Chianti
Read More
Chianti
Photo
AI Chat
-
Vinous (98+)
The 2015 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo is flat-out stunning. Rich, ample and seductive, with tremendous intensity, the 2015 will go down as one of the truly epic wines of the year. All the elements come together in a deep, sensual Chianti Classico loaded with class and personality. I would give the 2015 at least a few years in the cellar to shed some baby fat, but it is very clearly a tremendous wine in the making, and even more impressive than it was last year. Wow!Inc. VAT£728.00 -
Wine Advocate (98)
The 2016 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo is another benchmark wine from Tuscany that shows the incredible potential of this iconic vintage. This beautiful single-vineyard Sangiovese reveals a graceful side with dark fruit intensity, cherry, plum, fresh violets and tilled earth. Tar, tobacco and licorice appear as delicate background tones, giving more volume and texture to the wine's sensorial impact. Vigna del Sorbo shows its own precise identity that is fiercely faithful to Sangiovese, but that also pushes the boundaries to go beyond our highest expectations of the grape in terms of color, concentration, aromatic complexity and staying power. That's the Panzano magic in a nutshell.Inc. VAT£221.29 -
Wine Advocate (98)
The 2016 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo is another benchmark wine from Tuscany that shows the incredible potential of this iconic vintage. This beautiful single-vineyard Sangiovese reveals a graceful side with dark fruit intensity, cherry, plum, fresh violets and tilled earth. Tar, tobacco and licorice appear as delicate background tones, giving more volume and texture to the wine's sensorial impact. Vigna del Sorbo shows its own precise identity that is fiercely faithful to Sangiovese, but that also pushes the boundaries to go beyond our highest expectations of the grape in terms of color, concentration, aromatic complexity and staying power. That's the Panzano magic in a nutshell.Inc. VAT£426.80 -
Vinous (96+)
The 2017 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo is a dense, packed wine. It is also surprisingly, almost shockingly backward. That is probably a good thing for its long-term aging prospects. Readers hoping to get an early glimpse into the 2017 before it shuts down may have a hard time doing that, as today acids and tannin dominate. I expect the 2017 will be stellar in another 4-5 years and drink well to age 25-30 if not longer. Proprietor Giovanni Manetti gave the 2017 18 months in barrique followed by 6 months in cask.Inc. VAT£210.49 -
Vinous (96+)
The 2017 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo is a dense, packed wine. It is also surprisingly, almost shockingly backward. That is probably a good thing for its long-term aging prospects. Readers hoping to get an early glimpse into the 2017 before it shuts down may have a hard time doing that, as today acids and tannin dominate. I expect the 2017 will be stellar in another 4-5 years and drink well to age 25-30 if not longer. Proprietor Giovanni Manetti gave the 2017 18 months in barrique followed by 6 months in cask.Inc. VAT£332.00 -
Vinous (98)
The 2018 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo is quite possibly the most elegant, refined version of this wine I have ever tasted. It does not offer the immediacy or impact of either the 2015 or 2016, but, instead, impresses with its elegance, persistence and total class. Bright floral and spice notes add perfume to a core of red-toned fruit. The 2018 represents another move towards greater finesse at Fontodi. It spent a year in French oak barrel and a second year in cask.Inc. VAT£170.27 -
Vinous (98)
The 2018 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo is quite possibly the most elegant, refined version of this wine I have ever tasted. It does not offer the immediacy or impact of either the 2015 or 2016, but, instead, impresses with its elegance, persistence and total class. Bright floral and spice notes add perfume to a core of red-toned fruit. The 2018 represents another move towards greater finesse at Fontodi. It spent a year in French oak barrel and a second year in cask.Inc. VAT£323.60 -
Decanter (97)
