2020 Barone Ricasoli Gran Selezione Roncicone Chianti Classico, Tuscany

Riper and richer Roncicone with plums, currants and jam, accompanied by fresh flowers and walnut undertones. Full-bodied, a little chewy and structured, yet crunchy with fine tannins. Lingering finish. Needs at least two or three years to come together.

95 points jamessuckling.com

This is the wine that blew me away last year (when I tasted the excellent 2019 vintage) and assured me of the innovative work now underway at Barone Ricasoli. Today, tasting the 2020 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Castello di Brolio Roncicone, I am reminded of the quality fruit obtained from this special 10-hectare site with marine fossils mixed within its sandy topsoil. Showing brilliant clarity and focus, this carefully oak-aged Sangiovese offers rose, dried cherry, campfire ash and delicate mineral tones. This wine paints a beautiful portrait of this grape. Production is 10,000 bottles.

These are exciting years at Castello di Brolio and the Barone Ricasoli estate headed by the charming Francesco Ricasoli. There is an exciting new addition to the portfolio, the 2020 Castello di Brolio Sanbarnaba, that Francesco describes as "the realization of a dream to make a great white wine." The focus is on Trebbiano, and indeed, there are elements of this wine that remind me of the regional benchmark for this thick-skinned variety made over in Radda in Chianti by Monteraponi. The styles are different, with the Sanbarnaba showing more primary intensity, but I think its cellar aging potential is comparable.

96 points Monica Larner robertparker.com

From the historic heart of Chianti Classico comes a Gran Selezione that embodies centuries of Tuscan winemaking heritage. Barone Ricasoli is one of the oldest wine estates in Italy, with a history dating back to 1141 at Castello di Brolio. It was Bettino Ricasoli, the “Iron Baron,” who in the nineteenth century helped define the original formula for Chianti, placing Sangiovese at its core. Today the estate continues to refine that legacy with a strong focus on single vineyard expressions and meticulous site study. Roncicone is one of the estate’s most prized crus, planted at altitude on limestone and sandstone soils, producing Sangiovese of depth, structure and remarkable longevity.

Deep ruby with garnet hues, the aromatics are intense and layered. Sour cherry, black cherry and red plum unfold alongside violet, dried rosemary and subtle sweet spice. There is a distinct mineral thread and a gentle balsamic lift that reflect the vineyard’s altitude and complex soils.

On the palate it is full bodied yet beautifully composed, driven by vibrant acidity and finely structured tannins. Dark cherry and wild berry fruit sit at the core, framed by notes of tobacco, leather and subtle oak. The texture is firm and refined, with a long, savoury finish that lingers with cherry skin, spice and earthy nuance. It is a powerful yet elegant expression of Gran Selezione Chianti Classico.

Pair with bistecca alla Fiorentina, slow braised wild boar, pappardelle with rich ragù or aged pecorino. While impressive now with a careful decant, this wine is built for the cellar and will evolve gracefully for twenty years or more, developing complex tertiary layers of dried herbs, leather and forest floor.