Chianti Classico Collection 2015

February 17/18 Florence, Italy

Tasting Notes: 

* Very Good
** Excellent
*** Exceptional

 

2013 DOCG
 

2. Badia A Coltibuono Zona Gaiole in Chianti **

sweet cherry raspberry roses vanilla, leather and tobacco. Pristine nose. Leather tobacco, fine spice very pristine and fresh. Beautiful clean focused and fresh, classic style but charming and chic.

3. Badia A Coltibuono Zona Castelnuovo Berardegna

Earthier and more rustic tannins are assertive, acidity high, tightly wound and textural very rustic and raw. The style I remember from this house. Old school Chianti.

4. Banfi - Fonte Alla Selva

Vibrant and juicy red fruit (cranberry, strawberry) fine spice box notes with typical leather, tobacco. Pristine palate ale like the nose. Vibrating acidity, dusty tannin. Tight and youthful a good refection of the cooler vintage.
5. Barone Ricasoli Brolio (tank sample)

Vanilla, sweet black cherries and liquorice, violets and quite a fruit forwardness on the nose. The palate is textural, chewy slightly green tannins. Youthful and tight. Leather, tobacco spice.

Needs time to mingle.

6. Bibbiano*

Riper sweeter berries such as raspberry and blueberry with vanilla and a bouquet of roses and violets. Attractive weight and subtle roundness, modern and very clean. Finish shows some significant oak tannin. Good acidity to keep it fresh.

10. Brancaia

Cocoa and cherry, fine spice, saddle leather, wild herbs, wet tobacco. Earthy on the palate to follow the nose. Young and still wound firmly. Tannins are powerful but polished. Dusty finish.

11. Carpineto

Shy but masculine style, meaty a bit sweaty, saddle leather and spice, dry earth. Fuller palate, sweet fruit/cherry berry upfront, nice weight and mouthfeel here. Spice, earth, tobacco on palate. Solid style, classic but not truly rustic. Cocoa and fine spice finish.

12. Castellare di Catellina - Castellare***

Blueberries and raspberry with sarsaparilla, concord grape, cedar chips, violet pastille. Lovely weight and extraction. Same flavours as nose, very feminine and pretty wine with dusty grape tannin on finish. Very good length.

13. Castello Di Ama-Ama

Shy on the nose, earthy and very restrained but with red fruits. Palate is more assertive, great acidity, firm tannins. Grippy tannins but smooth. Quite intense serious wine.

14. Castello di Fonterutoli - Fonterutoli

Sweet and vibrant floral and feminine with vanilla, liquorice and roses. Supple nose and supple entry, loads of fruit, tannins present and supportive, tobacco and cedar on the finish. Solid.

15. Castello di Gabbiano

Balsamico, plum cake, dried fruits and cherry, cocoa, violets and fennel - like it has more age than it does. Palate is silky, nice weight and lovely fruits - fresher than nose initially. Fine cocoa tannins.

27. Felsina - Berardegna**

Modern style nose, fruit, black cherry, black raspberry and baking spices, vanilla and flowers. Supple, very approachable and juicy with sweet tannins, chic and engaging.

29. Isola E Olena (tank sample) Nose is reminscent of Pinot Noir, sweet fruit on the nose, very engaging and charming. Soft and silky but less acidity on the palate, ergo less structure. Tannins kick in to hold it up and are fine and powdery but very present.

31. La Madonna - Bello Sento *

Exotic spice, vanilla, lilac, purple and red summer berries, lavender soap. Nice weight, more powerful than some of the other 2013s. Grippy and dry but ripe tannins hints of newer oak. Cedar and tobacco on the finish.

32. La Montanina (tank sample)

A hint of tomato leaf, mineral, earth and restrained red fruits with dried floral notes. Makes up the fruit on the palate, zingy red fruits and tobacco, fine peppery spices. Racy acidity, dry finish.

35. Luiano

Quite closed - earthy and dried herbs on the nose with tea leaf. Not as racy, acidity is more tame. Peppery and herbal with firm, youthful tannins.

42. San Fabiano Calcinaia (tank sample)

Ripe cherry colour - darker than others and opaque, due to tank sample. Grapey and summer berries with fermentations notes and flavours. Tannins nicely integrated but dry.

44. Tenuta Degli Dei

Earthy, char, spice and tobacco with some tomato leaf red tangy fruits, similar slightly unripe palate and assertive tannins. Fresh and still tightly wound.

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2012 DOCG

49. Agricoltori Del Chianti Geografica Contessa di Rada

Sweet ripe cherry and berry nose with spice and tomato leaf and dark dusty earth with plummy notes. A rustic and simple style very quaffable with pizza. Sweet fruit classic woven bottle style.

62. Castello La Leccia

Blueberry and ripe berry fruit with sweet spices liquorice.

The palate is fresh weighted nicely and supple with a good amount of fruit. Good tannic structure and balance.

66. Dievole - La Vendimmia

A bit chary, sunbaked earth very floral, dried violets and roses with cedar chips. Very fine boned and fresh, good acidity and structure. Still tightly wound, fine but firm tannin. Bitterness on the finish. Oak use seems a bit heavier handed than others.

72. Fontodi

Raspberry, cherry, roses and fleshy and grape, vanilla - borders on overripe. Supple entry bitter mid palate but not a pristine style.

Consumer - Italian food/by the glass restaurant wine.

76. Il Molino Di Grace **

Pristine summer fruit, wild berries and orange peel with a fresh, charming and juicy palate. Oak tannins are present, modern style but chic and clean and delicious. Very pleasing and seems like it would still age well. 

82. La Ranocchaia - Luminare Bio Senza Solfiti

Sweaty leather and wet straw and mousey, dank and wet smelling not faulted, cat treats/dog food. Tastes the same. Organic no sulfites.

85. Lanciola-Le Masse di Greve (tank sample) **