At an elevation of 400 metres, Vigna del Sorbo boasts Chianti Classico’s classic Galestro soil. The warm southwest-facing vineyard typically yields a powerful, intense wine in need of ageing. The 2019 demonstrates all the wild, penetrating characteristics of this site but it comes into harmony quickly, revealing its balance and precision. Wood-driven top notes of smoke and vanilla meld into pressed violets, rosemary and liquorice. Luscious red cherry and dark plum flesh are wrapped in long, layered chalky tannins. Across the palate there's an energetic beam of unwavering acidity, giving the wine a linear feel. The finish reverberates with fennel and crushed stone.Inc. VAT£198.79 -
Decanter (97)
At an elevation of 400 metres, Vigna del Sorbo boasts Chianti Classico’s classic Galestro soil. The warm southwest-facing vineyard typically yields a powerful, intense wine in need of ageing. The 2019 demonstrates all the wild, penetrating characteristics of this site but it comes into harmony quickly, revealing its balance and precision. Wood-driven top notes of smoke and vanilla meld into pressed violets, rosemary and liquorice. Luscious red cherry and dark plum flesh are wrapped in long, layered chalky tannins. Across the palate there's an energetic beam of unwavering acidity, giving the wine a linear feel. The finish reverberates with fennel and crushed stone.Inc. VAT£398.38 -
(6x150cl) 2020Wine Advocate (96)
Showing enormous precision and direction, the 2020 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo (with 25,000 bottles released) is a generous expression of Sangiovese that boasts singular intensity. This organic wine offers black fruit, grilled rosemary, pressed rose and crushed limestone. All of these aromas enjoy special, forward-moving intensity that dovetails into the ample fruit generosity that this sun-filled vintage will be remembered for.Inc. VAT£1,255.15 -
Wine Advocate (96)
Showing enormous precision and direction, the 2020 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo (with 25,000 bottles released) is a generous expression of Sangiovese that boasts singular intensity. This organic wine offers black fruit, grilled rosemary, pressed rose and crushed limestone. All of these aromas enjoy special, forward-moving intensity that dovetails into the ample fruit generosity that this sun-filled vintage will be remembered for.Inc. VAT£359.98 -
Wine Advocate (98+)
Now boasting the proud Panzano UGA on the front label, the Fontodi 2021 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Panzano Vigna del Sorbo is a little more delicate, even subdued, compared to its new brother, the more exuberant Terrazze San Leonlino. Vigna del Sorbo is a little more tuned in on itself, aromatically speaking, but reveals just enough complexity and sheer beauty to believe in the promise of its future aging potential. Even now, tasted so young, the wine's pedigree is evident. It excels in terms of complexity and depth. The tannins are velvety soft, and soft mineral aromas add focus. This certified expression of Sangiovese comes from a single parcel within the sun-drenched Conca d'Oro basin of vines that distinguishes Panzano. The Vigna del Sorbo stands out as one of my favorite wines from this region made in 2021.Inc. VAT£365.98 -
Vinous (94)
The final bottle was the 2015 Ipsus from Caggio. This maiden release comes from 6.5 hectares of Sangiovese owned by the Mazzei family, matured 50% new tonneaux and 50% in stainless steel, plus eight months in cement vat. This was the first time I had tasted Ipsus, and I was impressed. Sure, it is primal on the nose and needs another year or two to subsume the oak, but it offers gorgeous scents of ebullient red fruit tinged with crushed violets and a hint of peppermint. The palate has more density than a lot of Chianti Classico and is quite insistent in terms of grip, offering pure blood-orange-infused, luxuriant red fruit toward the grippy finish. It improved with aeration and after a couple of hours was more open and floral. Superb.Inc. VAT£491.16 -
Decanter (98)
