Chianti Classico 2020 & 2019: New releases

The only one of Istine’s single-vineyard bottlings that hails from outside Radda, Vigna Cavarchione is located in the neighbouring township of Gaiole. It is east- to southeast-facing on predominantly Galestro soil at 420 metres. The 2019 has a sweet/savoury personality with a firm backbone. Dark plum and wild strawberry meet balsamic herb nuances. It is expansive and mouth-filling, though not heavy. Lively acidity races though it and a distinct saline twist cleanses the palate. A lengthy finale of violet and tobacco begs another sip.

As with Vigna Istine, Vigna Casanova dell’Aia is characterised by limestone marls of Alberese and Galestro, however it boasts a greater presence of clay which gives more vigour. It is also south- rather than north-facing and sits at 500 metres. The 2019 offers quite a bit of stuffing: plush dark red cherries are sumptuous and juicy, nuanced by liquorice, tarragon and sweet fresh earth. There's a stony mineral note under the generous fruit, while compact chalky tannins assert themselves graciously.

The annata category seems ill-fitting for this complex wine from a steep 550m-high vineyard in the Radda sub-zone. Displaying an intoxicating nose of kirsch, botanicals and potpourri, the combination of pure red fruit and bracing acidity is almost Burgundian. Balsam herbs and savoury minerals outline the gorgeous finish. Unsurprisingly, Istine owner Angela Fronti is considering upgrading this to Gran Selezione.

Owner Paolo di Marchi has not chased the current trend to increase the percentage of Sangiovese and continues to blend Canaiolo Nero and a small percentage of Syrah in his deliciously reliable Chianti Classico. Aromas reveal a warm stone flintiness along with baked Mediterranean herbs and scented purple flowers. Limpid and linear, the palate builds with black plum, rose and sweet earth. Full yet vivid, it's polished yet soulful with seductive truffle nuances to finish, all held together with fine, chalky tannins.

Sean O’Callaghan made singular, distinctive wines at Riecine - where he worked until 2016 - and he continues in the same vein at Radda’s Tenuta di Carleone. Exclusively Sangiovese with 15-30% whole bunches, it's given a two- to three-month maceration and aged in old oak casks. This vibrates with raspberry, orange, violet and peppery spice, super-crunchy and mouth cleansing. The palate takes on a plush persimmon character and the tannins are delicate and sandy in texture. Far from fragile, it's just light in its being.

Erta di Radda’s owner and winemaker, Diego Finocchi includes a dollop of Canaiolo Nero in his annata to enhance floral and spice aromas as well as balance Sangiovese’s racy acidity. A blend of three different plots, each is a co-fermentation. The 2019 is a heady mix of fennel, sage blossom, liquorice, juniper and forest underbrush. It expands across the palate with volume and energy, though it's really just midweight. The tannins are light and polished, and it finishes with cinnamon-tinged berries.

This benchmark Panzano estate is still in the hands of long-time owner, Giovanni Manetti, but the new generation is very much in evidence: Manetti’s son Bernardo, daughter Margherita and nephew Costa now play fundamental roles as the estate continues to grow. Fontodi’s 2019 is striking and pronounced in fragrance. Liquorice and black cherry are offset by coffee, char and tobacco. Vigorous tannins yield slowly but surely as this makes its way across the palate. Its structure is well-proportioned with the ripe black fruit, substantial but never heavy or imposing, underscored by some tanginess. As always, it soars above its category.

Poggio Scalette’s Jurij Fiore launched his eponymous label with daughter Sara five years ago. They make tiny quantities of various bottlings from vineyards scattered around Lamole. PorcacciaMiseria comes from 75-year-old vines at a lofty altitude of 650 metres. The oak needs to integrate here but already the wine’s perfume rings out. Anise, lavender and iris lead to a backdrop of pomegranate and warm stony earth on the palate. It allies density with weightlessness and is enveloped in a tactile caress. It wears its snappy spine well.

Under the supervision of talented winemaker Manfred Ing, Querciabella makes relatively high volumes of terrific wines such as this top-notch Chianti Classico, bursting with captivating scents of kirsch, rose petals and sandalwood. It has a midweight mouthfeel laced with the essence of blood orange, sour cherry and animal musk. Fine tannins and tangy salinity lift the suave, vibrant finish.

Princess Coralia Pignatelli della Leonessa has presided over Castell’in Villa with a resolute hand since 1971 and shows no sign of wavering. She likes body and power in her wines, which she felt the 2018 vintage didn’t possess. As such, she declined making a Riserva in order to release this solid annata. It's delicate and fragrant - but persistently so. Orange, iron and wild rose scents are arresting. Deceptively slim in build yet with depth, the tannins are steely and the acidity is piercing. The latter will carry the wine and it may age longer than anticipated. No excess baggage here.

