 (estimate: £10,000 to £30,000). Final sale prices include the buyer’s premium.

Marchese Piero Antinori told Decanter, ‘This auction was dedicated to the wine that I’m probably most attached to, Tignanello, on the occasion of its 50th anniversary.’

He said he was pleased with the auction results and described Tignanello 1971 as ‘a milestone in Tuscan winemaking and one of the sparks that contributed to the movement known as “The Renaissance” of Italian wine’.

Renzo Cotarella, CEO and chief winemaker at Marchesi Antinori, commented in the auction notes on Tignanello’s evolution.

This included replanting the vineyard in the 1990s, and a ‘stylistic revision’ of the wine in the 2000s; ‘moving from dimension and power, typical of the early 2000s, to a more refined, intense and savoury style’.

A small group of top SuperTuscans have seen strong price increases on the fine wine secondary market in recent years, suggesting increased collector interest in these wines, as reported by Decanter magazine’s Market Watch.

Prices have dipped in the past 24 months during a wider fine wine market downturn, but remained at historically high levels.

Christie’s also offered medal-winning bottles from the Decanter World Wine Awards this week, in a charity sale.

It’s a busy wine auction season in general. Christie’s is currently offering the ‘Skigaarden’ single-owner collection from a mountainside cellar in Norway, as well as a sale featuring rare Cognac and vintage Port; ending 5 and 6 December respectively.

Meanwhile, Sotheby’s will offer the final instalment of its Epicurean’s Atlas series in Hong Kong on 30 November, featuring wines from collector Pierre Chen.

Related articles

• Collector’s Guide: Tuscany
• SuperTuscan evolution: Comparing Tignanello and Solaia
• Tignanello wines rated: Eight vintages from 1997 to 2013

Misunderstood and frequently overlooked, Rosso di Montalcino has long lived in the shadow of its Tuscan big brother, Brunello di Montalcino. But while Brunello enjoys global success and strong sales, Rosso is hiding in plain sight.

The Rosso DOC was created in 1983. The most important way in which it differs from Brunello is its shorter ageing period. The requirement for a minimum of two years of cask ageing for Brunello has resulted in some criticism about the wines ‘drying out’, especially in leaner vintages.

Rosso, on the other hand, only requires 10 months of ageing in total, and not necessarily in oak.

While most of the best Rossos are aged in large barrels for six to 12 months, adding some wood-aged character, primarily it delivers the ripe, expressive character of Montalcino’s famous Sangiovese variety.

Scroll down to see notes and scores for 20 Rosso di Montalcino wines to seek out

Styles and approaches

Because of the more relaxed regulations, there has been a level of ambiguity around the style of Rosso di Montalcino’s wines. The historical practice by leading wineries, such as Biondi-Santi, was to mark down or declassify to Rosso those casks of maturing wine not considered good enough to go into the Brunello.

This barrel selection process gave Rosso a reputation for being a ‘baby Brunello’.

Declassified Brunello wines still exist, however today many growers set out to produce Rosso from dedicated grapes or vineyards instead.

In some instances, this will be fruit from younger vines or newer vineyards (for example, Canalicchio di Sopra), while for others it will be a single-vineyard wine (eg, Il Marroneto’s Ignaccio, Fuligni’s Ginestreto, or La Caduta from Caparzo).

For others still, the Rosso bottling is based on a fruit selection across the property’s vineyards (such as Sesti: see recommendations below).

‘The production of Rosso is really diversified among producers, so it is not easy to think about it in a single way,’ observes Luca Marrone, chief winemaker at both Poggio di Sotto and Tenuta San Giorgio.

A smart buy

To add further complexity, the best Rossos can have the fruit concentration and structure to age in bottle for as long as some Brunellos, and producers increasingly acknowledge that Rosso from a strong vintage can outperform Brunello from a weak one.

Many of the best examples of Rosso can age in bottle for 10 or more years. And Rosso isn’t just there to fill a gap while waiting for the Brunello to mature: the aged character of a good Rosso at 10 years of age is different – not necessarily inferior – to that of a good Brunello.

That’s important, because it makes Rosso a worthwhile purchase even if you are able to afford increasingly expensive Brunello. If you admire a producer’s Brunello, its Rosso is often worth buying and is usually a third to half the price of its Brunello.

The DOC also offers what Elisa Sesti at Sesti’s Castello di Argiano calls ‘the pulse of the vintage’. In other words, Rosso is often a good way to experience how a producer handles a particular harvest three or four years ahead of its Brunello wines being released, which can in due course help your buying decisions on the latter.

It’s also worth noting that if you enjoy a fruit-forward style of Sangiovese, you might even prefer a young Rosso, served at 16°-18°C, to a more structured and developed Brunello.

Price and value

Current production volumes for Rosso di Montalcino stand at just under half those of Brunello, according to official figures, making Rosso the rarer wine, which is in marked contrast to the second wines of top Bordeaux châteaux.

But with production rights extended from the 2024 vintage, more Rosso will become available. The fruit will come from existing Sangiovese vineyards currently registered only for regional IGT-level wines.

In the meantime, the strong 2021 and 2022 vintages are widely available and offer the perfect opportunity to get started with this under-the-radar DOC that offers some of the best value in Italy…

Jason Millar’s top 20 Rosso di Montalcino wines:

Related articles

• Chianti Classico: Panel tasting results
• Italy’s future greats: 10 wineries from Piedmont to Campania nominated by their peers
• Wine investment: Italy outperforms the market

Michelle Cherutti-Kowal MW, Sara Bachiorri and Jason Millar tasted 134 wines, with 4 Outstanding and 79 Highly Recommended.

Chianti Classico: Panel tasting scores

131 wines tasted

Exceptional 0

Outstanding 4

Highly recommended 79

Recommended 50

Commended 2

Fair 0

Poor 0

Entry criteria: producers and UK agents were invited to submit their Chianti Classico red wines in the categories Gran Selezione 2020, Riserva 2020 and annata 2021

This tasting provided a rare opportunity to sample all three styles of Chianti Classico side by side, from two differing vintages: 2021 for the regular ‘annata’ bottlings, and 2020 for Riserva and Gran Selezione.

Prior to the creation of the Gran Selezione category (approved by the European Commission in February 2014, the first vintage to which it could be applied was 2010) several estates already produced three styles of Chianti Classico: annata (standard vintage release aged for a minimum of 12 months, but with no requirement for any time in oak), Riserva, and their own special selection or single-vineyard bottling.

When the Gran Selezione category became official, some producers used the opportunity to explore the characteristics of Sangiovese by introducing variations in both extraction levels and oak usage, which created some controversy among local and international press.

As judge Jason Millar commented: ‘Gran Selezione is an evolving category that will continue to develop over the coming harvests.’

Our tasting validated that these wines have established their place within the Chianti Classico hierarchy, and the region now offers drinkers a variety of styles and price options.

Scroll down to see the top results from the Chianti Classico panel tasting

A succulent tasting

The 2021 annata wines were succulent, with good structure and fruit concentration. These are wines that will happily sit in the cellar for five to eight years.

The biggest surprise was the Riserva category, which has been questioned over the past 10 years. With the introduction of Gran Selezione in 2014, and the minor differences between the two (30 months’ ageing compared to 24 months for Riserva, for example), would this ‘middle child’ still be sufficiently distinct?

The panel’s response was a resounding ‘yes’. The 2020 Riservas displayed rich fruit framed by firm tannins and backed by crisp acidity. Drinking well now, these wines will age in the cellar for the next decade.

Upcoming changes to Gran Selezione – specifically, increasing the percentage of Sangiovese and the removal of international grape varieties altogether (still permitted in the other categories) – will result in Riserva wines becoming increasingly important.

See all the wines from the Chianti Classico panel tasting

Vintage differences

The 2020 Gran Selezione were, as expected, concentrated and rich in both tannins and oak. Most need a few more years in bottle but are more than worthy of their price tags.

The 2021 vintage was marked by a wet winter and spring, but the rest of the season was dry and sunny with day-night temperature shifts in late August helping to build tannins and preserve Sangiovese’s marked acidity.

‘The 2021 annatas were bright and enjoyable with tons of aromatics and intense flavours,’ noted Sara Bachiorri. The 2020 vintage was warmer and water stress was an issue in some areas by August, though September showers provided much-needed relief for vines.

It’s a vintage marked by ripe fruit and powerful structure, with a touch less acidity than normal, which did not seem to affect the results here.

More than 60% of the wines tasted were rated either Outstanding or Highly recommended (90pts or more), underlining not only the high quality of the category, but also its value for money.

The best-performing wines all fell in the £30-£49.99 price range, while within the Highly recommended range, a quarter of the wines were priced £15-£29.99 – a bargain, given the quality-to-value ratio.

As Millar concluded: ‘Chianti Classico represents some of the best value for money for wine lovers looking for wines of terroir and character.’

Chianti Classico panel tasting scores

Wines were tasted blind

The judges

Michelle Cherutti-Kowal MW is a widely published wine writer, consultant, educator and WSET lecturer. She is a regular judge and contributor for Decanter, and is the DWWA Regional Chair for Tuscany

Sara Bachiorri is in the buying team at merchant WoodWinters. A DWWA judge for Northern Italy, she was formerly head sommelier at The Glasshouse in Kew then Chez Bruce in London, followed by a stint at Italian specialist merchant FortyFive10°

Jason Millar is a freelance wine writer, consultant, communicator and judge, with a focus on Italy and South Africa. He has a background in buying, importing and sales, and in 2016 was the top WSET Diploma graduate worldwide

Related articles

• Etna Rosso: Panel tasting results
• Italy’s future greats: 10 wineries from Piedmont to Campania nominated by their peers
• Groundbreaking Gaja: A lifetime’s work

The highly regarded Poggio di Sotto estate was founded in 1969 by Piero Palmucci. Palmucci never planted vines, preferring to build up his estate by buying parcels recommended by his consultant, Giulio Gambelli.

In 2011, the Poggio di Sotto estate was bought by Claudio Tipa and integrated into his ColleMassari group of Tuscan properties – Castello ColleMassari in Montecucco, Tenuta San Giorgio in Montalcino, and Grattamacco in Bolgheri.

Poggio di Sotto is located in the commune of Castelnuovo del’Abate, on the southern flanks of the Montalcino zone. Many of the vineyards in this area are low-lying and can suffer from excessive heat in very warm vintages.

However Poggio di Sotto has 20 hectares of mostly south-facing vineyards at an elevation ranging from 200 to 440 metres, giving the wines their complexity as cooler, higher sites are blended with those lower down. The dominant soil type is clay, with bands of sand, gravel, and galestro at various levels.

Scroll down to see scores for eight vintages of Poggio di Sotto

‘An even higher level of consistency and polish’

After acquiring Poggio di Sotto, Tipa began planting up to 180 biotypes of Sangiovese for greater diversity and complexity. The farming of all 25 parcels of vines is organic, and the average age of the vines is just over 20 years.

Selective picking during harvest provides diverse lots for blending after ageing. It’s a costly practice but gives more complex and balanced wines.

The vinification is classic, with fermentation in large casks employing indigenous yeasts. Pump overs can continue for up to 45 days and after the malolactic fermentation.

The wine is aged for three to four years in Slavonian oak casks – winemaker Leonardo Berti believes that the use of barriques can standardise the wines and robs them of nuance.

All wines are vinified as though they were destined to become Brunello, but after the second year some wines may be deselected for shorter ageing and bottled as Rosso di Montalcino.

A similar selection is made later, during the ageing process, to determine whether any lots are worthy of being bottled as Brunello di Montalcino Riserva. After bottling, the wines receive further ageing for 12 months before release.

The wines produced by Palmucci were extremely good, but Tipa seems to have brought them to an even higher level of consistency and polish. Prices are eye-watering, but it’s hard to deny that Poggio di Sotto delivers Brunello of the highest quality.

‘Quintessential Brunello’

What singles them out is their remarkable freshness, especially given the vines’ location in one of the hottest sectors of the region.

Berti insists that they pick early, sometimes in late August, to be certain of avoiding any raisining and jamminess. Moreover, they are able to keep alcohol levels relatively low, unlike many of their neighbours, who can often produce wines at around 15% abv.

For me, Poggio di Sotto is quintessential Brunello. The wines aren’t blockbusters, they don’t hammer the drinker with extraction and alcohol, and their elegance and freshness are almost mouthwatering.

They are indisputably in the very top ranks of great Brunello.

Tasting eight vintages of Poggio di Sotto Brunello di Montalcino

Related articles

• Brunello di Montalcino 2019 – ‘spoiled for choice’: Full report
• Collector’s Guide: Tuscany
• Chianti Classico annata: New releases in 2024

Le Pupille has been a leading name in the Maremma area of southern Tuscany since the mid-1980s, when Elisabetta Geppetti and her then-husband took over her family’s estate. The consultant enologist at the time was Giacomo Tachis (recipient of Decanter’s Hall of Fame award in 2011), a family friend.

Architect of a not-insignificant number of Super Tuscans, including Sassicaia, Tignanello and Solaia, Tachis encouraged Elisabetta to harness the popularity of these internationally-styled wines, and so Saffredi was born with the 1987 vintage. Fattoria Le Pupille soon found itself in front of a global audience.

The winery’s new-found international profile, as well as its devotion to the local Morellino di Scansano wines, led to Elisabetta being appointed as the first president of the Morellino di Scansano consorzio upon its foundation in 1992, making Elisabetta Italy’s first female president of a wine consortium. She was re-elected from 2011 to 2013.

Scroll down for tasting notes and scores for Poggio Valente

Poggio Valente

In 1996, Elisabetta purchased the four-hectare Poggio Valente vineyard in Peretta, between Scansano and Magliano. Facing southeast on sandy soils over quartz, sandstone and marl at around 280-300 metres above sea level, and planted with Sangiovese, it overlooks the nearby west-northwest-facing Saffredi vineyard.

The original section of Poggio Valente was replanted in 2000, and two new adjacent plots were subsequently planted in 2006, enlarging Poggio Valente to nine hectares in total.

Elisabetta’s son, Ettore Rizzi – today the estate’s winemaker – explained that the older vines in the original section have smaller, looser bunches, while those in the newer plots are ‘almost Sangiovese Grosso’ in character – the Sangiovese clone traditionally used for powerful, long-aged wines.

An enologist’s touch

The first vintage of Poggio Valente, 1997, was made just after the end of Giacomo Tachis’ long tenure consulting at the estate. Tachis was succeeded by another great enologist, Riccardo Cottarella, under whose guidance the Poggio Valente project got underway; however he only stayed for three years, from 1996 to 1998.

And so it was Le Pupille’s third great enologist, Cristian Le Sommer, who was primarily responsible for shaping the first phase of the Poggio Valente project. A former technical director at Bordeaux first-growth Château Latour, Le Sommer worked with Le Pupille from 1998 to 2011.

Judging by the wines, his preference was for concentration and richness in the wines, largely achieved by heavily reducing yields and favouring 100% barrique ageing, while preserving all of Sangiovese’s innate energy.

Luca d’Attoma succeeded Le Sommer – the last in a star-studded lineup of consultants working with the Maremma estate. He and Elisabetta decided that Poggio Valente would be better served as a varietal Sangiovese.

Up to this point, it had always incorporated about 15% of Merlot, grown in a small plot adjacent to the Poggio Valente vineyard. D’Attoma swapped Le Sommer’s barriques for tonneaux, creating a more elegant profile with his signature precision and aromatic flair which better suited the new 100% Sangiovese expression.

