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The 2011 Vin Santo is such a distinctive wine. As always, proprietor Marco Ricasoli-Firidolfi makes one of the most unique Vin Santos in Chianti Classico. The 2011 shows all the viscous intensity and richness this pure Malvasia Bianca Vin Santo is known for, but it is also a bit more floral and a touch less unctuous than some recent editions. Dried flowers, ginger, marzipan, spice, mint and sweet dried fruits all meld together effortlessly. The 2011 is simply fabulous.Vinous Media | 97 VMSlightly hazy, this dessert white is viscous and concentrated, with caramel, almond, orange peel and walnut skin aromas and flavors. Shows good acidity to cut the sweetness, and is ideal for post-dinner sipping, either with biscotti or on its own. Drink now through 2040. 75 cases made, 25 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WEThe 2011 Vin Santo del Chianti Classico (100% Malvasia Bianco) pours a rich chestnut hue, with aromas of candied orange, baked peach, baking spice, and gingerbread. It is rich and coating with apricot preserve, graham pastry, and baking spice and is round with texture long on the finish in an altogether singular expression. Drink over the coming decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 95 JDNo tasting note provided | 95 W&S

An exquisite Vin Santo, with aromas and flavors of brown butter, caramel, molasses, gingerbread and roasted walnut riding the vibrant structure. Impeccably balanced, with fine complexity and a long, resonant aftertaste. Malvasia, Trebbiano and Sangiovese. Drink now through 2040. 1,000 cases made, 600 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 97 WSPouring forth from a 375-milliliter bottle, the Fèlsina 2015 Vin Santo del Chianti Classico shows a dark amber color with shiny golden highlights. The wine is smooth and creamy in texture but not too viscous. In fact, it falls smoothly over the palate, imparting candied fruit, honey, almond and marron glacé along the way. This sunny vintage gives us a more accessible taste of one Italy’s most prestigious dessert wines.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RP

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 2017 Chianti Classico is a gorgeous, inviting wine. Pliant fruit and soft contours give the 2017 so much immediacy and appeal. Silky tannins wrap around a core of dark red cherry while spice, new leather and sweet pipe tobacco infuse the 2017 with tremendous character. The 2017 is such a beautiful and inviting wine. It was fermented in concrete and aged in oak for 18 months. Wow!Antonio Galloni | 93 AGRich cherries and berries on the nose with hints of fresh oak and sage-like herbs, following through to a fullish palate with plump fruit, quite firm tannins and a bright mineral finish. From organically grown grapes. Drinkable now, but best after 2022.James Suckling | 91 JSLe Cinciole’s latest release, the 2017 offers tremendous freshness with beautiful restraint. After ageing for one year in 20hL French oak, this refines for a further 12 months in cement before bottling. It is slightly wilder and decidedly darker in its nuances than the 2016, with enticing lavender, black cherry, liquorice and a touch of leather. The palate is fairly dense, with appropriately grippy tannins lending support. It leaves the mouth clean, refreshed and satisfied. Drinking Window 2021 - 2026.Decanter | 90 DECMade with organically farmed Sangiovese, this opens with subtle aromas of black-skinned berry, scorched earth and cooking spice. The savory palate offers black cherry, clove and tobacco alongside fine-grained tannins. Drink through 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE

Aromas of minerals, crushed stones and cherries. Pine needles, too. Floral. Full-to medium-bodied with a tight, linear palate and super fine tannins. Extremely deep. Fresh. Light saltiness. Give this three or four years to open.James Suckling | 97 JSLinear and compact, offering a core of cherry and strawberry singed by iron, tobacco and oak spice flavors. There’s intensity to this, combined with a firm structure and balanced in a tightly wound package, showing excellent length. Best from 2024 through 2035. 500 cases made, 50 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 93 WSThe 2018 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Roncicone emerges from a parcel on marine soils that naturally yield a bright, taut expression of Sangiovese. Sweet red berry fruit, flowers, chalk, mint and blood orange bring out the more lifted, red-toned expression of Sangiovese. The Roncicone is another very pretty wine in this range from Brolio.Antonio Galloni | 91 AGAromas of mature dark-skinned fruit, mocha and toasted oak emerge from the glass. The ripe palate offers baked plum, licorice and roasted coffee bean alongside close-grained tannins. Drink 2023–2030. Kerin O’KeefeWine Enthusiast | 91 WE

The 2018 Balifico, Volpaia’s Sangiovese/ Cabernet Sauvignon blend, is fabulous. Rich and inky, the 2018 offers up a compelling mélange of dark berry fruit, dark spice, licorice and espresso. I especially admire the wine’s textural richness. I imagine the 2018 will drink well for many, many years to come. In this tasting it is a total knock-out.Antonio Galloni | 96 AGAlluring violet, black currant and black cherry fruit introduces this seductive red, with firm, pointed tannins and vivid acidity providing structure as this glides to a lingering, detailed finish. Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2037. 750 cases made, 200 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 95 WSA wine with depth and a center palate of pure, ripe fruit. Raspberries and blueberries galore. Ripe and polished tannins. Solid finish.James Suckling | 93-94 JS

