2021 Castello di Monsanto Chianti Classico Riserva, Tuscany

The intention with Castello di Monsanto’s Riserva is to make a wine with immediate accessibility as well as serious cellaring potential. Gorgeous and precise from the get-go, the 2021 is profuse in aromas of black pepper, flint and earthy brambles. Equally perfumed, the palate ups the ante with rose, bergamot and graphite. A firm tannic spine and linear acidity are matched by fruit depth galore, all intricately and tightly stitched. My instinct is that this is only going to get better, so I prefer to wait. The solution is to buy a few bottles to enjoy its evolution.

95 points Decanter

A deep and complex wine with licorice, dried cherries, pomegranates, bergamot and violets on the nose. Soft on the palate, it’s powerful and extracted yet not without grace due to velvety tannins, a full body and tight-knit acidity. Super-tense finish. Drink or hold.

95 points James Suckling

Castello di Monsanto has been one of Chianti Classico's benchmark estates since the Bianchi family purchased the property in 1961. A pioneer of single vineyard Sangiovese and traditional Tuscan winemaking, the estate has earned international acclaim for wines that combine elegance, structure and remarkable ageing potential.

The Chianti Classico Riserva is sourced from estate vineyards planted on the galestro and limestone soils of Barberino Tavarnelle. Predominantly Sangiovese with small portions of traditional varieties, it reflects the estate's hallmark style of vibrant fruit, savoury complexity and finely balanced structure, capturing the essence of one of Tuscany's great wine regions.

The colour is a deep ruby red with youthful garnet highlights. Aromas of black cherry, red plum and wild berries are layered with violet, cedar, dried herbs and sweet spice. The palate is beautifully refined, combining juicy red fruits with silky tannins and bright acidity. Notes of tobacco, earth and liquorice build through the mid palate before a long, savoury finish that lingers with impressive freshness and finesse.

An outstanding partner for bistecca alla Fiorentina, slow braised lamb, pappardelle with wild boar ragù or mushroom risotto with aged Pecorino. Enjoy now with a generous decant or cellar confidently for the next fifteen years.