Despite being one of Morellino di Scansano’s biggest advocates, Elisabetta made the decision to label Poggio Valente as Toscana IGT from the 2014 vintage. She explained that this decision was due to the lack of international recognition for the appellation (despite all her efforts), and it clearly demonstrates the ambition she held for this Tuscan cru Sangiovese.

Succession

D’Attomas’s last vintage at Le Pupille was 2018. That year Elisabetta decided the time was right to introduce her son Ettore, who studied viticulture and enology at the university of Pisa, to the business full time.

The 2019 vintage was Ettore’s first as agricultural and cellar manager, however he worked alongside D’Attoma in 2018 and calls Poggio Valente 2018 ‘a wine of transition.’

While Poggio Valente has always been vinified in stainless steel, today Ettore is today also using cocciopesto amphorae when the vintage demands it – perhaps a legacy of D’Attoma. Cocciopesto – known to the Romans as opus signium – is an interesting material. Denser and less porous than terracotta its use has been rising in recent years.

Asked whether they would consider fermentation in cement, Elisabetta replied: ‘Unfortunately we don’t have cement tanks…not yet.’

A fitting response from somebody who always has one eye on the future.

25 years of a cru Sangiovese: Poggio Valente

The wines are listed oldest to youngest

Related articles

• Morellino di Scansano: Names to know and wines to try
• The lesser-known Tuscany: 12 hidden gems to discover
• Capezzana’s Trefiano: Quintessential Carmignano

Highly rated recent releases from Brunello di Montalcino and Chianti Classico to coastal Bolgheri and the understated Toscana IGT denominations have underlined why Tuscany is considered a treasure trove for collectors at many levels.

Top Super Tuscans have also risen to greater prominence on the secondary market, despite fine wine prices and trading in general going off the boil in the past 12 to 18 months.

This introductory fine wine market guide focuses on Tuscan red wines. It aims to give collectors information on some of the key names and developments by synthesising exclusive recent reports for Decanter Premium, as well as market data.

Tuscany 101: Key styles

Sangiovese comes in different guises, but remains Tuscany’s key grape. It’s a driving force of Chianti Classico and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, and the sole star of Brunello di Montalcino – three prestigious DOCG zones (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) in Italy’s wine classification system.

Natural tannins and acidity lend the finest Sangiovese wines great ageing potential, while a complex flavour profile can encompass wild red berries, dark cherry, earthy, herbal and liquorice notes. Yet, some of Tuscany’s top wines focus on international grapes, notably Bordeaux varieties Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc.

This is one of the defining features of many prominent Super Tuscans – albeit there are exceptions – and today these highly prized wines commonly fall within Toscana IGT and Bolgheri DOC denominations.

New director at Ornellaia

Ornellaia and Masseto have named Marco Balsimelli as their new production director. His appointment follows the exit of Axel Heinz to Château Lascombes last year. ‘I will vinify around 10% of the blend [of Ornellaia] in amphorae for more fruit, minerality, movement of lees and freshness,’ Balsimelli told James Button, Decanter’s regional editor for Italy.

Most popular Tuscan wines on Wine-Searcher

As a broad introduction to market prominence, here are the 15 most searched-for Tuscan wines on Wine-Searcher.com. (See table 1, below)

Super Tuscan snapshot

The first five names in this ranking are commonly cited as the most prominent (Super) Tuscan wines on the secondary market.

Sassicaia began as a Vino da Tavola in 1968 (it’s now Bolgheri Sassicaia DOC), and was followed by Tignanello and Solaia, and subsequently Ornellaia and Masseto. All use Bordeaux grapes in different proportions. Tignanello is the only one of these five with a Sangiovese-dominant blend.

Both it and Cabernet Sauvignon-led Solaia come from the same Antinori- owned estate in Chianti Classico territory. Ornellaia and Masseto are today owned by the Frescobaldi family.

More names to know

Prominent wines sitting just outside of the Wine-Searcher top 15 include: Poggio di Sotto, Castello Banfi (Brunello di Montalcino) and Ca’Marcanda (Bolgheri DOC), plus Toscana IGT labels such as Isole e Olena’s Cepparello, Tenuta Luce Luce, and Tua Rita Redigaffi.

Chianti Classico is absent from the ranking above, but has a rich history; its geographic boundaries were first established in 1716 by Grand Duke of Tuscany Cosimo III. Antinori, Frescobaldi, Fontodi, Castello di Ama, Ricasoli and Querciabella are just some of the top producers in the region.

Fattoria Le Pupille in Maremma, southwest Tuscany, is best-known for its Saffredi label but makes several wines, including small-volume Le Pupille from Syrah grapes. Meanwhile, Tenuta di Capezzana’s Treffiano is a key label in the Carmignano DOCG.

Top Tuscan vintages

Headline vintage ratings are always an over-simplification, but top vintages in the past decade include 2019 and 2016, particularly in Brunello di Montalcino and Bolgheri, with 2015 not far behind. Brunello 2010 is also considered a modern benchmark, while excitement has been building around Tuscany’s class of 2021, too.

Other vintages have been marked by the usual extremes of cool and wet conditions (2014) or extreme heat and drought (2017). Nonetheless, as various Decanter reports have shown, pleasurable wines from these vintages do await those prepared to do some careful selection.

Two Decanter Wine Legends

Sassicaia 1985

A breakthrough vintage for Sassicaia from Tenuta San Guido, the estate founded by Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta. Sassicaia’s renegade blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc had already beaten other Bordeaux blends from around the world in a 1978 Decanter tasting. But perfect conditions in 1985 created a wine of sheer brilliance. When Robert Parker rated the wine 100-points – afterwards saying he often mistook it for Château Mouton Rothschild 1986 – a legend was born. (£3,750 per 1x75cl, Hedonism Wine).

Ornellaia 2001

Ornellaia’s first vintage release was 1985, having been founded by Lodovico Antinori. The opulent counterpart to Sassicaia’s more stoic classicist, it quickly gained an audience thanks to its ebullient founder’s marketing nous. The highly regarded 2001 vintage in Bolgheri was particularly successful at the estate, a cool spring followed by ideal ripening conditions in summer. (£1,400 per 6x75cl in bond, Berry Bros & Rudd BBX trading platform).

Two more legends to know:

• Isole e Olena, Cepparello 1982 (£220 per 150cl magnum in bond, Falcon Vintners)

• Biondi Santi Il Greppo 1975 (Riserva) (£4,500 per 6x75cl in bond, Corney & Barrow)

When are the wines released?

Minimum ageing requirements play a role in the timing of new vintages.

Brunello di Montalcino: No release before 1 January in the fifth year after harvest (i.e. 1 January 2024 for the 2019 vintage), with two years in oak and four months in bottle. Riserva wines must be aged for an extra year, with six months in-bottle.

Chianti Classico: Gran Selezione and Riserva wines must be aged for at least 30 and 24 months respectively, each with three months in-bottle. Annata wines must be aged for 12 months. Individual estate schedules will vary. Biondi Santi released its Brunello di Montalcino 2018 wine (non-Riserva) in March 2024, and its 2016-vintage Riserva in 2023, for instance.

Tenuta San Guido: This producer prefers to maintain direct importer relations in its key markets. Its Sassicaia and Le Difese wines are released each February, with a later release for its Guidalberto label.

Tuscany and La Place de Bordeaux

Many top Italian wines have turned to La Place de Bordeaux to increase their international distribution. Masseto was one of the earlier adopters, joining La Place in 2009, with its 2006 vintage, closely followed by Solaia. But Bordeaux négociants have begun handling a growing number of Italian fine wines since then.

Today these also include the Super Tuscans Tignanello and Ornellaia which (at least partially) release their new wines in March and April respectively.

Other Tuscan wines released on La Place de Bordeaux include:

• Solaia

• Bibi Graetz Colore

• Castello di Fonterutoli Siepi

• Caiarossa

• Podere Giodo, Brunello di Montalcino • Tenuta di Biserno

Chianti Classico Gran Selezione coming of age?

There is plenty to discover in Chianti, and within the historic Chianti Classico DOCG zone specifically.

‘I think it’s a region that’s got huge potential,’ said Katherine Fisher, speaking to Decanter in her role as Italy buyer at UK-based merchant Goedhuis Waddesdon.

So-called ‘additional geographical units’ (UGAs) can now be used on labels of top-tier Chianti Classico Gran Selezione wines, as part of efforts to deepen knowledge of the region.

Fisher said there is work to do on ‘education and clarification’ to help consumers understand the wines better, but she added: ‘If you can get beyond that, there are really good wines at fantastic prices to be found.’

Chianti Classico DOCG wines don’t have a significant presence on the secondary market, but the 10-year-old Gran Selezione category could be interesting for collectors to watch.

Wines must be estate-grown, and Decanter Italy expert Michaela Morris recently noted how the category has become a home for projects focused on specific vineyard sites. Her review of new releases in 2024 included a 97-point rating for Querciabella’s Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2019.

‘The estate’s third release, this Gran Selezione is among the top wines from Chianti Classico’s 2019 vintage,’ Morris wrote. ‘Just 4,000 bottles were produced from Querciabella’s site above 500 metres on the steep, stony slope of the Ruffoli hill.’

Value in Tuscany

Below are just five examples of Tuscan wines recently reviewed by Decanter experts, with cellaring potential but also for uncorking at the dinner table in the near future.

Five Tuscan wines for a drinking cellar under $60*

*Global average retail price in US$, ex-tax, on Wine-Searcher

Guidalberto 2021 | 95pts | $56

Tenuta San Guido is building a dedicated winery for Guidalberto, further emphasising its separate identity from Sassicaia. ‘This is a wine of velvety richness balanced by vivid acidity,’ wrote Susan Hulme MW of the 2021 vintage. Drinking window: 2024 – 2038.

Barone Ricasoli, Brolio, Chianti Classico 2022 | 91pts | $18

‘This year’s Brolio is simply textbook Chianti Classico, offering a fragrant juxtaposition of moist soil and spring blossoms on a well-padded backdrop of currants, cranberry and sour cherry,’ wrote Michaela Morris. ‘Really quite impressive for its almost 500,000-bottle production.’ Drinking window: 2024 – 2029.

Talenti, Brunello di Montalcino 2019 | 94pts | $56

‘From vineyards on Montalcino’s southeast and southwest slopes…Full-bodied and full-fruited, the palate offers great depth of expressive red berries and stony earth nuances,’ wrote Morris. Drinking window: 2026 – 2036.

Poliziano, Asinone, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2021 | 93pts | $54

‘Made since 1983, Poliziano’s iconic bottling hails from a 12-hectare expanse on marine-origin blue clay,’ wrote Morris, noting its velvety and polished tannins. ‘Juicy Sangiovese tanginess performs its refreshing magic.’ Drinking window: 2026 – 2036.

Caccia al Piano, Bolgheri Superiore, Tuscany, Italy 2020 | 94pts | $59

A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc from the San Biagio vineyard, aged 12 months in new French oak and 12 months in large oak vessels. ‘The attack is silky, with ripe tannins on a dense but crunchy palate thanks to fresh acidity,’ wrote Aldo Fiordelli in his Bolgheri 2020 report. Drinking window: 2024 – 2035.

Spotlight on Brunello di Montalcino 2019

Merchants in the US and UK reported strong consumer demand for initial releases from this top-rated vintage earlier this year, with some drawing comparisons to the superb 2016 wines.

Davy Żyw, senior buyer at Berry Bros & Rudd, told Decanter that 2019 was a strong option for collectors, saying: ‘The wines cellar well and offer brilliant value versus other fine wine regions.’

Three top-scoring wines from Michaela Morris’ 2019 vintage review:

• Conti Costanti 2019 | 100pts

• Le Chiuse 2019 | 99pts

• Il Marroneto Madonna della Grazie 2019 | 99pts*

*Also rated 100 points by Decanter’s Aldo Fiordelli in 2023.

Brunello di Montalcino 2019 pricing

Goedhuis Waddesdon’s Fisher said Brunello prices had been rising in recent years but that, in general, pricing ‘still made sense’ and the releases campaign had been ‘really successful’.

One of the wines Goedhuis offered was Conti Costanti 2019 at £325 per six-bottle case in bond (IB) on release. It has since sold out.

‘Simply gloriously sculpted,’ Morris wrote of the wine, also referring to her previous praise for the winery’s ‘Brunello- esque’ Rosso di Montalcino from the same vintage. ‘I can’t help but imagine what next year’s Riserva release has in store.’

In its February market report, Liv-ex, a global marketplace for the trade, noted the rise in release prices for the 2019s. For example, it said Casanova di Neri’s Tenuta Nuova 2019 was released up 16.3% on the 2018 vintage release at £925 (12x75cl IB). It added that some 2019s were more expensive on release than the critically acclaimed 2016 wines, although its data also showed many 2016s have risen in price since release.

The market price for Il Marroneto’s Madonna della Grazie 2016, for example, is up 21.6% since release. Although that price is lower than it was a year ago, it still commanded a price of £3,830 (12x75cl IB) on 31 May 2024. The 2019 vintage was £2,551 on release.

Brunello di Montalcino on the secondary market

Matthew O’Connell, CEO of LiveTrade online trading platform at Bordeaux Index, noted that Brunello di Montalcino still lacked an active and broad secondary market presence, despite good buyer interest in the wines and a ‘very attractive’ quality-to-price ratio.

‘We would be expecting people to buy these wines as collectors, rather than with the expectation of trading them,’ he said.

US-based Zachys is a major retailer of Brunello di Montalcino wines, but the region is not common at auction, said its head of auction sales, Charles Antin. ‘That said, Soldera and, to a slightly lesser extent, Biondi Santi and Poggio di Sotto have very aggressive fan bases and do quite well in our auction[s],’ he told Decanter.

Poggio di Sotto Riserva’s global average price has also risen by around 35% since June 2019, to $411 per bottle, although Biondi Santi Riserva was only up 14%, to $639.

Top Super Tuscans: Fine wine market performance

Sassicaia, Tignanello, Solaia, Ornellaia and Masseto are regularly cited as Tuscany’s top names on the secondary market.

Prices have come off the boil recently amid a wider market malaise. Yet, data from Wine-Searcher tracking the average price of each label suggests this group has still seen notable increases in the past five years. Tignanello in particular has seen the largest gains yet remains considerably cheaper than its peers, on average.

Production volumes may contribute to price differences. Tignanello is produced from a 57ha site, while Solaia’s vineyard is just 20ha and Masseto just 11ha – which also supplies second label Massetino.

Fine wine prices cool off in a tough market

Fine wine prices have fallen on the secondary market over the past 12 to 18 months, following a strong upwards period for many top wine labels, impacted by higher interest rates and wider economic uncertainty.

The Liv-ex 1000 index, a broad tracker of secondary market prices on collectible wines, dropped 14% in value in the 12 months to 31 May.

While historical performance and the wider appeal of fine wine to global collectors are commonly given as reasons to expect long-term value growth, it’s unclear whether the market has bottomed-out in its current downturn.

Italy offers stability

Despite this, Liv-ex said in June that its Italy 100 sub-index has been a ‘beacon of stability amid the broader market downturn’. It tracks several collectible Italian wines, including the key Super Tuscans.

Figures below show the Italy 100 has still fallen back, but has outperformed its parent index, the Liv-ex 1000, and also Bordeaux First Growths, represented by the Liv-ex Fine Wine 50. The rise and subsequent dip has been more marked for Super Tuscans, but these wines have been the Italy 100’s best performers in recent years, as the Liv-ex chart below shows.

The Super Tuscan portion of the Italy 100 has also risen 0.5% in 2024 to date.

Super Tuscans vs Bordeaux

Super Tuscans had a quieter year in 2023, partly because the price gap to top Bordeaux narrowed, said UK merchant Bordeaux Index in January. ‘In simplest terms, Tuscany has changed [its] price context entirely while Bordeaux hasn’t,’ it said.