This gem of a producer located in Panzano should definitely be on your radar. Owners Luca Orsini and Valeria Vignano don’t seek the limelight; they concentrate on making focused and precise yet gracious wines. Vinified in cement with spontaneous fermentation then aged in 20hL French oak casks, the 2018 annata starts with liquorice and violet. It builds on the palate with minerally granite and dense, succulent cherry notes. Assertive chalky tannins bolster this vivacious, layered annata. It's worth tucking a few bottles away in the cellar.

Cigliano di Sopra should definitely be on Chianti Classico-lovers’ radars, despite a miniscule production of 10,000 bottles a year. Located in San Casciano, the estate belongs to Maddalena Fucile’s family. She heads up the winemaking with ex-schoolmate Matteo Vaccari. Pressed violet and iris meet blackberry and leather aromas, suggestive of a warm zone. There is texture and tension on the palate as fleshy red berries cling to the tight, vertical backbone, while tangy orange zest is hunger inducing. As energetic as the young dynamic duo that crafts this.

Istine's vineyards cover around 20 hectares between Radda in Chianti and Gaiole, at an average altitude of 500 metres on mainly rocky soil. Owner and oenologist Angela Fronti leads this organic family vineyard with true passion and solid expertise. A dream in a glass, this masterpiece displays graceful elegance, harmonious timbre and cadenced balance, with bright juiciness that persists throughout. Crisp, clear fruit conveys a good sense of the terroir.

Montesecondo is part of an increasingly large group of small wineries that choose to pursue a minimalist approach: avoiding yeast addition, choosing concrete over oak, and using very little sulphur. This 2020 Chianti Classico offers aromas of blood orange, laurel, cassis and a hint of game. The palate is bright and savoury, with crunchy red fruit, juicy tannins, invigorating acidity and a mouthwatering saline tang.

Owner and winemaker Roberto Stucchi describes 2019 as the only semi-hassle-free vintage in the last six years, void of any climatic trauma. He always manages to produce a graceful annata that showcases Sangiovese’s lightness and texture. This vintage shows a bit more density than the previous year. Cardamom and lavender add dimension to pure red cherry and currants. The tannins are layered and chalky, providing an elegant, solid frame. Sapid and salty on the finish.

A textbook expression of the high-altitude Lamole terroir, offering suave perfumes of rose petals, cassis and a twist of iron. The palate is taut and refreshing, with pure redcurrants and strawberries to the core, and brisk acidity giving extraordinary drinkability and above-average length. Unlike other wines in Fontodi’s line-up, it ages in large oak instead of barriques.

High up in the hills of Gaiole, Saverio Basagni crafts a mere 20,000 bottles of Chianti Classico from his five hectares. He uses a long post-fermentation maceration of up to 120 days to tease out Sangiovese’s subtle intricacies. The nose is quiet and savoury, slowly revealing iron, brushwood, bay laurel and stone. It is deceptively lightweight at first but builds in dense and chalky layers across the palate. A beam of brightness pierces the finish with a cranberry, red currant crunchiness that lingers.

Roberto Bianchi describes the ripening period in 2018 as unexpectedly long. After abundant rain in summer, multiple passages at harvest and a strict selection were crucial to bring in the healthiest grapes at optimal ripeness. His annata should be applauded: it feels as light as a feather but with an intense and persistent personality. It evokes spring with lilac, lavender and orange blossom aromas. The fluid palate features fine tannins and mouth-watering acidity.

Piero Lanza’s holdings sit on clay and Galestro as opposed to sandy soil as seen in other parts of Radda. His is a denser, darker expression of the commune. He crafts his annata from a mix of early picked fruit and a later harvest of riper grapes, which gives an intriguing combination of concentrated cherry with pink grapefruit. Violet and tobacco leaf flicker throughout, and clay-textured tannins coat the palate without weighing it down. A tactile pleasure.

With vineyards between 400 and 600 metres above sea level in the commune of Gaiole, Riecine’s 2020 wears its high-altitude origins on its sleeve. Veraison started very late here, then ripening occurred quickly – within a couple of weeks. What this may lack in body, it makes up for in liveliness and expression. Scents of mint blossom, fresh thyme and tarragon greet the nose. The palate is streamlined and elegant, with red currant and plum, barely-there tannins and punchy integrated acidity. It's also refreshingly moderate in alcohol, clocking in at barely 13%.

