Chianti Classico Gran Selezione: New releases in 2024

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