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) **

Mineral, clay and fresh earth, mix of dark and red fruits jammy fruits, fine spice and vanilla. Palate: similar jammy fruit, supple and quite modern, loads of flavours, cocoa, fruit, sweet spices, cedar chips. Very approachable but with solid style and structure. Balanced with a lengthy finish.

94.Nittardi  - Casanuova di Nittardi

Earthy, woody, mineral volcanic, wild berries. Sweet purple and red fruits, oak spice and vanilla, modern and consumer friendly.
Tasty but straightforward.

106. Querciabella

Plump expressive fruits/berries, vanilla, baking spices, liquorice root. Supple entry, mid palate seems a bit-flat or lacking but it is smooth. Not as much liveliness and acidity. Solid but not chic. Lacks regional character.

107. Renzo Marinai *

Cherry, sunbaked earth, toasted spices, toasted oak - modern nose. Earthy and mocha with sweet red cherries. Slightly more rustic with a classic, slightly bitter Sangiovese finish which makes it very enjoyable

111. San Fabiano Calcinaia**

Classic Sangiovese. Saddle leather, earth and spice cocoa, tart red fruits. Restrained, dusty tannins, tangy red fruit, loads of juicy acidity. Excellent structure. Really fantastic.

117. Tenute do Nozzole-Nozzole

Sweet cherry and strawberry, violets and roses with earth and leather undertones. Classic chianti with a dry earthy palate, great acidity, classic style.Great acidity and balance.

128. Villa Calcinaia *

Liquorice root, clay, sweet spices, dark earth, clay and crushed, dried violets and hay. Very earth palate, dry dusty tannins very classic, slightly rustic style but great acidity and structure with sweet red fruits layered across the palate with fine spices, tobacco and leather. Very good.

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2011 DOCG
 

131. Castello d’Abolla

sweet cherries, cloves, vanilla, licorice and dusty plums. Smooth entry, soft fruits and vanilla. Seems consumer friendly and pleasing.

133. Fattoria Cerbaia

Vibrant high-toned berries, some almost over-ripe fruit notes - prunes and dried cherry. Very supple entry, loads of sweet fruits, vanilla, baking spices. Tasty but very modern, not a classic Sangiovese style (15% Merlot). Made for modern wine consumer.

134. Fattoria Di Lamole - Castello di Lamole

Oregano, tomato leaf, pomodoro sauce, savoury. Similar savoury style, salty and individualistic - fruit is not expressive. Makes me crave spaghetti pomodoro. Must be a house style.

142. Mannuci Droandi - Ceppeto***

Opposite of last wine, very pretty red fruits, high-toned, charming and feminine with loads of crushed floral notes. Fine boned, lovely weight and fine sweet. Very good length and balance. Utterly lovely.

147. Poggiopiano  - La Tradizione

Cocoa and savoury herbal undertones, black cherry, nutmeg toasted spice.Not flashy but completely suitable and classic style. 

149. Tenuta di Lilliano - Lilliano

Savoury, tomato leaf and dried herbs, spice rub, meats, leather. Palate is the same. Succulent, meaty and spicy. Good acidity tannins are integrated. Not flashy, old school.

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2010 DOCG

155. Il Barlettaio

Toast, sunbaked earth and toasted spices, cocoa and leather. Cherry and leather, spicy and earthy, dry dusty tannins. Grippy, bittersweet cocoa and tobacco, dry leafy classic style. Not my cup of tea but appreciate it for what it is.

156. La Ranocchaia - Luminare**

Sweet, high-toned cherry, raspberry, violets and roses atop a more assertive earthy and wet straw nose, which grounds it. Similar sweet entry of red berries, floral, sweet spices and liquorice root. Very dry but polished tannins.

159 Solatione

Very shy nose, earthy, mineral tangy fruits. Very muddled. The palate is savoury and spicy with dry but assertive skin tannins - very drying finish with tobacco flavours.

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2009 DOCG

161. Il Barlettaio

A bit funky, wet straw, mineral and earthy with cigar box notes. High acidity, leaner more restrain style. Rustic.

162. Podere Il Palazzino

Sour cream and onion - very savoury, herbal, sweaty horse, capsicum, flour de sel. Similar on the palate except shows some sweet berry flavours mingling with savoury, herbal flavours.

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2012 DOCG Riserva
 

164. Antinori Nel Chianti Classico - Villa Antinori **

Pristine high-toned fruit, cherry and summer berries, a potpourri of cedar chips and rose petals very fragrant. Same sweet ripe fruits, a very attractive wine, large production to satisfy any palate. Very well done. Delicious.

165. Bibbano - Montornello **

Pristine high-toned summer berry aromas with earth, vanilla, dried violets. Similar sweet fruit on the palate, great acidity balance and length. Fine sweet spice on finish. Lovely persistence, with fine spice and cedar. Chic, stylish.