2016 was a later harvest, with picking interspersed with rain showers. 18 micro-vinifications took place in 25% new tonneaux and 75% stainless steel tanks, using wild yeast for the first time (the 2015 was inoculated). It was also the first year of using large barrels as the team sought to reduce overt oakiness in the wine, and so the 2016 was matured for 24 months in new tonneaux and one large 15hl barrel, followed by five months in cement before bottling. It has a darker profile with more black cherry character compared to 2015, grippier, more powerful and silky in the mouth. It has great freshness, showing plenty of balsamic influence and raspberry acidity, finishing with flourishes of wood, herbs, spice and earthiness. 3,600 bottles produced.Inc. VAT£731.16 -
Decanter (97)
The 2018 vintage appears to be a combination of 2015 and 2016, showing the ripeness of 2015 - red cherries and plums - with the freshness of 2016. The tannins are tight and still evolving, while the acidity is crisp. The red fruit is underpinned with oak notes. Hold for a couple of years before opening.Inc. VAT£401.32 -
Decanter (97)
The 2018 vintage appears to be a combination of 2015 and 2016, showing the ripeness of 2015 - red cherries and plums - with the freshness of 2016. The tannins are tight and still evolving, while the acidity is crisp. The red fruit is underpinned with oak notes. Hold for a couple of years before opening.Inc. VAT£573.18 -
Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (98)
This is intense, with vivid textures and flavours coming in waves. Creamy, enticing, mouthwatering, it bounces through the palate, first crushed raspberries and sour cherry, then orange peel, turmeric spices and roses, with supple tannins and a drawn out finish. Joyful. Vinified in stainless steel, native yeast aged in oak barrels and 10% ceramic jars for the first time this vintage, followed by 14 months in bottle before release. A vintage where the variations in night and day temperature were extreme, allowing for long slow ripening.Inc. VAT£903.18 -
The Drinks Business (100)
(Chianti Classico Gran Selezione; 100% Sangiovese; for October release; bottled for just over a year; pH 3.39; 13.6% alcohol). A little more serious. Denser. More compact. A wine of incredible power for something so lithe and limpid and, again, viscous and crystalline. There’s plunge-pool clarity in the mid-palate. Pristine purity and precision and also great length and focus. So wondrously layered and beautifully pixilated – like a pointillist’s brushstrokes. More ample than the 2019 with a broader frame, accentuating the sense of layering. A further sublimation, with the learning curve meeting the sheer quality of the vintage! Juicy and sapid. An utterly beautiful wine fully indicative of the potential of this enticing project.Inc. VAT£713.16 -
Jancis Robinson (17.5)
Mid crimson. Immediately more complex on the nose with fruit and spice and hint of cigar box. Really tangy on the palate, vibrant and mouth-filling at the same time. Chewy tannins need time.Inc. VAT£354.00 -
(6x75cl) 2018Jancis Robinson (17.5)
Barberino Tavernelle. 82% Sangiovese, 15% Canaiolo, 3% Syrah. Lustrous mid ruby. A concentrated cherry nose loaded with dark spice. Succulent, tangy cherry fruit with a mint oak note. Building up in concentration on the finish but without losing its freshness or elegance. A wine that never disappoints, regardless of vintage.Inc. VAT£165.58 -
(12x75cl) 2020Jancis Robinson (17.5)
Just mid crimson. Finely fragrant, sweet raspberry nose. Beautiful precision on the palate with crushed-raspberry fruit and polished, fine tannins.Inc. VAT£286.30 -
Decanter (94)
While Isole e Olena’s vineyards did suffer some minor frost damage in 2021, former owner Paolo de Marchi said it wasn’t dramatic, and fans will be happy to know that there is still ample quantity of this flag-bearing Chianti Classico. Bit by bit, it reveals characteristic nuances of brushwood, currants, rosehip, strawberry and pepper. Succulent and light on feet, the palate is judiciously concentrated with pure and persistent red berries. Taut, integrated tannins provide definition, and it trails off with garden-fresh herbs. This should give plenty of pleasure over the next eight to 10 years.Inc. VAT£317.95 -
Wine Advocate (97)
