Castelvecchi undertakes a plant-by-plant approach in its vineyards, working in lockstep with a team from the University of Milan led by Leonardo Valentini. Two vineyards in particular at this 22-hectare estate are source of great pride. First is Le Madri, whose 50-plus-year-old vines serve as propagation material for replanting the rest of the vineyards. Second is the Vivaio vineyard, a small plot hosting a collection of Sangiovese clones collected over the centuries.
Read MoreTenuta di Arceno 2016 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Strada al Sasso: This wine's nose immediately absorbs my attention. It is hedonistic but not over the top. It is beautifully balanced, but it commands enough weight and girth to be head-turning for a Chianti Classico. Clearly, that is why it is a Gran Selezione, the highest of the Chianti Classico DOCG levels. (Previously, this single vineyard micro cru was labeled as their Riserva wine before the Gran Selezione designation came into play with the 2010 vintage.)
Read MoreThe Lilliano Chianti Classico wines are crushingly good in two senses: they are so delicious that they are drinkably crushable, and they give so much value-for-money that they are crushingly good values. This applies to all three DOCG levels: Chianti Classico, Riserva and Gran Selezione. Everyone likes a good value year-round, and everyone particularly appreciates one after the holiday season.
Read MoreThere's nothing like tasting the wines from the winery where Chianti was created! It was at the Castello di Brolio in central Tuscany that Baron Bettino Ricasoli first debuted his 30-year research project in 1872, today called Chianti Classico. Striving to remain at the edge of innovation in an ever more-competitive wine industry, Ricasoli is a local leader in vineyard mapping and clonal research. These "cru" wines are all enticing, each in its own way.
Read MoreWhat a fascinating comparison of a Riserva and a Gran Selezione from the same cellar and vintage! There is a clear sibling resemblance via the fervent focus on savoriness. I would love to taste these again together in five then in ten years time to see how they evolve. I am confident that neither will disappoint.
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