166. Borgo Cas Al Vento - Foho

Oregano, capsicum flour de sel, savoury meaty and fatty or bloody notes. Blueberry pops up first on the palate then fruit dissipates. Shortish finish.

167. Brancaia

Quite shy and closed on the nose. Cedar and tobacco, tea leaf and tomato leaf. Similarly savoury palate oregano and tomato leaf. Good acidity and some tangy red fruit on the finish. Fine drying tannins.

170. Castello di Gabbiano

Blueberry, raspberry, cranberry, not a lot of secondary notes. Palate is fairly straightforward but pleasant with good acidity.

172. Cecchi Reserva di Famiglia

Sour fruit, saddle leather, a bit of prune and dried cherry, wet straw. Dirty palate.

185. Rocca della Macie- Famiglia Zingarelli

Classic dried fruit leather and sweet spices - blueberry, raspberry, strawberry, vanilla, liquorice. Similar sweet fruits and spices high-toned vibrant and lively with a fresh tomato leaf character to give lift. Modern but delicious.

DOGG Riserva 2011

188. Agricola Monterinaldi - Castello Monterinaldi

Mineral, cocoa and dry earth, restrained and juicy with classic character, great expressive fruit and good length. Dry finish with tobacco. Good.

196. Castello D’Albola **

Sweet fruits, berries, blueberry, raspberry, sarsaparilla, leather and sunbaked earth. Expressive. Very fragrant. Very approachable.

205. Castello Di Volpa *

Solid style - cherry leather, earth and pipe tobacco, dried violets but slightly restrained nose. Sweet fruit on a stylish palate with a fine spice box and tobacco flavour profile. Not too classic but not too modern. Nice cross-over of both

211. Felsina - Rancia*

Tobacco, fine spices black cherries and raspberry - very fresh. Dry palate, earthy and tobacco. Quite restrained on palate but good acidity and balance. Needs more time to open and bloom. Solid, stylish.

230. Querciabella

Pristine fruit expression - blueberry summer berries, leather and fennel - fine spices.

Sweet fruit, modern style very approachable but good structure, supple and good acidity with fine but firm tannins.

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Riserva DOCG 2010

244.Bindi Sergardi - Calidonia *

Leather, sour cherry, tea leaf and cocoa, wet earth, spice, prune and  sweet fruit on the palate with vanilla, baking spices. Very stylish and appealing.

251. Divole-Novocento *

Closed nose - mineral, fresh rain and earth hinting of dried fruits, straw and leather and cigar box. The palate is fine, nice freshness a hint of capsicum and spice with smooth tannins and spicy finish.

254. Mannucci Droandi - Ceppeto ***

Cigar, dried blueberries and strawberry jam, spice, clay, rainforest, saddle leather. The palate is liberal fruit and sweet spices, modern and approachable but with very good structure and acidity. Cigar box finish.

259. Solatione **

Deep earthy nose, rich dark fruit - jammy, vanilla, clay/mineral notes, leather and some prune cake. The palate is similar - dried fruits, earthy firm palate cigar and spice on the finish.

A bit hot.

DOCG Riserva 2009

272. Il Molino Di Grace

Kind of shy with wet earth, briary fruits, tobacco, balsamic and a bit of treacle. Potent palate. Dried fruits, spices, treacle and balsamic again. A bit assertive and unbalanced. Cigar/tobacco finish. High acidity. Hot finish.

279. Fattoria Cerbaia *

Age shows, dried fruits, treacle, balsamic, dried violets and brown spices.Sweet palate - loads of fruit upfront then tannins kick in an grip. Powerful wine, still has some time. Tannins are very fine but dusty and very drying.

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DOCG Gran Selezione 2011

283. Barone Ricasoli - Castello di Brolio *

Very jammy and intense black and purple fruits roses and violets, vanilla liquorice, sweet palate high-toned and fresh, great acidity, very modern and plush, generous fruits, vanilla, baking spices. Potent and decadent. Softer than Colledila - smoother.

284. Barone Ricasoli - Colledila **

More restraint, dark and earthy, toasted spices, brawny, black fruits. Brawny and powerful in the mouth. Loads of sweet fruit, intense and extracted. A modern style.

285. Bibbiano - Vigna del Capannino

Cedar and roses, strawberry and spice, wet earth and leather. Sweet palate - somewhat salty. The palate is firm and juicy but also quite extracted and intense. Long term wine - age worthy.

286.Castello d’Albola - Il Solatio

Interesting sour notes, mineral nose salty with tangy red fruits and saddle leather with tobacco. More restrained on palate. Leaner, tomato leaf and savoury character. Rustic.

287. Castello Di Ama - San Lorenzo

Dark earth, black fruits, brawny notes, less overt fruits. The palate is supple on the entry and not terribly fruity. Tobacco finish. Quite a conundrum - not sure what it wants to be.