The 2006 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione is a controversial wine and for good reason. Proprietor Paolo De Marchi was initially opposed to the idea of introducing the Gran Selezione category above the Chianti Classico Riserva. But more than a year ago, the Institute of Masters of Wine held a special dinner in Florence and producers were invited to pour only Gran Selezione wines. Paolo had an amazing barrel of Sangiovese put aside for a commemorative wine to celebrate his 30th anniversary as a winemaker. He hoped to dedicate that wine as a special limited release. Because he also wanted to pour something of his at the Masters of Wine dinner, he declassified the wine and re-registered it as a Gran Selezione. This also explains why it is from an older vintage. Most of his peers inaugurated this new category with the 2010 vintage. Only 1,800 bottles were made (of which 500 are put aside for the family's personal use) and the blend consists of Sangiovese with 12% Cabernet Franc and 8% Syrah. I love Chianti Classico and I love super Tuscans, says Paolo De Marchi. This wine is a crossover of the two. The wine shows gorgeous ripeness with brooding dark fruit, depth and extreme balance. This is a wine that makes a statement upfront both in terms of the quality of the aromas and its overall integrity and persistency.Inc. VAT£486.79 -
Wine Advocate (97)
The 2006 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione is a controversial wine and for good reason. Proprietor Paolo De Marchi was initially opposed to the idea of introducing the Gran Selezione category above the Chianti Classico Riserva. But more than a year ago, the Institute of Masters of Wine held a special dinner in Florence and producers were invited to pour only Gran Selezione wines. Paolo had an amazing barrel of Sangiovese put aside for a commemorative wine to celebrate his 30th anniversary as a winemaker. He hoped to dedicate that wine as a special limited release. Because he also wanted to pour something of his at the Masters of Wine dinner, he declassified the wine and re-registered it as a Gran Selezione. This also explains why it is from an older vintage. Most of his peers inaugurated this new category with the 2010 vintage. Only 1,800 bottles were made (of which 500 are put aside for the family's personal use) and the blend consists of Sangiovese with 12% Cabernet Franc and 8% Syrah. I love Chianti Classico and I love super Tuscans, says Paolo De Marchi. This wine is a crossover of the two. The wine shows gorgeous ripeness with brooding dark fruit, depth and extreme balance. This is a wine that makes a statement upfront both in terms of the quality of the aromas and its overall integrity and persistency.Inc. VAT£421.60 -
(1x150cl) 2010Inc. VAT£475.69 -
Inc. VAT£359.33 -
Inc. VAT£487.07 -
Inc. VAT£486.24 -
Wine Advocate (97)
This is a beautiful wine that is only made in the best vintages. In fact, I have only ever tasted 2006 (a late release), 2010 and 2013 before this bottle. The Isole e Olena 2016 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione is 90% Sangiovese enhanced with tiny percentages of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Merlot. Production is limited to a mere 3,000 bottles that will not be released commercially until spring 2022. The wine is enormously bright and buoyant in this classic vintage with lingering fruit and cherry that remains intact and fresh even when tasted now some five years after the harvest. Hints of leather, tar and potting soil softly fill in the rear. This wine promises a long and healthy aging future ahead.Inc. VAT£701.20 -
Jurij Fiore & Figlia Nonloso Lamole 2017 is a sublime and sophisticated vintage from the Chianti region. Expertly crafted in Lamole, Italy by legendary winemakers Jurij Fiore and his charming daughter, it embodies both old-world craftsmanship and modern viticulture techniques. This elegant full-bodied red wine, rich in Sangiovese grapes shows a delicate balance of exquisite fruit and refined tannins. Aged for 14 months in seasoned French oak barrels, its mature character yields notes of cherry, spice, and earthy minerals. The unique altitude and microclimate of the Lamole area bestow this wine with its distinctively fresh acidity and lingering finish. Jurij Fiore & Figlia Nonloso Lamole 2017 is not just a wine, but an exquisite experience which espouses the passion and precision of its eminent producers. A worthy addition to any discerning wine collection.