Perfumed and fresh with cherries, cedar and hints of dried flowers. It’s medium-bodied with fine tannins and a long, direct finish. Really lively and fresh. Very typical for a top Chianti Classico. Drink now.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2018 Chianti Classico Berardenga is endowed with so much class. In 2018, the Classico is a bit more restrained than it can be. That mid-weight sense of structure, though, gives the wine quite a bit of early appeal. Even so, I would cellar the 2018 for a few years, as all the elements haven’t fully come together just yet. Dark cherry, game, smoke, licorice and earthy notes are a reminder we are in Castelnuovo Berardenga, even if the 2018 has less weight and overt power than Fèlsina fans are used to seeing.Antonio Galloni | 92 AGNew leather, camphor and blue flower are some of the aromas you’ll find on this bright, fragrant red. On the medium-bodied palate, vibrant acidity and taut tannins surround cassis, Marasca cherry and tobacco notes. Drink 2022–2028.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WEThe Fèlsina 2018 Chianti Classico Berardenga is a toned and delicate expression of 100% Sangiovese from a vintage that produced beautifully subtle and understated wines. It shows good momentum driven by dark fruit, blackberry and summer cherry. The intensity of these aromas is downplayed and rendered less pronounced, adding elegance and fragility. Pretty background notes of spice and balsam herb add an extra layer of complexity. An ample 280,000 bottles were produced.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPIn Chianti Classico’s southeastern corner of Castelnuovo Berardenga, Fèlsina’s south-facing Rancia vineyard evokes a dusty, dry, sunbaked landscape. As always, it is aged in new French oak barriques but at this stage the wood comes across as more pronounced than usual. A jumble of macerated cherry, roasted coffee and grilled Mediterranean herbs gushes from the glass. On the palate, concentrated currants are swathed in dry, powdery tannins. There’s a sour-cherry tug, and slightly bitter finish. I recommend waiting a couple of years to let it sort itself out. Drinking Window: 2023 - 2028.Decanter | 90 DEC

The 2018 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Argenina is a total knock-out. Bright, aromatic and silky, the 2018 is pure class. Crushed flowers, mint, spice, licorice, tobacco and incense are some of the notes that grace this exquisite Chianti Classico. When I taste the best wines here, I often wonder why more producers aren’t capable of this level of quality. Stellar.Vinous Media | 93 VMPreviously bottled as an annata, Palazzino’s Argenina has now been elevated to Gran Selezione, meaning the estate’s entire Chianti Classico production now falls into this category. It comes from a vineyard in the southern reaches of Gaiole on limestone-rich, fluvial terraces. An autumnal whiff of chestnut is followed by fetching heather and cinnamon stick. Elegant and fine framed, it presents as midweight and linear at first, then fleshes out across the palate. Tangy acidity persists throughout, and there’s a subtle yet confident grip of tannins on the finish.Decanter | 93 DECThe 2018 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Argenina is herbaceous with pine, damp soil, and dried cherry. Medium-bodied, with fine tannins, a soft stony texture, and notes of plum pit and tea leaf., it is a pleasantly savory wine to drink over the next 5-7 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 90 JD

This is a fantastic Chianti Classico with so much complexity and intensity. Cherry, chocolate, hazelnut and wet earth with some black truffle. It’s medium-bodied with depth of fruit and fantastic texture and length. Don’t miss this. Sangiovese, cabernet sauvignon and merlot. Unfiltered. Very drinkable now, but one for the cellar.James Suckling | 95 JSJuicy and delicious, this opens with aromas of iris, rose, dried aromatic herbs and wild berries. Smooth and medium-bodied, the palate features succulent Marasca cherry, ripe raspberry, ground clove and crushed mint set against taut, fine-grained tannins. Fresh acidity keeps it balanced. Drink 2023–2028.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThis is such a pretty wine and such an absolute pleasure to drink, thanks to its intrinsic simplicity and brightness. The Castello dei Rampolla 2019 Chianti Classico gives us a textbook rendition of Tuscany’s Sangiovese grape, with the extra brightness, sharpness and crisp acidity that comes naturally. This wine reveals a profoundly authentic character with wild berry, lavender, garden soil and crushed aspirin. You could drink it now or possibly stretch its drinking window to the 10-year mark.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe 2019 Chianti Classico is an explosion of aromas and flavors. Freshly cut, flowers and red/purplish fruit abound. A classic example of the year, Rampolla’s Chianti Classico is flat-out gorgeous and one of the best recent editions I can remember tasting. The 2019 is a blend of Sangiovese (aged in cask) plus dollops of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon (done in French oak).Antonio Galloni | 93 AGAn inviting red, with strawberry, cherry, rose hip and floral aromas and flavors allied to an elegant frame. Features a firm backbone of tannins and lively acidity, which provide support, and lingers with bright fruit and a crisp feel. Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Drink now through 2030. 3,000 cases made, 1,250 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