LiveTrade’s O’Connell previously reported good demand for the Sassicaia 2021 release. In June, he said the overall market was still subdued, but added: ‘We’re noticing there’s better trading in Champagne, Burgundy, Tuscany, and I think Bordeaux is lagging a bit in activity.’

Auction market perspective

Bordeaux and Burgundy tend to dominate at auction, and Tuscany’s share of the market is relatively small. US-based Zachys sold 1,212 lots of Tuscan wines at auction last year, totalling $1.46m – led of course by Masseto, Ornellaia, Sassicaia, Solaia and Tignanello. Its Piedmont sales were similar, with 1,250 lots sold for $1.59m.

However, it is a long way behind Burgundy (11,251 lots for $43.93m) and Bordeaux (6,077 lots for $19.89m). ‘There’s no question that the prices of Super Tuscans have increased in the last four years,’ said Zachys’ Charles Antin. However, the whole market also rose from 2020 to 2023, and so he advised caution on linking the higher value of Super Tuscans to increased interest in these wines specifically.

‘We see [Super Tuscan] wines in the 10 to 20-years-old range coming up with some frequency,’ he added. ‘Of course, the current releases of these wines are some of Zachys retail’s biggest sellers. So we have buyers at all spectrums of the market.’

Sassicaia 1985 still going strong

Some legendary vintages are less susceptible to market cycles, Antin added. ‘The 1985 Sassicaia is one that is impervious to market fluctuations. It only increases in value, albeit slowly. It is also roughly 10 times as expensive as every other vintage.’

Sassicaia 1985 was the most expensive Italian wine sold by online auction house iDealwine in 2023, according to its annual Barometer report. One bottle sold to a private buyer in Switzerland went for €2,170 ($2,346, £1,846), including taxes. In May 2024, US auction house Hart Davis Hart sold two lots of the wine:

• Sassicaia 1985 (2x75cl) | $5,975, including buyer’s premium (hammer price $5,000; high estimate $4,800).

• Sassicaia 1985 (1x75cl) | $2,629 (hammer $2,200; high e $2,400).

Masseto tops Italian sales at Sotheby’s

No Italian wine producers featured among the top 10 best-selling wine producers at Sotheby’s in 2023. Blue-chip Burgundy, first growth Bordeaux and Krug Champagne dominated the list. Still, Masseto accounted for 26% of Sotheby’s’ Italian wine auction sales by value.

The following 10 names accounted for 84% of Italian wine auction sales value at Sotheby’s last year:

• Masseto | 26% of total sales for Italy

• Sassicaia | 14%

•Gaja|14%

• Ornellaia | 9%

• Giacomo Conterno | 5%

• Bruno Giacosa | 4%

• G. Rinaldi | 4%

• Giuseppe Quintarelli | 3%

• Antinori | 3%

• Romano dal Forno | 2%

Ups and downs

Data sourced from Liv-ex up to 31/05/2024, unless otherwise stated. Liv-ex Market Price represents 12x75cl in bond, although some wines will be available in smaller case sizes. Prices are updated regularly on Liv-ex, and may also vary by merchant and market.

Up

Four risers over five years

• Sassicaia 2016

Liv-ex Market Price: £3,750

Tipped to become one of the all-time greats, its price has risen by around 65% in five years.

• Tignanello 2016

£1,540

This has doubled in price over five years, up 105% since June 2019, combining the strength of the vintage with particularly strong brand momentum.

• Masseto 2015

£9,200

One of Masseto’s best vintages, the price has risen 59% in five years, although it has fluctuated and was £8,008 in March. It remains less expensive than the celebrated 2001 vintage.

• Solaia 2013

£2,900

Another top Super Tuscan showing strong growth, the price is up 87% in five years.

Down

Three fallers over 12 months

• Bibi Graetz, Colore 2015

£1,800

A celebrated producer, but this wine was down by around 8% in the last 12 months. It was also down nearly 12% over five years.

• Sassicaia 2013

£2,300

This fell around 11.5% in 12 months to 31 May 2024, emphasising the current market malaise affecting many wines, but it is still up 77% over the last five years.

• Fontodi, Flaccianello della Pieve 2015

£1,161

This dropped 16% in 12 months, despite the quality of the vintage, but it remained up nearly 66% in five years.

Wine investment: Six things to consider

1. Some of the most prominent fine wines on the secondary market have a track record of increasing in value over time, particularly as available supplies diminish, but nothing is guaranteed. The pool of investment-grade wines is also relatively small.

2. Professional storage in bond is considered important. A wine’s condition and provenance can affect value.

3. Wine investment is unregulated. Only buy wine from reputable sources, and check provenance and condition as carefully as possible before buying.

4. Factor in costs, such as for storage, and possible selling fees. Storage is often charged at a fixed annual rate.

5. Some auction houses have previously told Decanter that full cases tend to be more in-demand, although limited-production wines may be released or allocated in smaller quantities – such as three-bottle cases.

6. If unsure, always seek professional advice.

Report by Chris Mercer for Decanter Premium. A freelance journalist and former editor of Decanter.com, Chris has written about the global fine wine market for more than a decade

Click here to join Decanter Premium now and enjoy instant access to the latest Bordeaux 2020 En Primeur Collector’s guide, as well as past Collector’s Guide’s including, Left Bank Bordeaux, Napa and Piedmont and Rhône.

Disclaimer

Please note that this report has been published purely for informational purposes and does not constitute financial or investment advice. The report includes Wine-Searcher monthly global average retail prices in US$ to provide a consistent point of comparison, as well as data and opinion from other trade sources. All of this information is subject to change, and the prices and availability of wines cited will vary between countries, currencies and retailers. Decanter and the editorial team behind this report do not accept liability for the ongoing accuracy of its contents. Seek independent and professional advice where necessary and be aware that wine investment is unregulated in several markets. Please be aware that prices can go down as well as up.

A downloadable PDF version of the Tuscany Collector’s Guide is available here

Related articles

• Collector’s guide: Bordeaux 2020 En Primeur
• Collector’s Guide: Right Bank Bordeaux
• Collector’s Guide: Left Bank Bordeaux
• Collector’s guide: The rise of Piedmont
• Collector’s guide: Napa Valley wine

Selecting favourites among Chianti Classico’s new releases is like splitting hairs: so many deserve a place at the dinner table and/or in the cellar.

Given different ageing regulations within Chianti Classico’s three-tiered classification, a wide range of vintages is released every year. A first peek at the ‘saved-by-August-rain’ 2022 is restricted to the ‘annata‘ level, while the preliminary 2021 Riserva and Gran Selezione, together with longer-aged annata, provide a comprehensive picture of what has shaped up to be an excellent vintage.

Add to this some stunning late releases from 2020 and 2019, and the choices multiply further.

My recommendations below attempt to represent the exceptional value and incredible diversity the denomination offers.

See the score table with Michaela’s tasting notes and scores for 180 new Chianti Classico releases 

Michaela’s best value picks from this year’s Chianti Classico releases

Click on a wine to be directed to Michaela’s complete tasting note.

L’Erta di Radda, Chianti Classico 2021

This highly affordable boutique offering epitomises Sangiovese’s transparency and Chianti Classico’s sheer drinkability. 93

Montecalvi, Chianti Classico 2021

Not an outright value pick, but a value-for money recommendation, this overachieving annata is distinct and compelling in character. 93

Fattoria Pomona, Chianti Classico 2021

From a small, under-the-radar producer, this serious annata could even take ageing for five or more years. 92

Barone Ricasoli, Brolio, Chianti Classico 2022

Among the region’s most historic estates, Ricasoli combines personality with excellent quality, particularly for the sizeable production of Brolio annata. 91

Bibbiano, Chianti Classico 2022

Ageing in concrete rather than oak highlights Sangiovese’s zesty, fruity, buoyant side. 91

Principe Corsini, Villa Le Corti, Chianti Classico 2022

Having graced my top value list several times, this is one of the region’s most consistent wines for the price. 91

Antinori, Pèppoli, Chianti Classico 2022

One of the denomination’s highest volume bottlings offers a charming and cheerful expression of the territory. 90

San Felice, Chianti Classico 2022

A stalwart for value, and readily available, San Felice’s annata is the quintessential well priced, mid-week Chianti Classico. 89

Read: Chianti Classico Riserva: New releases in 2024

Chianti Classico annata: New releases in 2024

Michaela’s top Chianti Classico recommendations

Castello di Ama, Vigneto Bellavista, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2020

One of Chianti Classico’s first and most iconic single-vineyard bottlings; the 2020 is among the very top wines of its vintage. 98

Monteraponi, Il Bragantino, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2019

Of all this year’s inaugural releases, Il Bragantino is hands down the most exciting and further bolsters the Gran Selezione classification. 98

Querciabella, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2019

The estate’s third vintage of Gran Selezione is a charm and stands with the top wines of 2019. 97

Istine, LeVigne, Chianti Classico Riserva 2021

Angela Fronti’s best Riserva yet is in the same lofty league as her single-vineyard Gran Selezione releases. 96

San Giusto a Rentennano, Le Baròncole, Chianti Classico Riserva 2021

Emblematic of the exceptional quality at the Riserva level and why the category is still so very relevant. 96

I Fabbri, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2019

A lovely illustration of Lamole and a notable reminder that Chianti Classico has room for elegance at its apex. 95

Jurij Fiore & Figlia, Sonocosì, Chianti Classico 2022

A thrilling ‘naked’ (aka unoaked) Sangiovese beautifully demonstrating one of Chianti Classico’s coolest – literally and figuratively – pockets. 93

La Vigna di San Martino ad Argiano, Chianti Classico Riserva 2021

‘Appealingly peculiar’ is how I summed up my first taste of this nascent estate. Definitely one to watch. 92

Chianti Classico recent vintage guide

2022

Extreme heat and drought conditions were somewhat alleviated by mid-August storms. An early but long harvest yielded a variable mix of characterful near-term drinking annata with unexpected freshness.

4/5

2021

Ample winter rain and spring showers helped offset the hot, dry conditions in summer, while localised spring frost damage contributed to lower yields. The resulting annata are relatively rich and structured.

4.5/5

2020

Heavy rainfall late spring ended a long period without precipitation. Summer was dry and very warm without significant temperature extremes. Mid-September showers were scattered through the zone. Attractive annata with bright acidity and balanced alcohol are prime for near-term drinking.

4/5

Featured in this article:

See the wines featured in this article, arranged by score. To see all wines tasted, including all the top scorers, view the score table.

Related articles

• Chianti Classico annata: New releases in 2024
• Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2021: Vintage snapshot & 15 top picks
• Decanter meets: Marco Balsimelli, production director for Ornellaia and Masseto

As new labels continue to flood Chianti Classico’s highest category, I have tasted almost as many Gran Selezione as annata this year.

The steady increase can largely be attributed to changes in the denomination’s regulations: in July 2023, the minister of agriculture signed the decree legally recognising the region’s Unità Geografiche Aggiuntive (UGA).

See the score table for Michaela’s tasting notes and scores for 180 new Chianti Classico releases 

The 11 UGA

Technically neither subzones nor communes, the 11 districts are: Castellina, Castelnuovo Berardenga, Gaiole, Greve, Panzano, Radda, San Casciano, San Donato in Poggio, Lamole, Montefioralle and Vagliagli.

Producers now have the option to append these names on Gran Selezione labels starting from the 2021 vintage (though the last three will have to wait another three years). Beyond conveying where in the expansive Chianti Classico zone a wine comes from, the UGA are as cultural and historical as they are geographical.

According to EU law, a Chianti Classico Gran Selezione which specifies a UGA on the label can contain up to 15% of another UGA, however, in reality many Gran Selezione hail from a single vineyard and tend to express a specific place, or even a house style.

In the UGA of Castellina, Castagnoli has finally brought its top bottling into the Chianti Classico fold. Previously an IGT, ‘Salita’ was created at the same time the Gran Selezione classification was introduced. ‘As a small estate we had our scepticism in the beginning,’ admits Tim Schefenacker. ‘Ten years later, we believe in the work that the Consorzio has done,’ he says, specifically referencing the launch of the UGA.

‘I’m very happy I can now write Radda and Gaiole on the label,’ concurs Angela Fronti at Istine. As of 2021, she has elevated all three of her single-vineyard bottlings from annata to Gran Selezione. Vigna Istine and Vigna Cavarchione (respectively from Radda and Gaiole) are among my top wines of the vintage and clearly belong at the apex of Chianti Classico’s pyramid.

Greve to Montefioralle

The second largest UGA, Greve sprawls over 11,570ha – though less than 10% is planted with vines. The wines tend to be well-padded with fruit, and those on calcareous clay are also stacked with structure as demonstrated by Castello di Querceto’s 2021 Il Picchio and Castello Vicchiomaggio’s 2020 Le Bolle.

On Macigno (non-calcareous sandstone) soil conversely, Terreno’s 2020 Asofia caresses with softer, finer tannins, though is not lacking in a plush core. Finally, at windy heights on the Ruffoli hill, Querciabella’s thrilling 2019 exhibits the district’s austere side.

Panzano, Lamole and Montefioralle are all within the commune of Greve but have been justifiably singled out as distinct districts from the UGA of Greve. From Panzano, where Pietraforte (a hard, calcareous sandstone) abounds, Il Molino di Grace and Fontodi’s 2021s are deeply coloured, darkly fruited and amply structured. Fontodi’s Vigna del Sorbo is particularly emblematic but executes this with unbelievable refinement.

In the cooler, eastern exposed pocket of the UGA, Le Cinciole’s more chiselled 2019 A Luigi is also worth seeking out.

The small and fairly uniform UGA of Lamole is at the other end of the spectrum. Lofty heights, cool thick forest and, above all, sandy Macigno soil make for Chianti Classico’s most fine-framed, lissom wines, as captured by I Fabbri’s gorgeously graceful 2019.

Finally, in the warmer, east oriented Montefioralle UGA, ‘alberese‘ (clay-marls rich in calcium carbonate) prevails. Of Conti Capponi’s three Gran Selezione, the 2020 Vigna Bastignano best portrays the lively, bright-yet-ripe fruit and embracing tannins.

Read: Chianti Classico annata: New releases in 2024

Chianti Classico Riserva: New releases in 2024

Gran Selezione 2021

Given the longer minimum ageing requirement for Gran Selezione (30 months as opposed to 24 for Riserva), producers are just starting to show their 2021s. I managed to sample a few dozen, most of which were very recently bottled.

Simmering with potential, they are densely packed yet effortlessly balanced in substance and structure, as well as oak and alcohol. All could do with at least another year or two in the bottle and boast an ageing potential of 12 to 15 years, if not longer. Both Riecine’s Vigna Gittori and Ricasoli’s Ceniprimo deserve a place in the cellar, for example.

Gran Selezione 2020

In some respects, it was easier to taste the 2020 releases as they tend to be more immediately approachable. Nevertheless, the variability of their Riserva counterparts was echoed at this higher level.

In general, the 2021s are poised to outlive most of the 2020s. Notable exceptions include Castello di Ama’s 2020 single-vineyard La Casuccia and Bellavista bottlings – the latter is one of two wines which received my highest score of the entire Chianti Classico report this year.

Gran Selezione 2019

Several 2019s have also launched this year. They highlight finesse next to the more powerful 2021s, though some may be just as long lived. Particularly impressive was Monteraponi’s first ever Gran Selezione – ‘Il Bragantino’ – which sits alongside Bellavista at the top of my rankings.