Inc. VAT£374.29
-
Vinous (98+)
The 2015 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo is flat-out stunning. Rich, ample and seductive, with tremendous intensity, the 2015 will go down as one of the truly epic wines of the year. All the elements come together in a deep, sensual Chianti Classico loaded with class and personality. I would give the 2015 at least a few years in the cellar to shed some baby fat, but it is very clearly a tremendous wine in the making, and even more impressive than it was last year. Wow!In Bond£586.00 -
Wine Advocate (98)
The 2016 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo is another benchmark wine from Tuscany that shows the incredible potential of this iconic vintage. This beautiful single-vineyard Sangiovese reveals a graceful side with dark fruit intensity, cherry, plum, fresh violets and tilled earth. Tar, tobacco and licorice appear as delicate background tones, giving more volume and texture to the wine's sensorial impact. Vigna del Sorbo shows its own precise identity that is fiercely faithful to Sangiovese, but that also pushes the boundaries to go beyond our highest expectations of the grape in terms of color, concentration, aromatic complexity and staying power. That's the Panzano magic in a nutshell.In Bond£178.00 -
Wine Advocate (98)
The 2016 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo is another benchmark wine from Tuscany that shows the incredible potential of this iconic vintage. This beautiful single-vineyard Sangiovese reveals a graceful side with dark fruit intensity, cherry, plum, fresh violets and tilled earth. Tar, tobacco and licorice appear as delicate background tones, giving more volume and texture to the wine's sensorial impact. Vigna del Sorbo shows its own precise identity that is fiercely faithful to Sangiovese, but that also pushes the boundaries to go beyond our highest expectations of the grape in terms of color, concentration, aromatic complexity and staying power. That's the Panzano magic in a nutshell.In Bond£335.00 -
Vinous (96+)
The 2017 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo is a dense, packed wine. It is also surprisingly, almost shockingly backward. That is probably a good thing for its long-term aging prospects. Readers hoping to get an early glimpse into the 2017 before it shuts down may have a hard time doing that, as today acids and tannin dominate. I expect the 2017 will be stellar in another 4-5 years and drink well to age 25-30 if not longer. Proprietor Giovanni Manetti gave the 2017 18 months in barrique followed by 6 months in cask.In Bond£169.00 -
Vinous (96+)
The 2017 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo is a dense, packed wine. It is also surprisingly, almost shockingly backward. That is probably a good thing for its long-term aging prospects. Readers hoping to get an early glimpse into the 2017 before it shuts down may have a hard time doing that, as today acids and tannin dominate. I expect the 2017 will be stellar in another 4-5 years and drink well to age 25-30 if not longer. Proprietor Giovanni Manetti gave the 2017 18 months in barrique followed by 6 months in cask.In Bond£256.00 -
Vinous (98)
The 2018 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo is quite possibly the most elegant, refined version of this wine I have ever tasted. It does not offer the immediacy or impact of either the 2015 or 2016, but, instead, impresses with its elegance, persistence and total class. Bright floral and spice notes add perfume to a core of red-toned fruit. The 2018 represents another move towards greater finesse at Fontodi. It spent a year in French oak barrel and a second year in cask.In Bond£135.00 -
Vinous (98)
The 2018 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo is quite possibly the most elegant, refined version of this wine I have ever tasted. It does not offer the immediacy or impact of either the 2015 or 2016, but, instead, impresses with its elegance, persistence and total class. Bright floral and spice notes add perfume to a core of red-toned fruit. The 2018 represents another move towards greater finesse at Fontodi. It spent a year in French oak barrel and a second year in cask.In Bond£249.00 -
Decanter (97)
