90% Sangiovese, 10% Canaiolo & Colorino
Castello di Monsanto makes some of the finest Chianti Classicos, and their Riserva is the star in their lineup. Coming from a warm area of the zone's Northwest, this shows dark tones to Sangiovese's vibrant cherry profile, and generous tannins that softly tighten up on the finish. Their winemaking is fairly traditional, with a lot of character shining through rather than polish. Riservas like this are typically meant to open after a couple further years of 'cellaring,' though if kept well, can gracefully reach maturity at 10-15 years from vintage!
JAMES SUCKLING 95 POINTS - "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. Aldo Fiordelli Senior Editor"
VINOUS 94 POINTS - "The 2021 Chianti Classico Riserva is a wine of pedigree and class. Aromatic, vibrant and delineated, the Riserva captures all the best qualities of the year. Crushed flowers, dark red/purplish fruit, mint, blood orange and pomegranate are some of the many notes that build in the glass. This is a sublime effort." - Antonio Galloni
Castello di Monsanto makes some of the finest Chianti Classicos, and their Riserva is the star in their lineup. Coming from a warm area of the zone's Northwest, this shows dark tones to Sangiovese's vibrant cherry profile, and generous tannins that softly tighten up on the finish. Their winemaking is fairly traditional, with a lot of character shining through rather than polish. Riservas like this are typically meant to open after a couple further years of 'cellaring,' though if kept well, can gracefully reach maturity at 10-15 years from vintage!
JAMES SUCKLING 95 POINTS - "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. Aldo Fiordelli Senior Editor"
VINOUS 94 POINTS - "The 2021 Chianti Classico Riserva is a wine of pedigree and class. Aromatic, vibrant and delineated, the Riserva captures all the best qualities of the year. Crushed flowers, dark red/purplish fruit, mint, blood orange and pomegranate are some of the many notes that build in the glass. This is a sublime effort." - Antonio Galloni