The unique identity of each district should come into focus as the region continues to hone the UGAs. While many producers are hopeful that they will one day be authorised for Riserva and annata wines as well, just making it this far marks another important milestone in the Chianti Classico consorzio’s century-long existence.

Featured in this report:

The wines below are all mentioned in this Chianti Classico Gran Selezione report. To see all wines tasted, including all the top scorers, view the score table.

Related articles

• Chianti Classico annata: New releases in 2024
• Chianti Classico Riserva: New releases in 2024
• Brunello di Montalcino 2019 – ‘spoiled for choice’: Full report

Last year’s preview of the 2021 annata inspired great expectations for the Riserva and Gran Selezione categories of Chianti Classico, exhibiting great depth of fruit, balancing acidity and alcohol, and confident rather than arrogant tannins. This year’s tastings confirm that scaling Chianti Classico’s ladder in the 2021 vintage is well worth it.

Despite the challenges of spring frost followed by a hot, dry summer, conditions in the crucial period leading up to harvest seemed to work in symbiosis with this. The combination of slightly stressed vines and relatively cooler temperatures in September encouraged slow ripening, according to Alessandro Campatelli at Riecine.

‘Both technical [sugar] and phenolic ripening were close to perfect,’ he asserted, saying that the period from veraison to harvest lasted between 37-45 days. He compared this to 2022, which was 28-35 days, and 2020, which was barely over two weeks. Of course, these numbers are specific to Riecine’s high altitude vineyards in Gaiole.

In Radda, Poggerino’s Piero Lanza also points to ideal temperatures during September. ‘We had significant differences – early mornings as low as 3°C and days between 28-30°C.’ He maintains that this favoured great acidity, perfumes and polyphenolic complexity, all of which translated to the wines in the glass.

See the score table for Michaela’s tasting notes and scores for 180 new Chianti Classico releases 

2021 & 2020: ‘Strong identities’

There are many ‘proper’ Riserva in 2021. Amply structured and textural, they sport firm but ripe tannins backed up by dense fruit. Most of my recommendations need a bit longer to come together and suggest a solid decade of ageing. Top achievers, such as Poggerino, Monteraponi’s Il Campitello and La Montanina have the potential for 15 years in the cellar.

Alongside these, the 2020s were more variable, though not lacking in lovely examples. Some are already evolved, and most are approachable now. Exceptions, such as Castello di Monsanto, Pomona, Val delle Corti and Querciabella could do with another year in the bottle, and as a whole, the 2020 Riservas will be best over the next seven to 10 years.

Both 2021 and 2020 offer Riserva wines with a strong identity that surpasses ‘an annata with longer ageing,’ as one producer described the former image of Riserva. Alas, a few seemed a bit lost in the shuffle, or overworked.

In the upper echelon, Istine’s 2021 Riserva is equal in quality to the estate’s trio of Gran Selezione – just different in concept. Whereas the latter are single-vineyard bottlings, the Riserva is a selection of the best grapes from all three. It also sees longer time in wood, which may sound counterintuitive but is not without justification.

New this year, Cigliano di Sopra’s 2021 Riserva does hail from a single plot, which is distinguished by its old vines. Owner, Maddalena Fucile believes that the age of the vines is fundamental to the depth of flavour. ‘It is complete on its own, whereas the rest of our parcels need each other,’ she explains.

At Tregole, both the Riserva and the Gran Selezione are crafted from single vineyards. ‘The Riserva plot always gives the most power, whereas the Gran Selezione is more elegant,’ proprietor Sophie Conte explains.

Again, this may inverse the perceived progression from Riserva to Gran Selezione, however Conte observes the traditional concept of the former – which long predates the creation of the latter.

Read: Chianti Classico annata: New releases in 2024

Chianti Classico Gran Selezione: New releases in 2024

A brief tour around Chianti Classico

In terms of discerning stylistic similarities within Chianti Classico’s 11 districts, this is tricky as they span sizeable and varied areas – much larger than Barolo’s MGAs, for example. However, each in their own way, Castell’in Villa and Castello di Bossi’s Riservas capture the wild, dark fruit tones and austere structure of Castelnuovo Berardenga.

Further north in the district, Tenuta di Arceno is gentler in expression owing in part to vineyards on non-calcareous sandstone soil known as ‘macigno‘.

Even more notable for its wide range is Gaiole. From the warm, open southern enclave of Monti, both San Giusti a Rentennano and La Montanina exhibit ripe lush fruit matched by generous tannins. Conversely, Maurizio Alongi’s fine-boned, linear Riserva speaks to the cool, forested pocket in the district’s east.

With the most vineyard plantings, Castellina is similarly diverse. It rises from 200 metres to over 500 metres and covers a variety of soils. On calcareous-rich clay, Pomona’s Riserva exhibits its characteristic resolute structure, even in the gracious 2020 vintage. By contrast, Castellare di Castellina and Castagnoli show the district’s more intensely ripe side.

Despite all the excitement surrounding Chianti Classico’s highest level, as well as the incredible value the annata wines propose, the Riserva wines should not be overlooked. The category includes some of the region’s most famous wines, such as Castell’in Villa, and San Giusto a Rentenanno’s Baròncole, which impressed with their 2017 and 2021 releases respectively.

Furthermore, boutique producer, Maurizio Alongi and promising newcomer, La Vigna di San Martino ad Argiano have selected the Riserva category for the sole Chianti Classico each produces. And once international varieties are completely phased out of the Gran Selezione regulations, the Riserva category is where we could see the likes of Castello di Ama’s cru bottlings.

Savvy Chianti Classico fans are well advised to continue watching this space.

Featured in this report:

The wines below are all mentioned in this Chianti Classico Riserva report. To see all wines tasted, including all the top scorers, view the score table.

Related articles

• Chianti Classico Gran Selezione: New releases in 2024
• Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2021: Vintage snapshot & 15 top picks
• Brunello di Montalcino 2019 – ‘spoiled for choice’: Full report

Italy’s mid-August public holiday, Ferragosto is synonymous with the height of the country’s summer break, but in 2022, it also marked a crucial turning point for the vintage.

Following the arid 2021 vintage, 2022 needs new superlatives. With little rain or snow in autumn 2021 and winter 2022, the dusty terrain resembled August when I visited in mid-March.

Chianti Classico 2022 vintage rating 

Extreme heat and drought conditions were somewhat alleviated by mid-August storms. An early but long harvest yielded a variable mix of characterful near-term drinking annata with unexpected freshness.

4/5

While beneficial, April showers were nowhere near sufficient to replenish reserves for the parched months that followed. ‘Between mid-May and mid-August, we recorded less than 10mm of rain,’ said Valentino Davaz at Poggio al Sole.

Then, in late spring, the heat began to soar and didn’t relent for most of the summer. ‘Average temperatures with maximum peaks over 30°C lasted for more than 80 consecutive days,’ relayed Rocca delle Macìe’s Thomas Francioni. Tim Schefenacker at Castagnoli added that there were five days in July that reached 43°C.

See the score table for Michaela’s tasting notes and scores for 180 new Chianti Classico releases 

Welcome relief

‘It was as hot as hell,’ Sofia Ruhne at Terreno summarised, fearing in July that they wouldn’t even harvest anything, such was the vine stress.

The watershed moment, quite literally, arrived during Ferragosto, dousing the region with much needed water. On 18 August, Cigliano di Sopra measured a whopping 100mm in San Casciano, and Castello di Ama in Gaiole recorded a total of 60mm in the second half of the month.

‘The ample rainfall was truly effective for the plants to be able to ripen the grapes,’ asserted Poggerino’s Piero Lanza.

Alas, the high-pressure system also brought localised but violent hail which cut a swathe through Panzano, where Tenuta Casenuove reported 50% damage to 10 of the estate’s hectares. Fontodi estimates over 20% loss of total production; Le Cinciole 30%.

Nonetheless, the storms helped moderate the heat (slightly) and were followed by occasional further sprinklings. Balmy temperatures and availability of water kickstarted ripening, leading to an early start to the harvest on 10 September.

While it was protracted and lasted approximately a month, most growers finished before heavier showers at the end of September – or picked around them. ‘Waiting was a risk,’ explained Angela Fronti at Istine, noting that ultimately the rain helped with the final phase of maturation.

At 260,000 hectolitres for the region, yields were not significantly less than average despite losses at individual estates. Grapes arrived at the cellar in healthy condition, mostly characterised by small berries with thick skins. ‘The difficulty in the cellar was to interpret the vintage well,’ shared Matteo Vaccari at Cigliano di Sopra.

Across samplings of almost 50 newly bottled annata, it was evident that efforts were valiant. As with 2020, there is some variability, but the 2022s are a studier set.

Read: Chianti Classico Riserva: New releases in 2024

Chianti Classico Gran Selezione: New releases in 2024

New Chianti Classico releases in 2024: Top picks for the table and cellar

How do the 2022s taste?

Despite the heat, 2022 is not overtly rich like 2015. Nor do the wines battle with the compact, drying structure as they did in 2017. In some cases, astringent tannins poke through, however, they remain balanced overall.

Moreover, and most gratifyingly for such a hot vintage, they have preserved remarkable freshness. There is so much juicy crunch in Jurij Fiore e Figli’s Sonocosì, you wouldn’t guess it was from a hot vintage. This speaks to the cool, heady heights of the Lamole district. However, even on the warm western slopes of Castellina, Castagnoli’s fruit-laden 2022 rings out with purity and succulent acidity. And through the dark fruit and vigour of Panzano, Il Molino di Grace has plenty of lift.

Tasted next to the late-release 2021s, 2022 may come across as more superficial in its charms. There simply isn’t the same level of aromatic complexity, depth or sophisticated structure. By comparison, 2021 is a treasure trove of over-achievers – such as Montecalvi, Tenuta di Carleone, as well as Jurij Fiore e Figlia’s ‘cru’ bottlings to name just a few.

However, the 2022s are certainly characterful and offer immense drinkability, which is exactly what the category should deliver. Exemplifying this are wines like Bibbiano, Podere Poggio Scalette and Montesecondo.

While the majority will be at their best over the next three to four years, some wines – such as Poggerino and San Giusto a Rentennano – boast the substance and structure for even longer ageing.

A sense of place

Vintage variation aside, what the new annata releases demonstrate across all three vintages tasted this year – 2020, 2021 and 2022 – is a sense of place within the region. Even though the names of the new UGA (11 official districts) are currently only permitted on Gran Selezione labels, the annata wines present a strong argument that they should be granted to all categories.

While different styles, both Castello di Monsanto 2022 and Castello della Paneretta 2021 exhibit the perfumed red fruit and firmness of tannins I associate with San Donato in Poggio. Isole e Olena’s excellent 2021 is all this – with extra tautness.

From San Casciano, Fattoria San Michele a Torri and Collazzi’s 2022s play to the round, soft character of this warm, early ripening district.

Equally affable, Principe Corsini’s 2022 Le Corti, a perennial value pick, has a bit more chew to it – but certainly not a bite.

By contrast, Radda’s cool microclimate is unmistakable in Podere Terreno alla via della Volpaia’s vertical, pleasantly tart 2022, L’Erta di Radda’s thrillingly racy 2021, and Val delle Corti’s elegantly midweight 2020.

This is, of course, just the tip of Chianti Classico’s rich diversity, expressing three-dimensional scope of vintage, provenance and individual estate interpretation.

Chianti Classico annata: Featured in this report

The selection of wines below are all mentioned in this Chianti Classico annata report. To see all wines tasted, including all the top scorers, view the score table.

Related articles

• Chianti Classico Riserva: New releases in 2024
• Chianti Classico Gran Selezione: New releases in 2024
• Brunello di Montalcino 2019 – ‘spoiled for choice’: Full report

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Trefiano – Tenuta di Capezzana’s stunning take on Carmignano Riserva – a vertical tasting of a handful of vintages ranging from 1988 to 2019 (the current release) was held in Florence this February.

In preparation for the tasting, I opened a bottle of the 2015 from my own cellar, so I have included my impression of that below, along with the wines from the tasting. Spoiler alert: Trefiano, like other great wines, takes at least a decade to reveal its considerable charms and stature.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for the Capezzana Trefiano

Carmignano, the original ‘Super Tuscan’, is the only DOCG that has always required blending Sangiovese with Cabernet, with Sangiovese comprising at least 50% of the blend. Cabernet — either Franc or Sauvignon — must comprise at least 10% but no more than 20%. Today, most producers favour Cabernet Sauvignon over Cabernet Franc.

Although Carmignano falls within the greater Chianti area and the same grapes can be used for the wines, Carmignano typically displays more structure, minerality, and savoury features, along with a panoply of red and dark fruit flavours.

Of the 20 or so producers in this small, 116-hectare DOCG, Tenuta di Capezzana – owned by the Contini Bonacossi family – is at the top of the heap. Filippo Contini Bonacossi, who describes his role at the estate as, ‘a little bit of everything,’ explains that their location in front of the Apennines affords them rain in late August, which he says, ‘is precious for elegant wines,’ adding that their ‘microclimate of wind and rain is crucial.’ He emphasises the water-holding ability of the clay in the soil, which has been especially helpful in the last few dry vintages.

Winemakers use their best grapes for Carmignano Riserva, which must be aged for three years before release – a year longer than for Carmignano. With more structure and wood influence, Riservas need more bottle ageing to show their grandeur, making them good candidates for the cellar.

Villa di Trefiano

The grapes for Capezzana’s Trefiano Carmignano Riserva come from a small five-hectare site that surrounds the villa of the same name, built in the 16th century by Florentine aristocrat, Giovanni di Pandolfo Rucellai.

The Contini Bonacossi family acquired Villa di Trefiano and its vines shortly after purchasing Tenuta di Capezzana in the 1920s. The site includes three distinct parcels: two larger ones, Le Croci and Pietraia; and a smaller one named after the villa itself. Here, all three varieties used for Trefiano are grown: Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Canaiolo.

Filippo points to the need to continue working on softening Sangiovese’s tannins, whose firmness can be accentuated when the grape is stressed by heat and dryness. He explains that the Cabernet Sauvignon vines originally came from Château Lafite-Rothschild and are a massale selection. With a broad smile he says: ‘Plants know how to evolve, better than we! They have a memory.’

Hector Contini Bonacossi, whose mother, Benedetta, is the estate’s winemaker, notes that their Canaiolo is a unique biotype, Canaiolo Rossa Raspo, named because the stalks (raspo, in Italian) are red. It adds colour, and its lower acidity balances and enhances the cherry-like fruitiness of Sangiovese, and they believe it adds elegance to the wine.

He describes the site as having a, ‘chaotic soil composition, which enhances the different notes in the glass,’ while Beatrice Contini Bonacossi, the commercial face and ambassador of the estate, underlines the uniqueness of the site by describing it as a ‘microclimate within a microclimate.’

Trefiano in the cellar

Since 2008, Trefiano has been farmed organically, and the entire Capezzana estate received organic certification in 2015. Since the varieties ripen at different times, they are fermented separately, always using native yeasts, before being blended.

The blend is consistent from year to year: 80% Sangiovese, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Canaiolo each contributing 10%. Ageing occurs in 350-litre tonneaux, equally split between new and one-year-old wood, for around 18 months, depending on the vintage. The average production ranges from 6,000 to 12,000 bottles.

Capezzana opts to bottle Trefiano only in the best years, which means, since its introduction in 1979, they’ve bottled it 28 times – roughly once every three years on average.

At the tasting

One of the best lessons learnt from a vertical tasting is to see when the wines enter their window of drinkability, which, of course, is personal and different for everybody. For me, the 2008 Trefiano was drinking beautifully. For many of the others at the tasting it was the 2012 – it’s personal preference.

