by Maurizio Valeriani

In the end we managed to sample blindly all 350 wines available, making full use of the entire second day of tasting. In the second round we focused on vintages, reserves and large selections from 2011.

However, there was some disappointment from a grand part of the selection, as most of these wines adapted to specific foreign markets, therefore seemingly giving  up the uniqueness and territoriality of their wines.

Pointing out that in general we have tasted many wines of average quality and we have found them to be very interesting thus showing the commitment of it’s producers of the region and the way the entire denomination of Chianti is increasingly representing a flagship for the entire Italy.

Here we give an account of our best tasting:

Best Tasting 2011 vintage

Chianti Classico 2011 – Fontodi  Giovanni Manetti doesn’t miss a hot; wine tense, fresh elegant, with fine tannins and a lot of material;

Chianti Classico Lilliano 2011 – Tenuta Lilliano : wild but with notes of plum and crispy end of sweet spices and Mediterranean; velvety tannins and sip enveloping;

Chianti Classico 2011 – Fattoria Cerbaia “juicy”, fragrant, full, combines elegance and matter, and leaves sensations of sweet spices and blackberries;

Chianti Classico 2011 – Fattoria Montecchio : savory and progressive mineral and dynamic, fresh and citrusy, with a balsamic finish;

Chianti Classico Ceppeto 2011 – Mannucci Droandi : powerful and elegant, with velvety tannins and great freshness;

Chianti Classico 2011 – Montemaggio : a Chianti Classico in a modern way, all played on the result and on the floral and a little on the spicy; great finesse and freshness.

Best Tasting 2010 vintage

Chianti Classico 2010 – Farm Rhone : fresh, wild, spicy, with very fine tannins and end of Mediterranean;

Chianti Classico Tagliafune 2010 – Villa Montepaldi: modern, but with interesting spices, elegance and flavor final;

Best Tasting Vintage 2009

Chianti Classico Grosso Sanese 2010 – Podere il Palazzino : a tannin that is close to perfection and a beautiful juiciness and progressive is make it a memorable Chianti Classico;

Best Assaggi Reserve 2011

Chianti Classico Riserva Caparsino 2011 – Caparsa : monumental uniqueness and depth; It expresses a great personality and closes mineral, savory, spicy and with a sip vibrant and very long;

Chianti Classico Riserva Poggio a ‘Friars 2011 – Rocca di Castagnoli : peppery notes and herbs for a Chianti Classico fruity and floral tones that closes with oriental spices and leaves a pleasant scent of salt;

Chianti Classico Riserva 2011 – The Port of Vertine : always very typical wines Giacomo Mastretta, with personality, freshness and great dynamism;

Chianti Classico Riserva 2011 – Castello di Monsanto : still very young, all of fruity and floreli, with spice in the background for a drink full and enveloping;

Chianti Classico Riserva Baruffo 2011 – Cantalici : savory, “juicy”, of beautiful drinkable with fruity and floral;

Chianti Classico Riserva 2011 – Castello di Volpaia : elegant, velvety, of great depth, closes with spicy and balsamic;

Chianti Classico Riserva 2011 – Castello di Uzzano ; large pulp and flavor, with tones of blackberry and Mediterranean scrub, make this Chianti Classico pleasant.

Chianti Classico Riserva Baron’Ugo 2011 – – Monteraponi : “juicy”, from sip mineral and dynamic, with closing spicy tannins and very precise;

Chianti Classico Riserva 2011 – Villa Calcinaia : elegant, mineral-rich, with smoky tones and nuts that make the sip agile and smooth.

Best Tastes Great Selection 2011

Chianti Classico Great Selection Puro 2011 – Castello di Volpaia : fleshy and fruity, with notes of graphite and closing of orange juice, and enveloping palate and long;

Chianti Classico Great Grospoli Vineyard Selection 2011 – Fattoria di Lamole : of great elegance and personality with smoky and spicy tones and closing mineral;

Great selection of Chianti Classico Riserva Mona Lisa, 2011 – Vignamaggio : “juicy”, progressive, elegant and of great material, closes with smoked traits and memories of graphite.

Best Tastes Great Selection 2010 and 2009

Chianti Classico Great Selection Montemaggio 2010 – Montemaggio : Full, round, savory, spicy, very typical and elegant;

Chianti Classico Selection Grand Millennium Losi – Losi Querciavalle : very drinkable with fruity and floral and memories of Mediterranean.

Best Assaggi Reserve in 2010, 2009 and 2008

Chianti Classico Riserva 2010 – Bonacchi : austere, fresh, fruity, mineral of great progression and typical;

Chianti Classico Riserva 2010 – I Sodi : modern, juicy, but of great drink with fruit crisp in evidence;good fleshiness;

Chianti Classico Riserva 2010 – Paneretta Castle : a lot of character to this wine snappy and smooth, fresh, fruity and spicy;

Chianti Classico Riserva 2009 – Castellinuzza of Cinuzzi : of great elegance, structured and spicy, has a final blood orange;

Chianti Classico Riserva Tagliafune 2009 – Villa Montepaldi: tasty, crunchy, savory, mineral; great matter in great finesse.