At an elevation of 400 metres, Vigna del Sorbo boasts Chianti Classico’s classic Galestro soil. The warm southwest-facing vineyard typically yields a powerful, intense wine in need of ageing. The 2019 demonstrates all the wild, penetrating characteristics of this site but it comes into harmony quickly, revealing its balance and precision. Wood-driven top notes of smoke and vanilla meld into pressed violets, rosemary and liquorice. Luscious red cherry and dark plum flesh are wrapped in long, layered chalky tannins. Across the palate there's an energetic beam of unwavering acidity, giving the wine a linear feel. The finish reverberates with fennel and crushed stone.In Bond£159.00 -
Decanter (97)
At an elevation of 400 metres, Vigna del Sorbo boasts Chianti Classico’s classic Galestro soil. The warm southwest-facing vineyard typically yields a powerful, intense wine in need of ageing. The 2019 demonstrates all the wild, penetrating characteristics of this site but it comes into harmony quickly, revealing its balance and precision. Wood-driven top notes of smoke and vanilla meld into pressed violets, rosemary and liquorice. Luscious red cherry and dark plum flesh are wrapped in long, layered chalky tannins. Across the palate there's an energetic beam of unwavering acidity, giving the wine a linear feel. The finish reverberates with fennel and crushed stone.In Bond£312.00 -
(6x150cl) 2020
Wine Advocate (96)
Showing enormous precision and direction, the 2020 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo (with 25,000 bottles released) is a generous expression of Sangiovese that boasts singular intensity. This organic wine offers black fruit, grilled rosemary, pressed rose and crushed limestone. All of these aromas enjoy special, forward-moving intensity that dovetails into the ample fruit generosity that this sun-filled vintage will be remembered for.In Bond£1,006.00 -
Wine Advocate (96)
Showing enormous precision and direction, the 2020 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo (with 25,000 bottles released) is a generous expression of Sangiovese that boasts singular intensity. This organic wine offers black fruit, grilled rosemary, pressed rose and crushed limestone. All of these aromas enjoy special, forward-moving intensity that dovetails into the ample fruit generosity that this sun-filled vintage will be remembered for.In Bond£280.00 -
Wine Advocate (98+)
Now boasting the proud Panzano UGA on the front label, the Fontodi 2021 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Panzano Vigna del Sorbo is a little more delicate, even subdued, compared to its new brother, the more exuberant Terrazze San Leonlino. Vigna del Sorbo is a little more tuned in on itself, aromatically speaking, but reveals just enough complexity and sheer beauty to believe in the promise of its future aging potential. Even now, tasted so young, the wine's pedigree is evident. It excels in terms of complexity and depth. The tannins are velvety soft, and soft mineral aromas add focus. This certified expression of Sangiovese comes from a single parcel within the sun-drenched Conca d'Oro basin of vines that distinguishes Panzano. The Vigna del Sorbo stands out as one of my favorite wines from this region made in 2021.In Bond£285.00 -
Vinous (94)
The final bottle was the 2015 Ipsus from Caggio. This maiden release comes from 6.5 hectares of Sangiovese owned by the Mazzei family, matured 50% new tonneaux and 50% in stainless steel, plus eight months in cement vat. This was the first time I had tasted Ipsus, and I was impressed. Sure, it is primal on the nose and needs another year or two to subsume the oak, but it offers gorgeous scents of ebullient red fruit tinged with crushed violets and a hint of peppermint. The palate has more density than a lot of Chianti Classico and is quite insistent in terms of grip, offering pure blood-orange-infused, luxuriant red fruit toward the grippy finish. It improved with aeration and after a couple of hours was more open and floral. Superb.In Bond£400.00 -
Decanter (98)
2016 was a later harvest, with picking interspersed with rain showers. 18 micro-vinifications took place in 25% new tonneaux and 75% stainless steel tanks, using wild yeast for the first time (the 2015 was inoculated). It was also the first year of using large barrels as the team sought to reduce overt oakiness in the wine, and so the 2016 was matured for 24 months in new tonneaux and one large 15hl barrel, followed by five months in cement before bottling. It has a darker profile with more black cherry character compared to 2015, grippier, more powerful and silky in the mouth. It has great freshness, showing plenty of balsamic influence and raspberry acidity, finishing with flourishes of wood, herbs, spice and earthiness. 3,600 bottles produced.In Bond£600.00 -