In 2019, Beatrice told me that Trefiano was her brother Vittorio’s idea. He had died tragically a year earlier at only 66. To honour him, ‘Vittorio Contini Bonacossi’ appears on the label above ‘Trefiano’. His daughter, Serena told me: ‘The soul of my father is in this wine.’

A taste of Trefiano:

Wines are listed oldest to youngest

Related articles

• Il Caggio’s Ipsus: A Tuscan wine legend in the making
• Castello di Fonterutoli’s Concerto: A Sangiovese-dominant SuperTuscan in its 40th vintage
• Isole e Olena’s Cepparello: the Paolo de Marchi effect

‘It’s easy to describe 2021,’ says Maria Stella Carletti from Poliziano. ‘After March, it didn’t rain at all.’ This dramatically simple statement about the vintage conditions in 2021, is supported by data from the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano consorzio, which details that less than 100mm fell between budbreak and harvest.

Drought was coupled with high temperatures. ‘We had one week in July between 38-39°C, and it remained over 30°C for an entire month,’ continues Carletti.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for 15 top picks from the 2021 vintage

The other piece of the puzzle was frost. On the night of 7-8 April, a frigid air mass dropped temperatures as low as -7°C on the valley floor. ‘It was an abnormal frost,’ states Boscarelli’s Luca De Ferrari, explaining that it also hit vineyards at higher elevations.

As the weeks prior were unseasonably warm, most of the vines had already woken up and budbreak was underway. As a result, up to 50% of nascent buds were damaged. The resulting low vigour of the vines combined with hot, dry conditions yielded small, concentrated berries. Grapes matured quickly, culminating in a relatively early harvest in the second half of September.

In the modest set of 30 wines at a preview in Montepulciano, Vino Nobile’s resolute tannins were on full display. Many pushed alcohol levels of 14.5%. However, top examples revealed the region’s most skilled producers – even in this challenging vintage, some managed to balance ripe fruit and high extract with commanding tannins and alcohol as well as wood. Additionally, the wines do not necessarily lack acidity. They’ll need a couple of years in the cellar and will be best over the following eight or so years.

Demonstrating different styles, Tenuta di Gracciano della Seta and Poliziano’s Asinone shine. Boscarelli has coaxed out admirable elegance, and Tenuta Trerose charms with its succulence. This year’s releases also include exciting new entries from Edoardo Maria Vannutelli and Tenuta Golo.

Some of the denomination’s top labels have yet to be presented, however, and we await the new Pieve category which sits at the top of Vino Nobile’s quality pyramid and will make its debut with the 2021 vintage next year. Early previews show promise for the wines in this category.

Michaela’s picks of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2021:

Related articles

• Chianti Classico annata: New releases in 2024
• Brunello di Montalcino 2019 – ‘spoiled for choice’: Full report
• Morellino di Scansano: Names to know and wines to try

For Giovanni Mazzei, winemaking and Sangiovese is in his blood. The eldest son of Filippo Mazzei, CEO of Marchesi Mazzei wines, his family has owned Castello Fonterutoli in the heart of Chianti Classico for 600 years. The first known reference to Chianti as a wine-producing region – dated 16 December 1398 – was found in written correspondence of an ancestor, Ser Lapo Mazzei.

The Il Caggio estate came into the family’s hands in 2006 with the purchase of a neighbour’s property, and that’s where the Ipsus journey began. As Giovanni explained during the masterclass, ‘they never really made wine on the property, they just sold the grapes, so we had a lot to learn’.

After a few years, he found a place where Sangiovese tasted different, ‘full of perfume’. They separated these vines from the rest, folding most of the purchased vineyards into the family’s holding, and created the Il Caggio estate.

Scroll down to see notes and scores for Ipsus

Located in the hamlet of Castellina in Chianti, the property encompasses 6.5 hectares, most of which was planted in the 1990s (a small portion was regrafted in 2008). The combination of altitude (350m), southeast-west exposure, and alberese and clay soils seemed to be the ideal spot for Sangiovese.

Under the watchful eye of Gionata Pulignani (technical director of the family’s wineries), six individual plots are separated into 16-18 microvinifications, with fermentation taking place in a combination of stainless steel and large oak casks, with around 20 days of maceration.

Initially, maturation took place in all new 500-litre French oak casks for 24 months, but that has been adjusted to a mix of 500-litre and 1,500-litre barrels and less new oak. The wine finishes with eight months in cement before bottling.

The directive in the winery is to ‘intervene as little as possible and let the grapes speak for themselves,’ according to Giovanni. Work in the vineyard is also minimised, to allow the vines to attain equilibrium: ‘balance is key in the vineyard and in those who live and work in it.’

The quality of the 2015 vintage convinced Giovanni to finally release a wine from the estate, and thus Ipsus made its debut. This was followed by 2016, 2018, and the recently released 2019. Giovanni explained that although a wine was made in 2017, the decision was made not to release it. ‘The vintage was difficult, and we did not make much wine, so we will keep the vintage as a matter of record.’

Ipsus’ fermentation and maturation are tailored to each vintage – there is no formula. However, Giovanni has a clear vision of what the wine should express: ‘I want Ipsus to be electric,’ he said, ‘and I want the winemaking to show that.’

So, for the 2018 vintage, where they had previously finished the wine in cement before bottling, they introduced a ceramic vessel to preserve more primary fruit.

In 2019 they went even further, maturing 10% of the wine in ceramic rather than in oak. Giovanni admits that decisions regarding maturation are the most difficult, but from the overwhelmingly positive reaction to Ipsus 2019, it seems that the team at Il Caggio has hit upon a winning formula.

Ipsus is classified as Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG, the highest quality level in Chianti Classico. To qualify as a Gran Selezione, the grapes must be from a single estate and the wine must be aged for 30 months before release.

Although the wine is a single estate, in essence Ipsus is a monopole. ‘Ipsus is about the place, hence the idea of a cru and its name, Ipsus, the Latin term for “itself”,’ Giovanni said.

Passionate about the estate, Giovanni and his family live on the property. He even admitted that he occasionally sneaks into the winery during the night to taste from the barrels! Around 4,500 bottles are produced annually, with hopes to increase to 6,000 bottles – but not beyond that, despite the fact that there is plenty of land available for future planting.

When asked if Il Caggio would ever produce a basic Chianti Classico, as well as – or instead of – Ipsus, Giovanni smiled and said he didn’t think so: ‘My great-aunt once told me, when faced with two roads or paths, choose the most difficult – that is what I have chosen to do.’

Tasting Ipsus at the Decanter Italy Experience masterclass:

Related articles:

Decanter Italy Experience: Highlights from the London tasting

Ipsus: The making of a modern Italian cru

Castello di Fonterutoli’s Concerto: A Sangiovese-dominant SuperTuscan in its 40th vintage

Tasting Brunello’s 2018 Riservas alongside new releases from 2019 required a conscious palate recalibration. The good news is that vintage variation – which is genuinely one of the appeals of fine wine – is alive and well in Montalcino.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for 20 top Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2018 wines

In 2018, cool temperatures in August and recurring rainfall in the weeks before harvest challenged ripening and yielded thin-skinned grapes. The resulting wines were fine in frame, slim in textures and moderate in concentration.

According to the traditional mindset that a Riserva should possess structure and power requiring long maturation and conferring ageability, 2018 is not an archetypical candidate. For this reason, many producers opted out. Furthermore, there was the risk of impoverishing the annata. ‘I am very happy with my 2018,’ asserts Fabian Schwarz at La Magia. ‘But if I produced a Riserva, I wouldn’t have had the quality.’

Unsurprisingly, there were significantly fewer Riserva compared to the 2015 and 2016 vintages; yet still more than I had anticipated – a similar quantity to 2017.

Certain estates seem to produce a Riserva every vintage, while others are more discerning. Some, like San Polino, chose to release a 2017 but not a 2018; Caprili came out with a 2018 Riserva after skipping 2017. ‘We didn’t produce 2017 due to the excessive concentration,’ explains Giacomo Bartolomei. Along with several of his peers, he referenced the freshness and elegance that set 2018 apart.

Of the three dozen or so that I tasted, I have recommended less than half, eliminating those that presented as ‘over the hill’. In many cases, long ageing in wood dried out the wine, exhausted fruit, or robbed freshness, which was one of the vintage’s attributes.

Alongside the variable 2018 Riserva, Col d’Orcia released a captivating Poggio al Vento from 2016 – surely the greatest vintage of the last decade. It is emblematic of a Riserva and demonstrates why this category exists.

Among those 2018 Riserva I have recommended, a handful spent less time in wood than normal – to the benefit of the wine. Podere Le Ripi, Poggio Antico and Poggio di Sotto are among these examples.

As with the annata releases, the Riservas I liked, I really liked – for their purity of aromas and flavours, and finesse. Similarly, most are accessible now and offer near- to mid-term drinking. Il Palazzone and Camigliano Gualto will be lovely over the next seven to eight years, while Capanna and Castelgiocondo’s Ripe al Convento should persist even longer.

Standouts

There were a few stunning surprises that merit (and will reward) cellaring. Once again, Sesti’s Phenomena topped the chart. San Filippo’s Le Lucére and Corte Pavone’s Vigna Poggio Molino al Vento also proved to be well justified Riservas.

Another standout example came from the under-the-radar Fattoi estate. ‘In our opinion, Riserva should be more complex, persistent and longer-lived than the annata,’ asserts Lucia Fattoi. Indeed, the estate achieved this, and the 2018 represents excellent value in the context of Brunello Riserva.

As 2019 offers so much to choose from, my advice, if you are tempted to go the Riserva route, is to stick exclusively to 2018’s very best.

Michaela’s 20 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2018 recommendations:

Plus one late-release 2016

Related articles

• Brunello di Montalcino: The best wines to drink, cellar and invest in
• Ageworthy Italian whites: 10 to try
• Morellino di Scansano: Names to know and wines to try

The strength of the 2019 vintage of Brunello di Montalcino is that it proposes wines to drink over a wide range of time.: many are immediately accessible, with earlier-drinking examples ready to enjoy over the next decade.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for all 15 Brunello wines

Other wines might benefit from further ageing and will ultimately give pleasure over the next 15 years.

Very few are completely untouchable now, but there are those that will definitely blossom slowly. These long-haul wines may be tucked away for 20 years.

Brunello 2019 for early drinking:

Podere Le Ripi, Cielo d’Ulisse

Montalcino’s gentle west-facing slope yields this ripe yet light on its feet and ready to drink biodynamic Brunello.

Corte Pavone

Immediate gratification here means a satisfying mouthful of radiant, perfumed fruit. To drink while waiting for Corte Pavone’s cru bottlings to come round.

Castello Romitorio

Exuberant aromas, succulent juiciness and a graceful physique make this a charmer now. Yet there is sneaky depth and intensity for at least a decade.

Pietroso

From a tiny but promising estate, this gracious Brunello would be even better with duck pappardelle if opened soon.

La Fiorita

With a warm, sunny disposition and lovely liveliness, La Fiorita offers plenty to chew on over the next 10 years.

Brunello 2019 for mid-term drinking

Il Marroneto

While the estate’s Madonna delle Grazie bottling needs time, Il Marroneto’s classic label already divulges the immensity of its pleasures.

Talenti

Another year or two in bottle should smooth out those grippy tannins and allow simmering potential to burst forth.

Mastrojanni, Vigna Schiena d’Asino

As hard as it is to resist now, this will reveal the full range of its complexities for years to come.

San Polino, Helichrysum

A fragrant yet measured expression of Montalcino’s southeast, Helichrysum’s layers and compact tannins will unfold leisurely.

Cortonesi, La Mannella

In Montalcino’s northern sector, La Mannella has been improving steadily over the years. 2019 highlights its elegant yet enduring frame.

Brunello 2019 for the long haul

Baricci, Montosoli

A stunning example from the hallowed hill of Montosoli. It may not be ready yet, but its innate nobility is unquestionable.

Le Ragnaie, Ragnaie VV

One of the vintage’s more backward wines, it stands out for its sinewy silhouette and rare level of gravitas.

Canalicchio di Sopra, Vigna Casaccia

The finest bottling of Vigna Casaccia thus far, 2019 counters its inherent sumptuousness with sophisticated structure and profound nuance.

Le Chiuse

Among the most complete wines of 2019, Le Chiuse boasts depth, drama and intensity with all the fabric for ageing.

Fuligni

One of Montalcino’s historic properties, Fuligni’s 2019 deserves a place in the cellar next to all its predecessors.

Brunello di Montalcino 2019: Michaela’s picks for early, mid-term and long-term drinking

Related articles

• Brunello di Montalcino 2019 – ‘spoiled for choice’: Full report
• Brunello di Montalcino: The best wines to drink, cellar and invest in
• Ageworthy Italian whites: 10 to try

Brunello di Montalcino 2019 vintage rating: 5/5

A warm vintage without extremes, and rainfall at the optimal intervals. Long ripening and cool nights yielded perfumed wines with ripe tannins. Most are accessible now but possess structure for mid- to long-term ageing.

When I visited Montalcino in November 2023, the recent harvest was still fresh in producers’ minds. Between the non-stop rain in spring, the ongoing menace of peronospora (downy mildew), and hail in mid-August, it was one of the most challenging years the region has seen in decades.

Softening the blow was the 2019 vintage of Brunello di Montalcino, to be released in January 2024. Faces brightened when the conversation turned to this outstanding vintage. Unlike 2023, the growing season was particularly benevolent – to the extent that producers seemed to have little to discuss.

‘When a year is great, there is no need to say anything,’ quips Gigliola Giannetti at Le Potazzine. ‘Everything was as it should be.’

The 2019 vintage explained

Mostly, that is. It should be noted that winter was typical of the current worrying trend – slightly warmer than the norm, with lower-than-average rainfall and little snow to speak of. Only estates at high altitudes, such as Il Palazzone and Poggio Antico, referenced minor flurries.

Nevertheless, a couple of concentrated downpours in January and February did deliver a moderate 70 millimetres of rain, and crucially, temperatures remained sufficiently cool to keep budbreak at bay until early April, sparing growers of late-season frost.

April and May were cool and rainy yet disease pressure remained low, as evidenced by the lack of mushrooms in the forest, according to Alessio Sostegni, winemaker at Poggio Antico. Even though these conditions slowed down the vegetative cycle by a couple of weeks, the succeeding months were more than adequate to bring grapes to full ripeness.

While the summer was characteristically hot and dry, temperature spikes above 35°C were minimal and never prolonged. A solid rainfall (70 millimetres in two days) at the end of July topped up reserves and the modest sprinkling at the end of August was welcome. Two further showers in September – one at the beginning, one mid-month – served to delay harvest, allowing further phenolic ripening and diluting grapes enough to curb alcohol levels.

‘We had the right rain when we needed it, giving the plants the water they required,’ sums up Nicola Vaglini, enologist at Pieve Santa Restituta.

Following normal precipitation patterns, rainy periods were concentrated to a couple of days followed by clement weather. As vineyards dried out quickly, there wasn’t the humidity to encourage fungal disease, which was an issue in 2018.

‘September was beautiful,’ says Andrea Costanti. He describes the days as warm, evenings as windy and nights as cool, leading to a harvest that was neither significantly early nor late. The balmiest corners of the southwest began picking on 10 September. In the north, most producers brought in grapes between the last 10 days of September and the first week of October. Finally, in the highest and coolest areas, harvest lasted until mid-October.

‘The harvest was long, and we did various passages as ripening occurred,’ says Katia Nussbaum at San Polino. At Argiano, CEO and winemaker, Bernardino Sani noted the long ripening period between veraison and maturation, describing the resulting grapes as ‘rich in concentration, fruit and colour’.