Grapes for this 2020 were picked in the last week of September, after abnormally warm conditions earlier in the month had time to subside. It is true to the estate’s style, with a deep purple colour and backward nose of youthful reduction. The palate offers a better demonstration of potential with an intriguing build up of tension along with fresh black cherry and blackberry fruit. The supple tannins are sophisticated and polished but it is the sappy, saline twist and tangy acidity that really makes the wine sing.

The elegant 13th century Paneretta castle sits on the western edge of Chianti Classico, just a stone’s throw from Castello di Monsanto. It has been owned by the Albisetti family since 1984. Of the three Chianti Classico categories, the estate's annata demonstrates the greatest charm, balance and freshness. It has a saline, mineral character as well as an exotic edge. Mellowed tobacco and coffee aromas join preserved salted plum on the palate. The core is compact and savoury, countered by long, sweet tannins.

Petrignano is a new wine for Dievole, the result of the estate’s collaboration with Chilean soil specialist, Pedro Parra. It comes from a recently planted 15ha site between 300 and 330 metres above sea level, distinguished by an abundance of limestone near the surface. The nose is flinty and iron-speckled, giving way to sun-soaked wild berries. It balances the generous warmth of the south with freshness and long, chalky tannins, sneaking some vibrant acidity in there too.

Susanna Fabbri’s modest 38,000-bottle production is divided between a number of labels but the backbone is this unoaked, unadorned Sangiovese in purezza. It comes from her highest plots in Lamole (630 to 690 metres) planted between 1994 and 2014. Simply lovely and transparent, it juxtaposes brightness of red berries and scented flowers with nuanced earthiness. Delicately structured, its fine, powdered tannins lurk in the background while mouth-scrubbing acidity provides the spine. Finishes with a crunch.

Squarcialupi’s limited-production bottling takes its name from the young Cosimo Bojola. During his oenology studies, Cosimo experimented with an alternative vinification for Sangiovese. Here, fermentation is in unlined amphorae and the wine is kept on the skins for 11 months. Fragrant, though not exuberantly so, savoury green herbs mingle with a bouquet of garden flowers. Earth, mineral and red berries collide on the buoyant palate, where layered, powdery tannins give fascinating tactile, textural complexity. A truly distinctive Chianti Classico.

Uncluttered by oak, this stainless steel-aged 100% Sangiovese captures all of Radda’s lovely perfume and finesse of structure. It hails from a 12-hectare vineyard rising from 350 to 470 metres above sea level. Heady rose, cherry and citrus blossom infuse a backdrop of red currants. Lightweight and fluid, the palate is carried by zesty acidity. This won’t age long but it will offer heaps of charming drinkability in the short term.

A blend of estate fruit from Castellina and Radda, this is the only red from Brancaia that doesn’t see any oak. It shows intense red cherry immediately, then cinnamon and truffle lend attractive accents. Graceful in its progression, the palate is mid-weight and cleansing. Bright acidity and light, fine-grained tannins provide the frame, and vibrancy lingers after each sip. Certified organic as of the 2019 vintage.

An expression of Castello di Ama’s young vines - 10 to 12 years old - Ama is aged in second passage barriques. The delightfully fruity and vibrant nose exudes rose and lavender, with oak notes in the background. Plump sweet fruit on the mid-palate speaks to the modest dollop of Merlot in the blend. The tannins are velvety and polished, and the acidity is refreshing. A citrussy tang brings this near-term charmer to a close.

In the commune of Castelnuovo Berardenga, Fèlsina’s expansive vineyards are at the luminous southeastern tip of Chianti Classico. The Berardenga label represents a plentiful annual production of 250,000 bottles. On first impression, the 2020 is overtly ripe, yet with time prune cake and vanilla notes subside, allowing wild herb and savoury nuances to step in. The chewy tannins are long and supple, with ample fruit density to balance.

In the small, high-altitude hamlet of Lamole, Podere Castellinuzza makes a lovely, lacy and lifted Chianti Classico that highlights Sangiovese’s lighter side. Grapes are selected from the estate’s 55-year-old vines, spontaneously fermented and aged in concrete. The floral-driven nose pops with iris, sweet pea and pepper. Sandy tannins caress the red-fruited palate but the direction remains linear. It finishes on a mouthwatering citrussy note. Vittorio Fiore from Podere Poggio Scalette consults here.

On the breezy slope of the Ruffoli hill in Greve, Poggio Scalette’s vineyards extend from 410 to 585 metres on sandy, stony soil. Despite fermentation and ageing in cement vats, scents of sweet spice, clove and nutmeg seem to suggest oak. Dark currant fruit provides a backdrop on the grippy, zippy palate. It's rather angular at the moment but with lots of character and an appealing bitter grapefruit peel accent which lingers on the finish.