Decanter (97)
The 2018 vintage appears to be a combination of 2015 and 2016, showing the ripeness of 2015 - red cherries and plums - with the freshness of 2016. The tannins are tight and still evolving, while the acidity is crisp. The red fruit is underpinned with oak notes. Hold for a couple of years before opening.In Bond£328.00 -
Decanter (97)
The 2018 vintage appears to be a combination of 2015 and 2016, showing the ripeness of 2015 - red cherries and plums - with the freshness of 2016. The tannins are tight and still evolving, while the acidity is crisp. The red fruit is underpinned with oak notes. Hold for a couple of years before opening.In Bond£468.00 -
Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (98)
This is intense, with vivid textures and flavours coming in waves. Creamy, enticing, mouthwatering, it bounces through the palate, first crushed raspberries and sour cherry, then orange peel, turmeric spices and roses, with supple tannins and a drawn out finish. Joyful. Vinified in stainless steel, native yeast aged in oak barrels and 10% ceramic jars for the first time this vintage, followed by 14 months in bottle before release. A vintage where the variations in night and day temperature were extreme, allowing for long slow ripening.In Bond£743.00 -
The Drinks Business (100)
(Chianti Classico Gran Selezione; 100% Sangiovese; for October release; bottled for just over a year; pH 3.39; 13.6% alcohol). A little more serious. Denser. More compact. A wine of incredible power for something so lithe and limpid and, again, viscous and crystalline. There’s plunge-pool clarity in the mid-palate. Pristine purity and precision and also great length and focus. So wondrously layered and beautifully pixilated – like a pointillist’s brushstrokes. More ample than the 2019 with a broader frame, accentuating the sense of layering. A further sublimation, with the learning curve meeting the sheer quality of the vintage! Juicy and sapid. An utterly beautiful wine fully indicative of the potential of this enticing project.In Bond£585.00 -
Jancis Robinson (17.5)
Mid crimson. Immediately more complex on the nose with fruit and spice and hint of cigar box. Really tangy on the palate, vibrant and mouth-filling at the same time. Chewy tannins need time.Inc. VAT£354.00 -
(6x75cl) 2018
Jancis Robinson (17.5)
Barberino Tavernelle. 82% Sangiovese, 15% Canaiolo, 3% Syrah. Lustrous mid ruby. A concentrated cherry nose loaded with dark spice. Succulent, tangy cherry fruit with a mint oak note. Building up in concentration on the finish but without losing its freshness or elegance. A wine that never disappoints, regardless of vintage.In Bond£118.00 -
(12x75cl) 2020
Jancis Robinson (17.5)
Just mid crimson. Finely fragrant, sweet raspberry nose. Beautiful precision on the palate with crushed-raspberry fruit and polished, fine tannins.In Bond£200.00 -
Decanter (94)
While Isole e Olena’s vineyards did suffer some minor frost damage in 2021, former owner Paolo de Marchi said it wasn’t dramatic, and fans will be happy to know that there is still ample quantity of this flag-bearing Chianti Classico. Bit by bit, it reveals characteristic nuances of brushwood, currants, rosehip, strawberry and pepper. Succulent and light on feet, the palate is judiciously concentrated with pure and persistent red berries. Taut, integrated tannins provide definition, and it trails off with garden-fresh herbs. This should give plenty of pleasure over the next eight to 10 years.In Bond£225.00 -
Wine Advocate (97)