View the complete table with all 127 of Michaela’s Brunello 2019 tasting notes and scores

Producers from all corners and altitudes of the zone remarked on the quality of the grapes, which were clean and abundant in polyphenols. ‘It was as if they were painted,’ enthuses Sostegni, saying they barely had to discard any berries. Giacomo Bartolommei at Caprili concurs. ‘All the grapes were excellent, whereas in 2016 we had both high quality and lesser quality grapes.’

2019 was a prolific year. Montalcino’s consortium reports a production of 98,407 hectolitres – by far the highest of the last five years. Generous quantities may be attributed to favourable conditions during flowering, but it is also possible that the vines had finally rebounded after the stress of heat and drought in 2017. While many producers confirm making slightly more wine than average, some others claim they produced less.

For some, green harvesting was essential, ‘to avoid unbalance,’ says Sani. The decision was generally based on the vigour of each vineyard. In his clay-based La Mannella plot in Montalcino’s north, for example, Tommaso Cortonesi dropped fruit from the middle to the end of August, ‘to lighten the plants carrying a load of grapes not optimal for even maturation,’ he explains. Conversely, in his Poggiarelli site on stony Galestro soil in the southeast, he asserts that ‘green harvesting is never necessary.’

Managing quantities was hardly considered difficult, so I questioned if 2019 presented any tribulations. For Vincenzo Abbruzzese at Valdicava, who calls 2019 ‘a fairy-tale vintage with an American ending,’ the only challenge was sacrificing 2018. In that year, he decided just to produce Rosso di Montalcino from early-picked fruit to allow the vines more time to recover from devastating frost damage which occurred in 2017.

2019: ‘A superb vintage’

I remember Andrea Cortonesi at Uccelliera saying that ‘all years have their challenges’ when I spoke with him last year about 2018. Following up this year, he added, ‘a year like 2019 is the exception that proves the rule!’ He did, however, note the weight of responsibility to preserve the quality 2019 bestowed, and foster the best expression of the vintage.

Nevertheless, producers enjoyed a certain freedom in the cellar. Fully mature grapes with thick skins allowed for a return to long macerations for those who favour it. Ripeness of stems also encouraged some to experiment with whole bunches. Essentially, the year did not constrain or obligate winemakers the same way in which 2017 and 2018 did.

The resulting wines were an immense pleasure to taste. After sampling over 170, many at least twice, there is no doubt that 2019 is a superb vintage.

I was struck by the gorgeous and immediate aroma profiles, the ripeness without excess, and the balance of richness with freshness. The 2019 Brunellos do not fatigue the palate and are often stealthy in their power. Emblematic of the vintage, Padelletti and Le Potazzine demonstrate glorious perfumes backed up by substance and structure.

Given the quality in 2019, Brunello enthusiasts will be spoiled for choice. Alas, this doesn’t mean that every wine is exceptional. The most disappointing examples were excessively extracted or, worse, unclean. But these are not indicative of the vintage itself. Others simply came across as rather superficial, somehow echoing the easygoing growing season.

There were no surprises among the highest scoring wines. They hailed from some of the region’s most celebrated estates – Conti Costanti, Le Chiuse, Il Marroneto and Canalicchio di Sopra. Alongside these, Carlo Ferrini emerged with his best-ever vintage of Giodo, included in my top picks. Beyond the upper echelons, 2019 is a vintage to discover some of Montalcino’s lesser-known estates such as Sanlorenzo, La Palazzetta, Fattoi, La Serena and Patrizia Cencioni.

The 2019 vintage also continued the trend of single-vineyard and special selections. Overall, these didn’t diminish estates’ classic Brunello and, in many cases, delivered a step up. Besides new bottlings, 2019 also saw the return of some selections not made since 2016 – most impressively Franco Pacenti’s Rosildo and Valdicava’s Montosoli. By contrast, the Silvio Nardi estate did not deem quality high enough for their Manachiara bottling.

Vintage comparisons

The inevitable desire to compare divided most producers between 2015 and 2016, with Armilla’s Nicola Giannetti describing 2019 as ‘a peculiar combination of the two’. While not as hot as 2015 (particularly in September), 2019 was slightly warmer than 2016. Indeed, some wines tend toward the volume and generosity of 2015, though I find them more precise and fresher. Others recall the elegance of 2016 without the sheer tension and profound depth. They are more immediately expressive and rounder.

There were also references to wines from the 1990s, and particularly 1990 itself. The question is, does 2019 possess the same ageing capacity? The wines of the last century were often stern and austere in their youth but this is not the case with 2019. In fact, most are charming, almost ready to drink at this early stage.

The majority of 2019s possess solid mid-term potential with a projected sweet spot over the next 10 to 15 years. Meanwhile, the very best should age gracefully for upwards of 20.

The strength of the vintage is that the wines will be enjoyable at any stage along the way. And, as they age, they should provide a palpable demonstration of their distinct origin within Montalcino.

Late releases

Amid the profusion of 2019s, a couple of late release 2018s were shown – namely Biondi Santi and Val di Suga’s Spuntali. Alongside the clearly superior 2019 vintage, these two held their own.

Moreover, they provided a reminder that although location was a key factor in 2018, weather conditions leveled the playing field in 2019, with no area favoured over another. ‘It was hard to make bad Brunello in 2019,’ Le Chiuse’s Lorenzo Magnelli declared – and yet, some did. Or at least a disappointing one. In Montalcino, producer still reigns.

Michaela’s top Brunello 2019 picks:

Conti Costanti

A complete, confident and deeply satisfying Brunello of unequivocal breed (100 points)

Giodo

The best vintage yet from Carlo Ferrini’s young estate, it sings eloquently of Montalcino’s south (98 points)

Salicutti, Sorgente

Under new ownership, Salicutti soars with its profound Sorgente bottling (97 points)

Le Potazzine

The epitome of 2019’s charms – heady perfumes, fruit purity and sneaky, seductive structure (97 points)

Franco Pacenti, Rosildo

A captivating vineyard selection from one of the denomination’s under-the-radar producers (94 points)

Brunello di Montalcino 2019: Top scorers

View the complete table with all 127 of Michaela’s Brunello 2019 tasting notes and scores

See all 127 Brunello 2019 tasting notes and scores

Related articles

• Brunello di Montalcino: The best wines to drink, cellar and invest in
• The lesser-known Tuscany: 12 hidden gems to discover
• Barbaresco 2013: A retrospective of one of the top vintages in the last decade

2023 marks the release of the 40th vintage of Concerto, a SuperTuscan blend of 80% Sangiovese and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Chianti Classico region of Tuscany. To celebrate, a vertical tasting of nine wines was held at the Castello di Fonterutoli estate, starting with the first vintage, 1981, and culminating with the latest release, 2021.

There are three clear phases in Concerto’s evolution: from the 1980s to 1994; from 2011 to 2015; and 2016 onwards.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for nine vintages of Concerto from 1981 to 2021

The first phase of Concerto

I admired the 1981 Concerto for its vibrancy and tenacious qualities. The fruit on this 42-year-old wine has faded somewhat but the wine is kept alive by a core of vibrant acidity, like an electric current coursing through its veins, and it reflects its time perfectly: in the 1980s and 1990s the climate was very different and growers often struggled to ripen the grapes. Acidity was naturally high, tannins were firmer and alcohols lighter, at 12.5 or 13%.

The wines of this first phase are never overpowering; their acidity has helped them to age and gives them vivacity, although sometimes with a crunchy, green herb, semi-ripe quality to the fruit. The 1986 is the exception here, coming from a warmer vintage and ageing particularly well with more fruit and roundness in the middle than the two wines either side – 1981 and 1990.

1994 was the last vintage of Concerto for several years, while the estate focused its energy on Chianti Classico, of which Filippo and Francesco’s father, Lapo Mazzei had been president from 1974 to 1994.

‘It was Francesco and I that stopped [making Concerto]…We restarted with the 2011 vintage because we had more vineyards with the acquisition of Caggio,’ explained Filippo.

The second phase of Concerto

The 2011, 2013 and 2015 vintages show the next phase of evolution for Concerto. The climate had by then changed significantly, and often there was too much heat and not enough rain. The alcohol in these wines is around 14 to 14.5%. Together with the changing climate, there was a fashion for big wines with powerful ripe fruit and big oak flavours.

These wines often remind me of the heavy ‘power dressing’ fashionable in the 1980s, and I found this to be the case with the Concerto 2011 in particular. The 2013, though, is an exception. Coming from a very good vintage with a longer, late-ripening season, this wine is an expression of coolness and harmony and is currently at a beautiful stage of its development: I particularly like the dark forest floor, cool fruit, and the new level of refinement in the tannins.

About Castello di Fonterutoli

Owned by the Mazzei family since 1435, the 650-hectare Castello di Fonterutoli estate comprises 110 hectares of vineyards divided into seven different sites in Chianti Classico.

The company is run on a day-to-day basis by brothers, Filippo and Francesco Mazzei. Filippo’s son, Giovanni is the export director but also manages the Il Caggio estate near Castellina in Chianti, which includes the Concerto vineyard.

Mazzei produces a very good Chianti Classico, ‘Fonterutoli’, a Chianti Classico Riserva called ‘Ser Lapo’, and three Gran Selezione wines: ‘Castello Fonterutoli’ is from Castellina in Chianti; ‘Badiola’ – often my favourite because of its elegance and vibrancy – is made from fruit grown at high altitude in Radda in Chianti; and ‘Vicoregio 36’ is made from 36 different Sangiovese biotypes grown in the Vicoregio vineyard, further south in the warmer UGA of Castelnuovo di Berardenga.

Castello di Fonterutoli also produces two Toscana IGT wines: Siepi is a 50:50 blend of Sangiovese and Merlot from very old vines, while Concerto – one of the early SuperTuscans – is a blend of 80% Sangiovese and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon.

The third phase of Concerto

With the most recent vintages of Concerto, there has been a decisive move towards wines that express harmony, balance and finesse instead of power. In 2006, Mazzei stopped spraying the vines with chemicals and, according to technical director, Gionata Puglinani, this had a big impact on the quality of the fruit.

An improved selection of Sangiovese clones has been planted over the last 20 years and – to mitigate the effects of climate change – a canopy of leaves is left over the grapes to protect them from the sun. Grassing and cover crops are also used between the rows to protect the soil from getting too hot, thereby reducing water evaporation.

In the winery, the influence of oak has been reduced. Sangiovese is now aged in larger tonneaux instead of barriques, and the wine spends the last three months before bottling in concrete tanks. In 2021, an optical grape selector system was purchased and consequently the quality of the tannins has improved even more.

The wines in this tasting were a fascinating reflection of these phases of development and the changes in climate and culture since 1981. I loved the 1981 for its rapier-like focus and acidity and its fragility, and the 2013 for its beautiful poise and balance, but the real star of the show for me was the Concerto 2021 – the culmination of years of careful attention to detail, deep vineyard knowledge, and fine tuning in the cellar to achieve a wine of sublime finesse and drinkability.

It represents the Mazzei family’s passion and commitment, and their desire to always improve; and that for me is what turns the liquid of wine into something magical.

A history of Concerto in nine wines:

Wines are listed in vintage order oldest to youngest

Related articles

• DFWE 2023 Ornellaia masterclass: Four decades of a Tuscan icon
• Luce vertical: A ‘winning varietal blend’
• Ageing Chianti Classico: Panel tasting results

One of the best wine bars in Montalcino boasts a large, wall-size shelf housing bottles of Barolo, Amarone and other great reds of Italy and France. Just 10 years ago, it would have been impossible to see anything there but Brunello di Montalcino. The famed Tuscan denomination is evolving under the influence of young generations, gaining wider awareness that informs the production of its own wines of unique character, as well as showing open-mindedness, butting up against the naturally individualistic culture of Italians.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for 15 Brunellos to drink, cellar and invest

In the past, this historic hilltown in central-southeast Tuscany – at 250m-600m surrounded by rolling hills and farmland of rare beauty (within the greater Val d’Orcia area, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2004) – was famed for a steep and stony soil that was hard to work. This land, once worthless, today changes hands for about €1m per hectare.

Brunello in numbers

Montalcino spans 24,000ha of land, less than 15% planted with vines: 510ha exclusively for Rosso di Montalcino DOC, 2,100ha reserved for Brunello di Montalcino DOCG. Government body Valoritalia’s updated data says there were 9.7 million bottles of Brunello released in 2022, of which 93% were annata (vintage) and 7% Riserva; among them, just 3% included the mention of a single vineyard on the bottle.

Rich history

Montalcino has been known for viticulture since the 19th century – the Brunello di Montalcino consorzio relates that ‘the Grapevine Classification Board of Siena issued a report on a particular Brunello di Montalcino that had been aged for 32 years from grapes harvested in 1843.

The report states that the wine was perfectly preserved, displaying its typical qualities, unchanged over time’ – a DNA that has always been focused on longevity. Biondi-Santi’s 1888 Riserva was one of the first celebrated labels of Brunello.

For its centenary in 1988, a few lucky journalists were able to catch a smell of it in one of the top-ups conducted by Franco Biondi Santi.

In 1966 Brunello di Montalcino became a DOC wine, and a year later the Consorzio del vino Brunello di Montalcino body was founded. Efforts to market Brunello took off in the 1970s, but the global market was only conquered after 1980 (when the region was elevated to DOCG status), thanks to the growing number of wineries and bottles produced.

The arrival of the American Mariani family in 1978, who invested in Castello Banfi, helped Brunello to catch the eye of international wine lovers. Then Banfi winemaker Ezio Rivella revealed a controversial personality. ‘He visited cellars and suggested all the producers buy chainsaws to cut up the large Slavonian oak botti [casks] and transform them into flowerpots,’ recalls Fabrizio Bindocci, president of the consorzio. Rivella was 50% right: at that time, most of the botti grandi were not properly cleaned or sanitised, imparting faulty qualities to some of the wines.

Rules and styles

Brunello di Montalcino must spend at least two years in wooden barrels and is released onto the market from 1 January of the fifth year after harvest (one additional year is needed for Riserva). ‘In the last 20 years, the region of Brunello has been driven more by the US than the UK,’ notes Brett Fleming, managing director of UK importer Armit Wines. ‘The US styles deemed as the leading examples of Brunello were far darker in colour, bolder in expression and “bigger” wines in their weight expression, whereas in the UK the ethereal, almost Pinot-like styles held the attention of the top critics and buyers,’ he adds. ‘I am unclear whether it was point-chasing, but certainly the resulting wines became more and more “American” in style than true Brunello should be.’

When producing Brunello di Montalcino, Sangiovese is not allowed to be blended with other varieties, either indigenous or international. Traditionally, the main clone is Sangiovese Grosso, so-called because of its big clusters, producing pale and lifted wines, but in the late 1980s the Chianti Classico 2000 project was conceived in the Chianti Classico production area. This resulted in the identification of 239 possible Sangiovese clones, from which 24 were selected and seven eventually approved and entered into the national register of vine varieties. These selected clones became popular in Montalcino, as in Chianti Classico, for their smaller grapes and looser bunches, although in the early 2000s some producers lobbied the Brunello consorzio to introduce international grapes, mostly to satisfy the US market. Luckily, as everyone agrees today, the rules were not changed and the great personality of Brunello was preserved.

In Montalcino, Sangiovese naturally gains volume and structure due to the Mediterranean warm climate. This part of Tuscany is hotter than Chianti Classico, for example, so the wines show a brighter fruit character with more body, more integrated acidity and bigger tannins which are much easier to extract. Montalcino is sheltered by Monte Amiata (a dormant volcano peaking at 1,738m) to the southeast, from which cooling air descends during the summer nights. Coupled with the cooling effect of the forest which surrounds much of the Montalcino vineyard area, the wines gain complexity and freshness.

