Chianti Classico Riserva: New releases in 2023

This tiny vineyard, high up in Gaiole, was planted in 1973. It yields small bunches and berries, however, the Macigno soil (non-calcareous sandstone) gives perfumed wines with fine rather than brawny structure. The 2020 possesses depth of flavour with a lightness of being. Aromas are subtle yet elegant, bringing together earthy elements of forest floor and roots with sweet fennel and mint. The raspberry-soaked, streamlined palate flows beautifully with powdery-textured intrigue and just the right amount of tension. Positively tangy on the finish.

La Montanina’s Riserva hails from the same one-hectare vineyard as the annata but is a selection of the best bunches. It sees a longer maceration – 28 days – and is aged in smaller 500-litre tonneaux that are mostly previously used. Effusive in aromas, this exudes basil, eucalyptus and peppermint along with hints of rooibos. Balsamic notes repeat on the palate against a backdrop of sweet dark brambly berries. There's plenty of structure to counter, as decisive ripe tannins cling to the mouth. Lovely balance of fresh acidity and alcohol is kept in check, and cedar and forest floor bring this to a lengthy close.

At 420 metres, Il Campitello is one of Monteraponi’s lower sites. The 55-year-old plantings on Galestro-rich clay face southwest, giving grapes with structure suitable for a Riserva. That said, do not expect a robust, brawny wine – this is elegant, midweight and chiselled, with sinewy muscle. It leads with scents of broom and citrus blossom before an earthy timbre of liquorice root and forest shrub takes over. Juicy and vibrant, the palate is replete with tasty raspberries and flows effortlessly with understated concentration, scintillating acidity and mouth-cleansing tannins.

Poggerino’s Riserva is a selection of the smallest bunches from the estate’s oldest vineyard. It sees a spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeast in concrete tanks lasting up to 50 days. While ageing is in medium-sized Slavonian oak casks, there's a hint of toast and wood spice to begin. Alluring cinnamon nuances meld with cedar and balsamic herbs. With layers of grainy tannins and compact fruit, this is one of Radda’s more powerful examples, yet it still sports the high-altitude township’s bracing acidity. Stony minerals add further depth to this multi-faceted wine.

Buondonna’s Riserva is an intense, personality-driven wine hailing from a selection of two parcels in Castellina – a south-facing plot in the estate’s Casavecchia vineyard, and the almost 50-year-old northeast-facing Sicellino vineyard. The nose is tight but decidedly foresty, with cedar, pine and balsamic herbs. Wood notes still grip the palate, slowly giving way to minerally stone and anise. Any warmth from the alcohol is fully absorbed by the ripe concentration. Linear in focus, this is securely fastened with terracotta-like tannins.

At the eastern edge of Castellina, approaching the UGA of Radda, Capraia reserves its highest altitude vineyards – over 500 metres – for its Riserva. Along with lofty elevations, the cool northeastern exposure and bordering forest mitigate warming temperatures. In 2020, the concentration of fruit comes through, but so does a brightness and verve. Aromas are restrained for now, evoking rooibos, earth, bay leaf and, above all, winter mint, while cinnamon laces through the raspberry flavoured core. Tannins are slender yet decisive and still tight. Mouthwatering savoury succulence here.

This hails from a 50-plus-year-old vineyard. Michael Schmelzer explains that the dark purple/brown soil absorbs heat during the day, reflecting it back to the vines at night, resulting in a soft fruit expression. A dash of Canaiolo Nero emphasises this. It’s like driving down one of Chianti Classico’s forested backroads when you come to a clearing and the dust settles. It takes time for smoke, iron and porcini to cede to a brightness of red cherry and orange, but then the lively, vibrant, fluid expression is revealed, with thrilling juiciness through the core. Layers of powdery tannins sneak up.

Podere Castellinuzza is one of three tiny properties in Lamole that takes its name from the hamlet of Castellinuzza. Owner Paolo Coccia has been making the wines here for over seven decades. The Riserva is a selection of grapes from an old vineyard encircled by a chestnut forest. Refined exclusively in concrete, it offers a dense and captivating nose of lilac and rose mixed with wet earth and sundried tomato. It's fluid on the entry with compact, chalky tannins that build up, yet the gentleness of spirit and brightness of acidity are preserved.

Monica Raspi crafts her Riserva from the estate’s original and eponymously named vineyard. At 350 metres, the warm westerly aspect and marly clay soil rich in stony, calcium carbonates typically yield a resolutely structured wine, yet the 2019 is not lacking in grace. Oak remains very much in the background, allowing the fruit to shine. It's beautifully weighted with red and black currants enfolded in terracotta-like tannins and offset by vibrant, crunchy acidity. Moist earth, green herbs and stony minerals reveal themselves slowly. This should show more of its generous side with time.

Querciabella’s Riserva is a selection of the best lots from the estate’s various high-altitude plots in Greve, Radda and Gaiole. The 2019 harvest was protracted, lasting from 19 September to 17 October. Upfront coffee and mocha permeate dark red cherry, while garnishes of rosemary and sage emerge with coaxing. The palate is confidently weighted yet agile, with beautiful fruit purity of black raspberry ringing out. Suave tannins stretch out leisurely, and the fine-grained frame will provide poised support for the next 10 years.

Boasting six centuries of grape growing, the Cafaggio estate has passed through numerous ownerships. The latest, as of 2016, is Italian financial company, ISA, who have kept on renowned enologist Attilio Pagli who has been consulting here since 2005. Recent tastings confirm the positive direction, including this 2019 Riserva. It is so classically Panzano, with deep cherry, earthy forest undergrowth and sunbaked stone. The structure is confidently commanding yet balanced, the restrained wood well integrated. Full yet refreshing, this won’t last long at the dinner table.

The Bacci family bought this centuries-old estate in 1998, and Alberto Antonini has been the consulting enologist for almost as long. A selection of lots from the estate’s extensive vineyards in Castelnuovo Berardenga, the Riserva presents a particularly earthy nose of truffle, sweet damp earth and iron. On the palate, subtle black raspberry is inflected with tea and tobacco, and the oak is understated and sophisticated. What this may lack in sheer concentration, it makes up for in its fluid gait and assertiveness of structure. A natural with mushroom risotto.

First produced in 1962, this Riserva is unusual in that it represents the majority of the estate's production – around four times as many bottles are produced as for the Chianti Classico annata. In 2019 there was a rainy spring followed by a warm but not overly hot summer, and ideal weather at harvest time. Bright hedgerow berry aromas are accompanied by floral notes and fragrant damp earth, while in the mouth it's really intense, with a good concentration of bramble fruits alongside spicy and woody inflections and a balsamic streak. Very light on its feet, it's deliciously fresh, succulent and long, with superbly integrated tannins. Excellent.