288. Castello Di Ama - Vigneto La Cusuccia

Restrained nose - tea leaf, tangy fruit, earthy subdued. Saline and leather and tobacco on the palate. Entry shows good fruit expression. Rustic style, good acidity but not a consumer style very dry tannins.

289. Castello Di Fonterutoli - Castello Fonterutoli *

Upfront ripe jammy fruits, strawberries, raspberries, vanilla, roses and liquorice. Potent sweet fruit on the palate with baking spices. Very approachable potent and decadent style with integrated tannins. Quite delicious, not necessarily typical.

290. Castello di Gabbiano - Bellezza **

Coal, earth, dark fruit, toasted oak and toasted spices. Smooth entry, spicy and very extracted. Vanilla liquor, bourbon, toffee and spice cake. Impressive weight and intensity.

292. Castello di Querceto - Il Picchio

Earthier, more dark fruit and toasted spices. Charred earth and toasted oak, modelling clay. Powerful, muscular. Less fruit on the palate more toasted spice and oak.

296. Castello Di Volpa - Il Puro

Restrained, earthy, sunbaked earth, ash. Very mineral-driven textural and flavour profile is earthy, dusty and mineral - perhaps the soil's expression?

301. Fontadi - Vigna del Sorbo

Upfront briary and black summer berries, sunbaked earth, toasted spices and tossed oak. Palate is similar with textural tannins and very dry and earthy. Not a lot of fruit, more mouthfeel and texture. what is the soil. Intense wine - muscular.

305. Lanciola - Le Masse di Greve

Closed, mineral nose restrained oak spice intense, not a lot of fruit, more muscular like previous ones. Palate is tightly wound and chary and earthy. Dry textural tannins, not a lot of fruit expression.

307. Luiano - Ottantuno **

some dried fruits, balsams and treacle mixed with jam, spice cake and toffee. Spice cake toffee and leather with plenty of ripe and jammy fruit. Spicebox and liqueur on the finish.

314. Tenuta di Lilliano *

More red fruits, here. Restrained and sun baked earth. Toasted oak and brown spices. Silky palate, fresh. More refined and juicy. Very stylish

315. Tenute Di Nozzole
Grapey aromas with summer berry tea aromas, vanilla, blueberry confectionary.  Cola spices and sweet confected berry flavours, quite unique with a dusty finish. No real Sangiovese character and a sharp hot finish.

317. Vignamaggio - Riserva di Monna Lisa

Sweet and fresh red fruits, tea leaf and baking spices. A bit saccharine on the palate but very dusty tannins.Very earthy finish with cedar chips flavours.

318. Vignole -  Crespine*

Jammy, bordering on dried fruits - cherry, summer berries and vanilla with dried violets and tea leaf. Sweet upfront fruit oak spice and toasted oak is quite dominant. Dusty tannins.

DOCG 2010 Gran Selezione

319. Antinori Nel Chainti Classico - Badia a Passaginano *

Toasted oak notes dominate followed by sunbaked earth, treacle and burnt brown sugar and clay or rocky/mineral soil. Palate is dry and oak shows off. Sweet fruit is trying to break through.

320. Bindi Sergardi - Mocenni 89 **

Soil and mineral wrapped in kirsch and leather and vanilla with strawberry jam. The palate is sweet with supple fruit highlighted with oak, sweet spices and vanilla. Delicious and decadent but nicely balanced. Chic and stylish.

324. Felsina - Colonia **

Almost overripe with dried fruits, treacle, soy, balsamic type notes with an overall dusty nose. Sweet jammy fruits and vanilla with supple weight, intensity and power. Very good, excellent length. 

325. Lamole di Lamole - Vigneto di Campolungo *

Leaner style o the nose with tobacco and toasted spice dominating tangy red fruit. A direct about-face the fruit pos through first on the palate and leads to a tobacco and spice box finish. Obvious oak here, but not dominating. Dusty tannins.

328. Renzo Marinai

Earthy, dusty nose - restrained fruit, mineral/stony aromas with bittersweet cocoa and leather. Smooth entry earthy dusty and textural across the finish. House style, I suspect, is a bit rustic like this wine.

330. Ruffino - Reserva Ducale Oro *

Sweet pristine fruit pops up first, still vibrant and high-toned. Some blueberry and sweet spice here too. Blueberry and raspberry, sweet spices and supple weight. Quite potent good intensity and concentration. Toasted oak and tobacco finish.

2009 DOCG Gran Selezione

332. Casaloste - Don Vincenzo**

Vibrant and youthful fruit - raspberry, strawberry, kirsch and vanilla with baking spices and dried roses. The palate has roses on it too, some slightly bitter toasted spices and bittersweet cocoa with great acidity and not dominated by oak. Very stylish wine showing very well still.


►Understanding Chianti Classico and the new Gran Selezione designation. Read here
 

►Anteprima Del Vino Nobile - Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2015. My tasting notes here

►Benevenuto Brunello: Tasting Just Released 2010s, a Five **** vintage. My notes here

 

~Daenna Van Mulligen