1. Brunello to drink

There are at least five different styles of Brunello, shaped by the different soils and slopes of Montalcino. If you’re looking for an earlier drinking Brunello di Montalcino, seek out wines made in the warmer southern zone of the denomination. The area around Sant’Angelo Scalo in the region’s southwest (about 100m-200m elevation) is very sandy; the Brunello made here is fruitier and ready to drink sooner, although it can struggle a bit to achieve complexity.

In the southeastern sector, between Sant’Angelo in Colle (444m) and the Orcia river, the wines show generous fruit allied with a classic nutty character, with greater complexity and amazing ripeness of tannins drawing from the combination of calcareous soil and lower levels of rainfall (500mm compared to 700mm on the northern side of the denomination). These are approachable wines yet still ageworthy, as demonstrated by labels such as Il Poggione or Col d’Orcia, both incredibly consistent in older vintages.

Further east, the village of Castelnuovo dell’Abate produces Brunello of earthy elegance and graceful power. Again, the wines feature rich fruit, sometimes with a yellow tinge of peach skin instead of pure cherry. Here, calcareous marls alternate with alluvial pebbles. Collosorbo has great vineyards here, as well as Ciacci Piccolomini. These three sub-zones (Sant’Angelo Scalo, Sant’Angelo in Colle and Castelnuovo dell’Abate) are preferred mostly in cooler vintages, such as 2013, 2018 and 2019. The 2018 vintage in particular produced delicious wines for early drinking, often elegant in style and – if I can be provocative – much closer to the amazing Rosso di Montalcino DOC wines rather than offering Brunello’s typical volume, structure and depth.

Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona, Pianrosso 2019

Villa Le Prata 2019

Il Poggione, 2019

Giodo 2018

Salicutti, Piaggione 2018

2. Brunello to cellar

Northwest of Sant’Angelo in Colle, at 300m-350m, lie Tavernelle and Pieve Santa Restituta, where great estates such as Gaja and Soldera Case Basse are located. Due to nocturnal breezes, a lack of fog, predominantly rocky soils and forest all around, the season lasts consistently longer here, producing perfumed Brunello wines that are velvety, savoury and deep.

Climbing the southeast side of Montalcino hill, dominated by schist soils with high mineral content, you can discover some of the best vineyards of the appellation, giving classic, powerful wines such as those from benchmark Brunello producer Biondi-Santi. The elevation, up to 500m, and the easterly exposure keeps the fruit extremely fresh; cherry and strawberry characters intermingle. The grapes experience slow ripening, so the wines are full of complexity and fully structured, and the acidity is always firm, if not a bit excessive at release, underlining the chalkiness of the tannins when young. Biondi-Santi, Gianni Brunelli and Salicutti are among the acclaimed producers making wine here. It’s recommended to cellar them as they don’t give their best before 10 years after release.

The northern side of Montalcino is even fresher in terms of fruit style, producing wines with redcurrant and pomegranate characters, focused more on elegance than power – but the trade-off is that they are less expressive when young. Limestone is found at altitude close to Montalcino village, while there’s a higher clay presence as you descend down the hill of Canalicchi. Il Marroneto, situated at the peak, is distinctive for the stunning definition and filigree elegance of its wines, while Altesino is a leading producer in terms of hectares and also quality. Montosoli, at the bottom of the slope, is one of Brunello’s most prestigious crus and is a name to look out for on the label.

Gianni Brunelli 2019

San Filippo, Le Lucére 2019

Le Potazzine 2019

Mastrojanni, Schiena d’Asino 2019

Altesino, Montosoli 2019

3. Brunello to invest

The quality and value offered by Brunello di Montalcino should be enough for collectors to get behind the region in the coming years. According to analyst Wine Lister’s Pro data, Biondi-Santi’s Brunello di Montalcino annata, Il Marroneto’s Brunello di Montalcino Madonna delle Grazie, and Sesti’s Brunello di Montalcino Phenomena Riserva have seen their prices increase steadily over the last two years. Soldera Case Basse has not officially been a Brunello di Montalcino since 2006, but is certainly a top label of the region – now bottled as a Toscana IGT, along with Biondi-Santi it’s one of Montalcino’s most expensive wines.

But not all great Brunello costs hundreds of pounds per bottle, and some of the best can still be had for between £60 and £80, while a few brands achieve prices of £100-£150. These figures are only set to grow in the coming years as their relative value is discovered compared to Bordeaux or Burgundy, for example.

There are other reasons to bet on Brunello. The overall quality of the 2019 vintage, to be released in January 2024, is outstanding; the 2019s have graceful balance more representative of Brunello di Montalcino compared, for example, to 2018. Also the new generation, now at the head of most of Montalcino’s estates, are demanding a fresher style of Brunello. If they can avoid over-lightening the wines – as the previous generation over-concentrated theirs – the new-school Brunellos are capable of perfectly expressing Montalcino’s terroir and Sangiovese’s graceful power.

Il Marroneto, Madonna delle Grazie 2019

Biondi-Santi, Riserva 2016

La Cerbaiola di Salvioni 2015

Soldera Case Basse, Toscana 2015

Poggio di Sotto 2019

Brunello di Montalcino: Fiordelli’s 15 to drink, cellar and invest

Related articles

• Ex-Vietti couple joins Montalcino’s Castiglion del Bosco
• The Decanter Italy Experience: A perfect gift this Christmas
• Top 10 Brunello di Montalcino 2018 wines to drink in 2023

Robert Mondavi was brilliant at creating prestigious joint ventures, such as Opus One in Napa, and Seňa with Eduardo Chadwick in Chile. But less well known was Luce in Tuscany.

Srcoll down to see tasting notes and scores for a vertical of Luce from 2000-2020

In the 1970s, Mondavi had toured Italy with his son Tim with a view to creating an Italian brand, but it wasn’t until 1995 that his plans came to fruition and he formally collaborated with the Frescobaldi family to found Tenuta Luce. The Frescobaldis had bought the Castelgiocondo estate in Montalcino in 1989, and the Luce vineyards were in the same location.

Luce’s signature was its 50/50 blend of Sangiovese and Merlot. Sangiovese is, of course, the grape of Brunello di Montalcino, but with their Lamaione brand, the Frescobaldis had shown that it was possible to make an outstanding pure Merlot in the region (I attended the launch of the first Lamaione vintage, 1991, and promptly bought a case!). Merlot was planted on the lower part of the vineyard on clay soils, while the Sangiovese was planted higher up on stonier shale soils.

Although Mondavi was a far larger wine producer than Frescobaldi, it had always been a family estate and the two clans enjoyed their strong personal collaboration. But when Tim Mondavi retired from the project in 2002, the partnership foundered.

From that point, Lamberto Frescobaldi took on full responsibility for Luce, a position he still holds today. In 2004, Mondavi was bought by Constellation but the Frescobaldis, not wishing to work with a major corporate brand, bought out the Mondavi share the following year.

Luce in the cellar

At first, Luce was aged in barriques and then in large casks, but from 2005 all ageing took place in mostly new barriques to help tame the natural tannins of the wine. Located in one of the warmest spots in Montalcino, the Merlot could deliver opulent wines with high sugars and alcohol, but this was usually well balanced by the fresher Sangiovese component.

Luce has maintained a steady course over the years. Winemakers have changed – Jérôme Poisson from 2012, Alessandro Marini from 2019 – but the thinking behind the blend has not. Nevertheless, the wine has evolved. The 2013 Luce was made from organically farmed grapes, although the vineyard was only certified in 2015. More recent vintages have emphasised freshness and finesse rather than power and extraction, and there is less evident new oak: Lamberto Frescobaldi once told me: ‘Too much new oak gives those strong vanilla aromas, and if you want vanilla, it’s better to go and buy an ice cream!’

A new winery was built in 2016 (previously, the wines had been produced at the nearby Castelgiocondo winery) containing custom-made concrete tanks for fermentation.

Winemaker Alessandro Marini studied in Bordeaux and has worked at top Right Bank estates such as Figeac. Well aware of Merlot’s propensity for high alcohols, he introduced a lighter touch during vinification. ‘We crush lightly and reduce the fermentation temperature to around 27°C, and we’ve also shortened the fermentation period. In the 2000s there was a tendency at Luce to allow some overripeness in the vineyards, but today we avoid that. Indeed we pick relatively early to retain freshness. And there are fewer pumpovers and less extraction overall.’

New wines have been added to the Luce range over the years, as there is no wish to expand the production of Luce itself. Lucente is in effect a second wine, sourced from younger vines, with more Merlot and less new oak. A Luce Brunello was created in 2003, and most recently, the Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated Lux Vitis – although production is very limited.

But it’s Luce, with its winning varietal blend, that remains the outstanding wine of the line up.

Luce through the years: 2020-2000

Related articles

• Siepi: ‘A new era’
• Brunello di Montalcino 2018: full report plus top-scoring wines
• Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon: Producers, styles & wines to try

Morellino di Scansano is possibly Tuscany’s most under-the-radar and underrated wine. As a DOCG – Italy’s top level of denomination – with impressive general levels of quality and annual production in 2021, according to its regional consorzio, of 9.2 million bottles, it ought to be far better known. (The Brunello di Montalcino DOCG states ‘an average of 9 million bottles’ a year.)

Somehow, however, Morellino di Scansano misses out on the collective renown of Tuscan wines. The reasons could be that its emergence is relatively recent, and that it is from a part of Tuscany that is a long way from tourist hotspots. It is probably also true that its mysteriously lowly market positioning works against wider recognition.

Scroll down to see a selection of 10 Morellino di Scansano red wines to try

Morellino di Scansano comes from the province of Grosseto, the most southerly, the largest and the least populated province of the region – and one of Tuscany’s most unspoilt rural areas, in which vineyards find their place in a biodiverse patchwork of woods, olive groves, pastures and arable land. The DOCG stretches over a vast area, from the river Ombrone near Grosseto city itself (see map, below), east across to Capanne and Saturnia, and down almost to the regional border with Lazio to the south.

Topographically, it can be divided into three main areas. The first is the low-lying strip divided from the Tyrrhenian sea coast by the wooded Monti dell’ Uccellina. The second, widely planted area lies on the first line of gentle slopes inland, with vineyards concentrated around the villages of Magliano and Montiano. The third zone, climbing to the east to the villages of Scansano and Manciano, consists of steeper hills up to 500m above sea level.

Soils vary from the light silt and sand of the lower coastal strip to the sandstone and stony calcareous terrain of vineyards inland. The climate is typically Mediterranean, with mild winters, rainy springs and hot, arid summers. The particularities are the constant sea breezes, which mitigate the extreme temperatures of July and August, and the significant day-night temperature excursions on the inland slopes, which slow down ripening to the benefit of aroma and acid/sugar balance.

Unlike the wines of central Tuscany, which have a rich recorded history, winemaking in the province of Grosseto is sparsely documented. There is archaeological evidence that the Etruscans produced wine in the hills above the Tuscan coast, and the Romans after them, but little written testimony of winemaking in the area has survived. The favourable growing conditions mean that wine has always been made, albeit in the context of small-scale farming, but the emergence of a representative commercial production is relatively recent. Writing in 1966, Cyril Ray mentions a wine called ‘Scansano, made largely from Sangiovese, known locally as Morellino’, but it was not until it was first established as a DOC in 1978 that Morellino di Scansano came officially into being.

Leaps and bounds

Growth of the new DOC was initially slow. At the beginning of the 1990s, there were no more than 280 hectares under vine, more than half of which were controlled by the local cooperative. Another British author (and longstanding Decanter contributor) Rosemary George MW noted at the time that Scansano was ‘rather unknown’.

The turning point came in the second half of the 1990s, with the discovery of the vinicultural potential of the southern coastal area of the Maremma, heralded at the time as the new frontier in Italian wine. Leading Tuscan producers such as Castello di Bossi, Castello di Fonterutoli, Cecchi and Fattoria dei Barbi snapped up land in the DOC, and a wave of new private owners arrived. Thanks to this influx, between 1997 and 2005 the vineyard area grew from 450ha to 1,370ha and production from 2.3m bottles to 7.5m (as reported in I Numeri del Vino, September 2006), stimulating the creation of the DOCG in 2006. A lull followed, but the past five years have seen a brisk revival. To regulate production, the DOCG authorities have limited the vineyard area to the current 1,500ha.

Morellino is the local name for Sangiovese. Literally, it means ‘little dark one’, which might be a reference to the local breed of dark-coated horses called morelli or, more prosaically, to the berries of the native biotype. The production regulations allow producers to make a 100% Sangiovese wine, as many do, but also to blend with up to 15% of other varieties, which is one of Morellino’s distinctive features. The most interesting results come with the use of the local Alicante (a genetic match with Grenache/Garnacha) and Ciliegiolo; the former contributing its characteristic pressed flowers and spice aromas and the latter bringing red berries and a touch of agility.

Styles to explore

Another feature that sets Morellino apart is that it does not necessarily age in oak. Riserva wines must spend at least a year in barrel but, unlike Chianti Classico for example, there is no such requirement for the younger ‘annata’ wines. Morellino’s ripe, round, warm-climate tannins do not call for the barrel ageing that Sangiovese from other parts of the region typically needs to smooth out its edges. Without this preoccupation, producers have the option of using stainless steel to focus the fresh berry fruit and herby-floral characters that are among modern Morellino’s most winning features.

It was not always thus. There was a period when many Morellino producers, in pursuit of an unlikely SuperTuscan style, were making denser, more extracted wines with a lot of new oak, often overplaying the weighty side of the wines of the Maremma. Morellino has evolved since: today’s wines are brighter, more fruit-forward and a lot more flexible on the palate, and where wood is prescribed – as in the case of Riservas – there has been a decisive move away from barriques towards traditional medium to large formats.

Morellino di annata from one of the many top producers is a delicious wine, with a pleasurability rating that is hard to beat in its category. It is easy to drink, yes, but not at the expense of character.

Tasting wines from around the denomination, one discovers that there is a lot more to Morellino di Scansano than might immediately meet the eye. Terroir plays a significant role in such a large and varied viticultural area.

Wines from the sandier soils of the coast lean towards a lighter, drier style with distinctive floral notes. Those from the high slopes inland have ripe red fruit, fleshier textures and the greater structure that makes them more suited to Riserva bottlings than wines from the coast.

Morellino di annata(no requirement for barrel ageing) shows its best in its first three to four years, while Riservas have no fear of bottle age and drink happily for up to 10 years and beyond.

Laudable ambition

The vast majority of Morellino production is priced at entry level. This is great for wine drinkers but a matter of some concern for producers, and in fact high-profile estates Le Pupille and Poggio Argentiera have abandoned the DOCG for their top-of-the-range selections in search of higher price points.

To address the issue, the producers’ consortium is studying plans to restructure production, with the identification of sub-zones and the creation of a superior category, along the lines of Chianti Classico’s Gran Selezione. It’s a laudable project, which will hopefully bring benefits to the denomination over the medium term.

The good news, meanwhile, is that until the world wakes up to its merits, Morellino di Scansano continues to represent exceptionally good value for money.

Four Morellino names to know

Antonio Camillo, Montemerano

Organic grower/non-interventionist winemaker Antonio Camillo has dedicated the past 15 years to searching out small plots of native old vines on the high slopes of the least-exploited southeast corner of the DOCG. He is best known for his Ciliegiolo, but Camillo’s Morellino is also outstanding. @antoniocamilloviniditerritorio

Cantina Vignaioli del Morellino di Scansano, Scansano

This quality-oriented cooperative celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2022. With 170 members and 700ha of vineyard, the Cantina is the denomination’s largest producer. An extensive range includes a number of single-site selections of Morellino.

