2013 Castello di Ama San Lorenzo Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG, Tuscany

The 2013 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione San Lorenzo is 80% Sangiovese with Merlot and Malvasia Nera. Castello di Ama did not make any of its top shelf wines in 2012, so it is great to see them all return in 2013 (with the more prestigious Gran Selezione status, nonetheless). This is an elegant and profound wine that offers plump red fruit with a distinctive touch of milkiness that comes off as chocolate or aged cheese rind. The ensemble is distinctive and reflective of the Gaiole in Chianti sub zone that is a bit cooler and more rustic than its neighboring areas.