Crushed mint, woodland berry and violet aromas come to the forefront on this chiseled, savory red. All about finesse and energy, it’s vibrant and delicious, delivering juicy red cherry, ripe raspberry and baking spice alongside taut, polished tannins. Bright acidity keeps it perfectly balanced. Drink through 2034. 13.5% abv. Kerin O’Keefe | 96 KOThis has a perfumed nose of wild cherries, strawberries, sandalwood, peppercorns, cloves, rosemary and truffles. Elegant and refined, with firm, fine tannins. Long and deliciously wild, with savory spice notes. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 94 JSAromatically more intense, the 2019 Chianti Classico Riserva Berardenga is concentrated with candied raspberry, licorice, and menthol. This is true to the palate as well, with a core of cherry fruit, blood orange, and a lasting floral finish. It has a ripe and sunny feel, fine tannin structure, and a cleansing freshness of acidity. Although it is open and generous in its showing now, this will be worth holding onto for the next 8-10 years.Jeb Dunnuck | 93 JDAt the southeastern limit of Chianti Classico, Fèlsina’s expansive vineyards look towards Montalcino. The annata is assembled from various parcels rising from 320 to 420 metres on rocky calcareous soil with layers of sandstone. As usual, it is more earthy than fruity, bringing in evocative accents of violet, liquorice and pepper. The palate is superbly textured with fine, grainy tannins providing a sensuous grip. Dark fruited and tangy with admirable depth, it will drink well now and over the next decade. Finishes with a sprinkle of cinnamon.Decanter | 92 DECThe Fèlsina 2019 Chianti Classico Riserva Berardenga shows bright fruit and crushed stone, although my impression of this wine—along with the other new releases from this celebrated estate in this vintage—is that the overall results are a bit thinner than usual. This wine is tight and compact with mint, balsam herb, black fruit, tobacco, licorice and tea leaf. The results are medium-bodied and fresh, and the finish is not especially long. The wine ages in second- and third-use barrique for up to 16 months. Some 70,000 bottles were released.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPThe 2019 Chianti Classico Riserva is a dark, brooding wine. The darker side of Sangiovese comes through in a potent, strapping Riserva. Black cherry, incense, tobacco, smoke, game and dried herbs give the Riserva its bold personality, as do the burly tannins that wrap it all together. Today, the 2019 is a bit rustic, but certainly full of character.Vinous Media | 91 VMThis firm, dry red is marked by dried cherry, iron and sanguine flavors. Balanced and lively, in a more traditional style. The finish echoes the iron and picks up savory notes. Drink now through 2028. 5,900 cases made, 3,000 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

The 2020 Chianti Classico is striking. Bright, punchy and vibrant, the 2020 possesses terrific energy from start to finish. Sweet red-fleshed fruit, cedar, blood orange, spice and incense are front and center. The 2020 screams with character. Once again, Marco Ricasoli-Firidolfi has crafted an exceptional Chianti Classico that punches well above its weight.Vinous Media | 92 VMThe 2020 Chianti Classico is ripe with juicy red and black berry fruit, offering notes of candied black raspberry, crushed violet, and forest floor. Medium to full-bodied and savory, with tart black cherry, orange oil, fine tannins, and dusty earth, it has a driving persistent energy through the mid-palate and is harmonious in its balance between its more youthful primary fruit and light savory touch throughout. Drink 2023-2033.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JDGrapes 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.Decanter | 91 DECWet earth, cherry stones and orange peel on the nose. Medium-bodied with lightly grainy tannins. Savory. A little lacking in firmness and focus, but pleasant. From organically grown grapes. Drink now.James Suckling | 90 JSFreshly poured tar with metallic notes of graphite and topsoil on the nose strike a point of contrast with the vibrant, juicy orange-cherry palate, with sturdy but approachable tannins and plenty of acidity.Wine Enthusiast | 90 WE

The 2021 Chianti Classico La Misse di Candialle is bright, bold and punchy. Dollops of Malvasia Nera and Canaiolo lend complexity. Whereas so many wines in this vintage are pretty accessible, Candialle’s 2021 is going to need a few years to soften. The purity of the flavors is striking though.Vinous Media | 93 VM

The organic 2021 Chianti Classico Rubiolo is an excellent value wine with 35,000 bottles released. The wine is all Sangiovese sourced from three sites in Castellina, Panzano and Badia a Passignano. The wine delivers a dark ruby color, and although the aromatic intensity is measured, there are delicately perfumed tones of cherry, raspberry and blood orange that feel punchy and bright. You also get pretty floral tones.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPAromas of ripe red fruit, licorice, spices and pink peppercorns. Medium- to full-bodied, juicy and tense with vivid acidity and polished tannins. Hints of walnuts and savory herbs at the end. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 92 JS