Chianti Classico Riserva 2019 & late releases

Chianti Classico’s ‘intermediate’ category, Riserva is as rich in interpretations as it is weighted with opinions.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for the top Chianti Classico Riserva 2019 & late releases

Following the letter of the law, minimum ageing is double that of annata – 24 months. Despite no stipulations about the type of ageing vessel, most Chianti Classico Riserva typically matures in oak barrels of one kind or another.

Given Chianti Classico Riserva’s two-year ageing requirements, this March’s tasting was the first official showing of the 2019 vintage – though there are still many yet to be bottled.

The 2019 vintage

As a refresher, the growing season in 2019 began with budbreak on time and unhindered. Copious downpours in late spring served to replenish water reserves. Producers started to fret when unseasonably cool, damp conditions in May put the brakes on the vines’ development. Then summer finally hit with hot, stable temperatures and minimal rainfall. Clement weather continued into September, bringing considerable day/night temperature variations which played a significant role in shaping the wines.

See all 100 of Michaela’s Chianti Classico tasting notes & scores from her reports: annata, Riserva and Gran Selezione

‘There was no frost or hail, and drought wasn’t too drastic. There was a good quantity of grapes. It was easy,’ sums up Roberto Stucchi at Badia a Coltibuono. Harvest started 20 September and continued well into mid-October, allowing for properly ripe phenolics and well-defined aromas.

I was seduced by the aromatic complexity of 2019’s annata and delighted to find equally beautiful, expressive Riserva – the latter showing the same mouthwatering freshness and cheerful buoyancy which underscores the vintage.

In general, the 2019 Riserva are not weighty wines. They have neither the density of 2016 nor the rich ripeness of 2015. Instead, they are layered without being compact. Finessed tannins support rather than impose. Examples range from finely framed wines such as Le Miccine to more structured ones like Castello di Querceto.

See all of our Tuscany vintage reports

While the best have the depth to age for up to a decade or so, there is an overall readiness to these 2019s. With such a lovely character, it is tempting to ask – why wait? That said, top wines such as Maurizio Alongi’s Vigna Barbischio and Poggerino’s Bugialla will reveal greater intricacies after a few more years in bottle.

The 2018 vintage: late releases

Alongside the couple of dozen 2019 Riservas, a spate of 2018s was also on show. This vintage was marked by uneven, changeable weather. Below-average temperatures and rain, often heavy, persisted throughout summer, causing some issues with mildew and botrytis. Warm, sunny conditions finally arrived in September. Nevertheless, results were mixed as weather patterns varied throughout sub-districts.

When I asked if Castell’in Villa would release a 2018 Riserva, Coralia Pignatelli della Leonessa replied definitively – ‘Absolutely not. It doesn’t have the body.’ Conversely, ‘concentrated and structured’ is how cellarmaster Stefano Peruzzi describes Castello di Radda’s 2018 Riserva, which will come out next year.

Meanwhile, winemaker Tim Manning at Montecalvi was so satisfied with the results of a single barrel that he crafted the estate’s first ever Riserva from the 2018 vintage – it is worth seeking out.

Overall, my impressions of the 2018 Riserva bottlings released this year echoed my sentiments last year: they are heterogenous but mostly lighter in structure and will be best within the next seven to eight years. I have highlighted a few exceptions to this in my recommendations below, such as Monte Bernardi and Querciabella.

Sweet spot

Specific vintages aside, the tasting provided an opportunity to evaluate Riserva in general. With the current focus on the region’s top category, Gran Selezione, Riserva risks getting lost in the shuffle. Bibbiano, Castello di Volpaia and Querciabella are all good examples of estates that offer a coherent progression through all three tiers, crafting each with intention.

‘It is important to make a Riserva that is differentiated from the other wines,’ says Diego Finocchi at l’Erta di Radda. For his Riserva, he selected a specific vineyard based on its soil and exposure, and planted it with low yielding, small berry clones in order to produce a wine with greater structure and concentration for ageing than his annata.

For estates that do not produce all three categories, the choice is usually between Riserva and Gran Selezione. On the one hand, there are those like Isole e Olena that have opted for the top tier: ‘Second best is not best,’ Paolo di Marchi proclaimed to me recently. On the other hand, Riserva remains an important category for producers who have yet to embrace Gran Selezione. It may become even more important given recent changes to Gran Selezione regulations, which will increase Sangiovese to a minimum of 90% and prohibit international varieties. The question is, will outliers show up here or renounce the Chianti Classico denomination altogether?

Ultimately, Riserva isn’t simply a transitional tier. Its most intentional wines are right in Chianti Classico’s sweet spot.

Michaela’s top Chianti Classico Riserva 2019 & late release picks:

See all 100 of Michaela’s Chianti Classico tasting notes & scores from her reports

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