I Cavallini, Manciano

The Perozzi family have been making wine for three generations on this 350ha estate, where they are among the very few to maintain the tradition of mixed agriculture, today practised with a nod towards Steinerian biodynamics. Only 11ha are vineyards, so wine production is pretty limited, but the quality is impeccable.

Morisfarms, Massa Marittima

The Moris family were pioneers among the first generation of new landowners in the Maremma when they arrived in 1971, years before the creation of the Morellino DOC. The wines from the family’s 35ha Poggio La Mozza estate, which is dedicated exclusively to Morellino, are a benchmark for the denomination.

10 from the Tuscan south: Baudains’ pick of red Morellino di Scansano

Related articles

• Tenuta San Guido Guidalberto: 2001-2021 vertical
• Isole e Olena’s Cepparello: the Paolo de Marchi effect
• Top-value Brunello di Montalcino 2018: the 10 to buy

The newly released Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2020 vintage shows – in some examples – the region’s tough, tricky tannins poking through; however, the best examples convey the warmth of the summer through plush fruit and ripe tannins while preserving the fresh acidity and perfume of the cool finish to the growing season.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for the top-scoring new Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2020 & Riserva 2019 wines

Despite losing some production to late-season hail, Boscarelli was a standout yet again this year. Both La Braccesca and Fattoria della Talosa demonstrated balanced power without over extraction as did Marchesi Frescobaldi’s offering from the newly purchased Tenuta Calimaia estate. In general, these 2020 annata wines can be enjoyed over the next five to eight years.

Alongside the 2020s, a handful of 2019 Riserva are released this year. A successful vintage for Vino Nobile, 2019 favoured both the region’s midweight beauties as well as more robust examples. Overall, the 2019 annatas previewed last year give the Riserva a run for the money, but nevertheless, I have recommended a small handful of the latter which are well worth drinking over the next six to 10 years.

The 2020 vintage

Salcheto winemaker Michele Manelli compares Montepulciano’s 2020 growing season to the strange events of the pandemic that unfolded in tandem. ‘Instead of being characterised by one single phenomenon, there was a collection of small problems,’ he explains.

Winter was extremely dry and marked by above average temperatures until the end of March. Rather than the usual rainy conditions, spring ensued sunny and warm. It wasn’t until June that significant rain fell, replenishing extremely depleted reserves as well as bringing unseasonably cool conditions.

When summer finally arrived, it was hot throughout July and August – temperatures peaked at 37°C. Dry and sunny conditions continued for the first half of September, however as the month progressed, the weather became unsettled with thunderstorms and a drop in temperatures.

Harvest started on 15 September and continued until the beginning of October, with producers picking around the rains. ‘Grapes were slightly diluted, so we adjust with 5% bleeding,’ says Giuseppi Rigoli at Gracciano della Seta.

Top-scoring new releases in 2023:

Related articles

• Chianti Classico Annata: New releases in 2023
• Brunello di Montalcino 2018: full report plus top-scoring wines
• Barolo 2019: vintage report & 139 recommendations

‘Full of adrenaline’ is how Matteo Vaccari of Cigliano di Sopra described the newly released 2021 Chianti Classico annata. That rush of excitement was palpable throughout the entire ‘Chianti Classico Collection’ anteprime event in Florence this year – and without any Covid restrictions, it was back to a full house.

My verdict after trying well over 200 wines across the annata, Riserva and Gran Selezione categories? Quality continues to soar – as does the number of certified organic wines.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for Michaela’s favourite new Chianti releases

Chianti Classico 2023 reports:

Chianti Classico Annata: New releases in 2023

Chianti Classico Riserva: New releases in 2023

Chianti Classico Gran Selezione: New releases in 2023

Chianti Classico new releases: Top recommendations

Istine, Vigna Casanova dell’Aia, Chianti Classico 2020: It’s hard to pick a favourite among Angela Fronti’s classy single-vineyard bottlings; perhaps the tangy and precise Casanova dell’Aia in 2020.

Maurizio Alongi, Vigna Barbischio, Chianti Classico Riserva 2020: As with last year, Alongi’s finessed Vigna Barbischio leads the Riserva pack.

Podere Il Palazzino, Grosso Sanese, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2016: Unwaveringly 100% Sangiovese since its inception as a Vino da Tavola in the ’80s, Grosso Sanese deserves its place in the upper echelon of Chianti Classico.

La Montanina, Chianti Classico Riserva 2020: Quite simply, this leaped out of the tasting for its gorgeously evocative fragrances and exquisitely balanced structure.

Terreno, Sillano, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2019: The first ever vintage of this single-vineyard selection from up-and-comer, Sofia Ruhne is a stunner.

Poggerino, Chianti Classico 2021: A delicious example of just how serious Chianti Classico annata can be.

Chianti Classico new releases: Best value

Rocca di Montegrossi, Chianti Classico 2021 I’d bet on a few years in the cellar for this over-achieving annata.

Monte Bernardi, Retromarcia, Chianti Classico 2021 Low-intervention winemaking, clean and pure, with extraordinary buoyancy in this denser vintage.

Principe Corsini, Le Corti, Chianti Classico 2021 This carries the warmth of the vintage with pizzazz and packs in plenty of personality for the price.

Le Cinciole, Chianti Classico 2019 Far from an ‘entry-level’ wine, Le Cinciole’s annata is a gorgeous, detailed expression of Panzano.

Chianti Classico: Top recommendations and best-value picks from 2023’s new releases

The wines are listed first by top recommendations then by best-value

Related articles

• Chianti Classico guide: drink, cellar, invest
• Top-value Brunello di Montalcino 2018: the 10 to buy
• Tenuta San Guido Guidalberto: 2001-2021 vertical

At the apex of Chianti Classico’s quality pyramid, Gran Selezione continues to garner most of the denomination’s attention, disproportionate to its 6% share of the region’s total production.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for the top-scoring new Chianti Classico Gran Selezione releases

Yet it’s difficult not to be transfixed, as the number of new Gran Selezione bottlings has increased considerably in the last couple of years. There are a host of reasons for this, exemplified by several of my recommended wines such as Brancaia, Arillo’s Terrabianca, Riecine’s Vigna Gittori, and Le Cinciole’s Aluigi. Conversations with many other producers promise even more new Gran Selezione to come.

‘I believe that the tasting panel of the Gran Selezione had to find its way and now there is a different mindset behind the profile,’ says Sofia Ruhne at Terreno. Though her A Sofia bottling – an elegant wine that faithfully interprets its terroir – was rejected in earlier vintages due lack of structure and colour, she decided to submit it again in 2019 and was accepted.

UGAs

The other carrot is the pending launch of the region’s Unità Geografiche Aggiuntive (UGA), which translates as ‘Additional Geographical Units’. Chianti Classico has divided its vast territory of 70,000 hectares into 11 subzones. During February’s Chianti Classico anteprime tastings in Florence, the Minister of Agriculture signalled a green light for the UGA project, and all that is missing now is for the bill to be legally published.

The forecast is that by July 2023, producers will be permitted to name one of Chianti Classico’s 11 subzones – Castellina, Castelnuovo Berardenga, Gaiole, Greve, Lamole, Montefioralle, Panzano, Radda, San Casciano, San Donato in Poggio, and Vagliagli – on corresponding labels of Gran Selezione wines.

In tandem with this is the timely release of Alessandro Masnaghetti’s new Chianti Classico atlas in which he maps out each UGA in painstaking detail. It’s an invaluable tool for Chianti Classico afficionados as well as producers – on more than one estate visit, owners corrected how they described the soils of their sites based on Masnaghetti’s work. Hopefully this will bring a common language to one of Italy’s most complex territories.

Approval of the UGA has been met with palpable excitement, especially since it was a long time coming. However, it doesn’t come without some criticism. ‘The UGA should be for all Chianti Classico wines because Gran Selezione represents just a small portion of its production,’ declares Stefano Capurso at Dievole. He is not alone in his sentiment, and there’s a collective belief that the UGA will eventually be extended to qualifying Riserva and annata bottlings. But first things first…

Emphasis on Sangiovese

The other update to the Gran Selezione category is the exclusion of international grape varieties and an increased minimum percentage of Sangiovese from 80% to 90%. Producers will be given a few years to fall in line with the new regulations and some, such as San Felice, have adjusted the blend in anticipation: the estate’s newly released 2019 Il Grigio Gran Selezione will be the last with 80% Sangiovese, increasing to 90% with the 2020 vintage.

See all 135 wines from Michaela’s Chianti Classico new releases report

Other producers do not intend to change the composition of their wines. A pioneering estate of single-vineyard bottlings in 1978, Castello di Ama has long included a healthy dose of Merlot and/or Malvasia Nera. ‘If we are forced to no longer call them Gran Selezione, we will adapt with some regret,’ says Lorenza Sebasti. In the meantime, the estate’s 2019 San Lorenzo, still a Gran Selezione for now, is an excellent representation of the vintage and this top category.

Gran Selezione new releases

Developments and controversies aside, Chianti Classico’s new releases of Gran Selezione are a testament to the top-notch quality in the region. And, with the addition of many new wines championing varied styles and speaking to Chianti Classico’s diversity, this category has become more dynamic.

A small sampling of less than a dozen from 2020 was just a preview of what the vintage will offer at this level. Castello di Fonterutoli and Famiglia Zingarelli produced their best ever bottlings of Badiòla and Tenuta Fizzano respectively, while both Fontodi’s Vigna del Sorbo and Riecine’s Vigna Gittori shone, as they did in 2019. In general, gracious structures and expressive flavours suggest the 2020 Gran Selezione will offer loads of enjoyment over next 10 years.

A couple of dozen 2019s provided a deeper dive into this fresher vintage. As with their Riserva counterparts, not all the Gran Selezione manage to balance the slender fruit with their oak and tannin frames, however, the most successful are succulent, detailed and tightly structured. Capraia’s Effe 55, Terreno’s Sillano, and Castello di Meleto’s Vigna Poggiarso stand alongside the top 2019s released last year. Conte Caponi’s trio also deserves a tip of the hat.

Late-release Gran Selezione this year harked back even further than 2019, with worthy entries including Querciabella’s second ever Gran Selezione from 2018, and Castello di Radda’s Vigna Il Corno from the challenging 2017 vintage. Last but not least is Il Palazzino’s 2016 Grosso Sanese, which started out as a Vino da Tavola in the 1980s and now sits in the top category of Chianti Classico’s pyramid; a symbol of this ever-evolving denomination.

New Chianti Classico releases 2023: Top scoring Gran Selezione

Read Michaela’s other Chianti Classico 2023 reports:

Chianti Classico Annata: New releases in 2023

Chianti Classico Riserva: New releases in 2023

Related articles

• Isole e Olena’s Cepparello: the Paolo de Marchi effect
• Ipsus: The making of a modern Italian cru
• A taste of Italy in London

Long before the Gran Selezione category was introduced, Riserva was the repository for top Chianti Classico. Now sandwiched between the former and a battalion of impressive annata, Riserva’s relevance relies on a strong sense of purpose.

This year, there are plenty of Chianti Classico Riserva releases with a clear identity among the latest 2020 and 2019 vintages.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for the new-release Chianti Classico Riservas

Giovanni Poggiali at Fèlsina describes 2020 as ‘a coddled year’ – deprived of travel, producers were able to dedicate all their attention to the vineyard. Mother Nature was also relatively kind. While budbreak was early, spring frost damage was minor and limited to lower lying vineyards.

The summer was hot, though temperatures never became too extreme and cool nights provided reprieve. The biggest anxiety was lack of water as the winter was unusually dry. Late spring rains served to somewhat replenish reserves.

Comparing 2020 with 2021, Federico Cerelli at Castello di Gabbiano says, ‘they were both very warm. The difference, at least in San Casciano, is that there was more stress in 2020.’ Where vines shut down, phenolic ripeness straggled behind sugar ripeness. Marco Ricasoli at Rocca di Montegrossi admits being concerned until showers arrived right at the end of August. ‘If it hadn’t rained, it would have been a big problem.’

The diversity of Chianti Classico’s territory always makes it difficult to generalise, however, and some other producers reported being less challenged by the arid conditions. According to Maurizio Alongi in Gaiole, ‘Sangiovese succeeded in reaching almost perfect ripeness.’ He cites a balance of sugar concentration with high quality skin tannins. His Vigna Barbischio is a testament to that, and one of the most elegant of the lineup ths year.

Overall, the 2020 Riserva are well structured but by no means austere. They are equally amply padded with fruit, so astringency rarely pokes through. Above all, they are gracious wines offering ageing potential of seven to 10 years. Among my top picks, more intense examples like Buondonno and Poggerino’s Bugialla would be best with another year in the cellar, while finely framed wines such as Podere Castellinuzza and Monteraponi’s Il Campitello should be approachable upon release.

Juxtaposed with 2020 Riserva, the 2019s represent one of the largest groups of Chianti Classico to be released in 2023 and the best of these epitomise what I prize about this vintage: Val delle Corti shows tension and finesse; Querciabella is energetic; and Il Molino di Grace is beautifully expressive. Also noteworthy, both Pomona and Castello di Monsanto promise to reveal more with time.

Alas, in less successful examples the slenderness of fruit is eclipsed by domineering wood or drying tannins. Nevertheless, the 2019 Riserva that do hit the mark will provide a refreshing contrast to the successively warmer and drier vintages that follow. They may also prove to be more ageworthy than their lightness currently suggests.

‘A place for elegance’

It is impossible not to consider the implications for Riserva in the context of the evolution of Gran Selezione regulations. Not all producers espoused this category when it was first introduced in 2014. ‘The first releases of Gran Selezione favoured power and concentration, sometimes with the inclusion of Merlot and Cabernet,’ explains Maurizio Alongi, positing that this was perhaps a means to differentiate them from Riserva.

See all 135 Chianti Classico wines from Michaela’s latest report

However, Alongi, along with others, now see a place for elegance in Chianti Classico’s top tier. This, as well as the new opportunity to reference the township of origin on the label might be enough to lure more wines away from Riserva into the Gran Selezione category.

Nonetheless, I don’t foresee an impoverishment to the ranks of Riserva – there are still holdouts to Gran Selezione who will continue to label their top wine as a Riserva, a category which will still be able to welcome in wines made with international grape varieties or less than 90% Sangiovese that will eventually be excluded from the Gran Selezione classification. That is, provided producers do not decide to abdicate the denomination all together and go down the IGT route.

Above all, Riserva is not just a second-best option. ‘It is an important part of the chiantigiana tradition,’ declares Cigliano di Sopra’s Matteo Vaccari, who will be coming out with a single-vineyard Riserva next year.

For those producers who craft both a Riserva and a Gran Selezione, differentiating between the two is crucial. As the Gran Selezione category continues to evolve, further honing of individual Riserva is inevitable. While approaches to Riserva vary, the new releases offer plenty of wines on an equal footing with Gran Selezione in terms of quality, which is good news for the denomination and Chianti Classico fans alike.

New Chianti Classico releases 2023: Top Riserva picks

Read Michaela’s other Chianti Classico 2023 reports:

Chianti Classico Annata: New releases in 2023

Chianti Classico Gran Selezione: New releases in 2023

Related articles

• New Chianti Classico releases 2023: Annata
• Brunello Riserva 2017 & late releases report: 17 wines to buy
• Dievole Novocento Chianti Classico Riserva: 25 vintages tasted