Daniele Nardi's website

I am starting with my favorite wine, and one of the two wines that made me fall in love with Chianti Classico. Chianti Classico is a subregion of the broader Chianti appellation. All the wines are based on the grape variety Sangiovese. This makes wines that are high in acidity, fresh, elegant, and with a wonderful palette of aromas ranging from fruit, flowers, and animal notes. The Sangiovese wines can be very expensive, e.g., think of Brunello di Montalcino. Chianti Classicos are less expensive, but they deliver excellent quality and they are some of the best reds of Italy. By rule, Chianti Classico has to be a majority of Sangiovese, with a few other approved varieties that can be added in small amount. Chanti Classico comes in three tiers of price and quality: base (called “annata”), Riserva, and Gran Selezione. This is based on the age of the wines upon release and also (typically) on the quality of the product. A good base Chianti Classico can be found for $15-20, a Riserva around $25, and a Gran Selezione around $35 or more.

The Castell’in Villa Chianti Classico is probably my favorite wine right now. I have had multiple vintages (2017, 2018, Riserva 2015) and it is consistently outstanding. It is an elegant wine. If you are looking for a powerful, oaked, over-concentrated wine, look elsewhere. If you are looking for a very aromatic wine, with beautiful aromas of berries, plum, and spices, you found it. The most impressive aspect of this wine is the smooth mouthfeel. It can be aged and it has tannins, but they are well integrated and don’t stand out. The acidic backbone makes this wine fresh, but it has also lots of pleasure. The cost is on the higher-end for Chianti Classico ($25), but it is worth a lot more money.

Every year I buy a case of this, knowing that it can be drank right away or laid down to rest. Simply put, it’s a wine for today and tomorrow. I met the producer of this wine (Princess Coralia Pignatelli della Leonessa), who signed two bottles for my kids. A special place, a special wine.