The 2006 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione is a controversial wine and for good reason. Proprietor Paolo De Marchi was initially opposed to the idea of introducing the Gran Selezione category above the Chianti Classico Riserva. But more than a year ago, the Institute of Masters of Wine held a special dinner in Florence and producers were invited to pour only Gran Selezione wines. Paolo had an amazing barrel of Sangiovese put aside for a commemorative wine to celebrate his 30th anniversary as a winemaker. He hoped to dedicate that wine as a special limited release. Because he also wanted to pour something of his at the Masters of Wine dinner, he declassified the wine and re-registered it as a Gran Selezione. This also explains why it is from an older vintage. Most of his peers inaugurated this new category with the 2010 vintage. Only 1,800 bottles were made (of which 500 are put aside for the family's personal use) and the blend consists of Sangiovese with 12% Cabernet Franc and 8% Syrah. I love Chianti Classico and I love super Tuscans, says Paolo De Marchi. This wine is a crossover of the two. The wine shows gorgeous ripeness with brooding dark fruit, depth and extreme balance. This is a wine that makes a statement upfront both in terms of the quality of the aromas and its overall integrity and persistency.In Bond£399.00 -
Wine Advocate (97)
The 2006 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione is a controversial wine and for good reason. Proprietor Paolo De Marchi was initially opposed to the idea of introducing the Gran Selezione category above the Chianti Classico Riserva. But more than a year ago, the Institute of Masters of Wine held a special dinner in Florence and producers were invited to pour only Gran Selezione wines. Paolo had an amazing barrel of Sangiovese put aside for a commemorative wine to celebrate his 30th anniversary as a winemaker. He hoped to dedicate that wine as a special limited release. Because he also wanted to pour something of his at the Masters of Wine dinner, he declassified the wine and re-registered it as a Gran Selezione. This also explains why it is from an older vintage. Most of his peers inaugurated this new category with the 2010 vintage. Only 1,800 bottles were made (of which 500 are put aside for the family's personal use) and the blend consists of Sangiovese with 12% Cabernet Franc and 8% Syrah. I love Chianti Classico and I love super Tuscans, says Paolo De Marchi. This wine is a crossover of the two. The wine shows gorgeous ripeness with brooding dark fruit, depth and extreme balance. This is a wine that makes a statement upfront both in terms of the quality of the aromas and its overall integrity and persistency.In Bond£348.00 -
(1x150cl) 2010In Bond£390.00
-
In Bond£296.00
-
In Bond£399.00
-
In Bond£399.00
-
Wine Advocate (97)
This is a beautiful wine that is only made in the best vintages. In fact, I have only ever tasted 2006 (a late release), 2010 and 2013 before this bottle. The Isole e Olena 2016 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione is 90% Sangiovese enhanced with tiny percentages of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Merlot. Production is limited to a mere 3,000 bottles that will not be released commercially until spring 2022. The wine is enormously bright and buoyant in this classic vintage with lingering fruit and cherry that remains intact and fresh even when tasted now some five years after the harvest. Hints of leather, tar and potting soil softly fill in the rear. This wine promises a long and healthy aging future ahead.In Bond£574.00 -
Jurij Fiore & Figlia Nonloso Lamole 2017 is a sublime and sophisticated vintage from the Chianti region. Expertly crafted in Lamole, Italy by legendary winemakers Jurij Fiore and his charming daughter, it embodies both old-world craftsmanship and modern viticulture techniques. This elegant full-bodied red wine, rich in Sangiovese grapes shows a delicate balance of exquisite fruit and refined tannins. Aged for 14 months in seasoned French oak barrels, its mature character yields notes of cherry, spice, and earthy minerals. The unique altitude and microclimate of the Lamole area bestow this wine with its distinctively fresh acidity and lingering finish. Jurij Fiore & Figlia Nonloso Lamole 2017 is not just a wine, but an exquisite experience which espouses the passion and precision of its eminent producers. A worthy addition to any discerning wine collection.
In Bond£294.00
Chianti has a long and successful wine history in Tuscany's rolling hills, dating back hundreds of years. The advent of Super Tuscans put Chianti on the back-foot as almost every winemaker emulated the Antinoris and experimented with blending. Chianti's response was robust. The introduction of Chianti Classico and Riserva Chianti Classico have restored its great reputation. The wine is complex, tannic, savoury and a great match for lots of food. Higher altitudes have fresher styles whilst lower vineyards have fuller, richer wine.
