Red Wines

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This special steak wine bears the signature of company founder Giovanni Folonari on the front label. The Folonari family is a historic presence in modern Tuscan wine. Their 2016 Tenuta di Nozzole Chianti Classico Gran Selezione comes from a classic vintage that is known for the balance and power displayed in its elegant wines. This bottle opens to dark cherry and blackberry with rich nuances of spice and dried flowers at the back. This is a terrific effort from a winery with a big presence across the region.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPWhat immediately strikes you about this wine is its richness and density, showing lots of cherry, chocolate and bark character. Full-bodied, layered and flavorful. Lots of fruit. One for the cellar, but delicious now.James Suckling | 93 JSDeveloped nose showing mushroomy notes, oak nuances, and crushed rocks. Smooth and full on the palate, savoury finish.Drinking Window 2022 - 2030Decanter | 91 DEC

The aromas of dark cherries, bark, pine and orange peel come through clearly. The palate is medium- to full-bodied with firm and velvety tannins and a firm and savory finish. I like the freshness as well as the depth of fruit. Drinkable now, but better after 2028.James Suckling | 95 JSFrom the San Donato in Poggio subzone, the Marchesi Antinori 2022 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Badia a Passignano is a well-balanced wine with good continuity between bouquet and palate. That space is occupied by plush fruit flavors, fine tannins and fresh acidity. The goal is to achieve more red fruit flavors, and the growing season was slightly longer this vintage, thus making that task easier to achieve. This is 100% Sangiovese that shows genuine varietal character.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThe 2022 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Badia a Passignano is dark, pliant and super-expressive. Black cherry, plum, leather, spice and mocha fill out the wine’s broad shoulders nicely. As always, the Badia is defined by its volume, but these days, there is much less oak impact in terms of flavor and tannin profile. Two thousand twenty-two was not the easiest vintage to rein back intensity, but this is a terrific effort just the same. The 2023 was aged mostly in 3HL casks, with some barrique.Vinous Media | 94 VMThe layered nose opens earthy and savory, then turns sweet with fresh blackberries and black cherries, before finishing with a hint of heat and spice. Figs and more black cherries ripen on the palate, but that peppery heat continues to make itself known, and the initial cool earthiness holds true as a foundation. Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEA linear, dense red, whose strawberry and cherry flavors are delineated by vivid acidity and embraced by vanilla and oak spice notes. Builds to the lingering aftertaste, where the red fruit and oak accents linger beside dusty tannins. Shows fine potential; this just needs time. Best from 2027 through 2042. 10,761 cases made, 1,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSFrom vineyards surrounding the centuries-old Benedictine abbey in the district of San Donato in Poggio, this is Antinori’s staple Gran Selezione with 120,000 bottles produced. The 2022 offers plenty of early appeal. Scents of mocha, liquorice and candied violets entice. Cheerful in fruit, it recalls dark cherry purée and raspberry coulis. Subtle stony minerals surface on the mid-palate, and soft, supple tannins embrace while wood nuances seduce. Seems a bit naive at the moment but could show greater complexity with time.Decanter Magazine | 92 DEC