Crafted from just 2.5 hectares divided between two parcels in Lamole - the Castellinuzza vineyard at 500 metres; and the Piuca vineyard rising to 600 metres. Sangiovese and Canaiolo are co-fermented with native yeast, and the wine spends a year in concrete tanks before bottling. It's off to a good start, with explosive and expressive scents of raspberry, thyme blossom and anise. Juicy red currant and rose permeate the palate, and wispy tannins provide a lacy fringe. Generous and joyful in flavour, it remains light on its feet.

An exceptionally well-priced Chianti Classico, Gabbiano’s annata is sourced from the region’s warm northwestern commune of San Casciano. Upfront allspice, sweet thyme and tobacco leaf emerge from a backdrop of red cherry. It gains stuffing from Colorino and Merlot but is neither overdone nor forced. It has appropriate structure, and bright acidity cleanses the palate, while the vanilla-tinged finish is generous and warming. Bold enough for grilled meat.

Colle Bereto’s 17 hectares of southwest-facing vineyards are located at around 500 metres above sea level on rocky, limestone-rich marl in the township of Radda. The family-owned estate achieved organic certification as of 2017. This fresh, bright offering captures all the clean, pure fruit characteristics of 2019. Cherry, raspberry and strawberry strut confidently on the nose, repeated on the palate alongside understated and integrated wood. The acidity is lively and plays well with the fine, rounded tannins. A proper fruit-driven annata, it delivers oodles of immediate pleasure.

Pomona is located at the far southern tip of Castellina, abutting the township of Vagliagli to the west. From her six hectares, Monica Raspi makes lively, firmly-structured wines. She likens the 2019 to a young horse – with pent up energy, it stamps at the ground a bit. Aromas are animated with fresh minty green and cedary forest accents, while red and black currants pack the palate. Still tight and chalky with a nervous spine, there is plenty to chew on here.

Montecalvi changed hands in 2017 and now boasts Brit expat Tim Manning at the winemaking helm. He does a long post-fermentation maceration for a portion of the blend and there's also a dash of co-fermented whole-bunch Canaiolo Nero and Canina Nera. Fragile garnet in hue but still very much alive and kicking, its citrus scents of blood orange and grapefruit counter sweet earth nuances. The palate is midweight and fluid, with an explosion of forest berries and hints of pleasant bitter peel. Soft, sandy tannins and sour cherry acidity provide understated backbone to this umami-laden mouthful.

Twenty hectares of vineyard form a single plot around this Panzano estate. The soil is typical Galestro, as well as sandstone cemented with limestone, known locally as 'Pietraforte'. The annata is made from a first selection of grapes and does not see any new oak. It's an understated wine that opens slowly in the glass with appealing truffle scents infused with red cherry. There's a mineral stoniness on the mid-weight, elegant palate, demur with a subtle, tactile texture.

Headquartered in the township of San Donato a Poggio, Ormanni has been owned by the same family for over 200 years. Once a 2,000ha estate, it has today consolidated to 300ha, 30 of which are registered for Chianti Classico. Aged in a combination of concrete tanks and large oak vats, the annata places fruit at the fore. Exuberant raspberry notes are infused with heady Mediterranean herbs. Midweight, it rolls effortlessly across the palate but is not without depth, soul and a light dusting of tannins. Mint and rosemary punctuate the finish.

California winemaker Alyson Morgan has been leading the charge at Radda’s Podere Capaccia since 2015. She favours whole-berry fermentations and ages the annata in seasoned 15-25hL French oak barrels. Perfumed aromas of dusty red cherry, candied herbs and rosemary blossoms have instant appeal. The palate exhibits admirable intensity and persistence of chocolate drizzled cherry, blackberry and mint. You feel the cool high altitude location in the piercing acidity, as well as the southern exposure in the ripe, fleshy core. A well constructed, likeable Chianti Classico.

Purchased by winemaker Giovanni Puccini in 2015, Podere Terreno is located on the Volpaia ridge of Radda. The six hectares sit at 540 metres on predominantly Galestro soil. Aged in concrete and stainless steel rather than oak, this annata opens with nutmeg and red plum. It turns a corner on the palate, where mineral notes take charge. Midweight with a chewy structure, the tannins stick to the palate. Just 15,000 bottles produced.

Villa Le Corti is in the warm northwestern township of San Casciano Val di Pesa. Here, the soil is rich in heat-retaining round river stones, giving ripeness and generosity to the wines. Cement vats are used for ageing this annata, which offers leather, cinnamon and potpourri scents. There's quite a mouthful of rich, fleshy plum and sweet earth, with robust tannins giving shape and a satisfying chew. This will stand up to hearty fare.