James Suckling | 95–100 Points

As a result of extensive soil research, Francesco Ricasoli was able to identify three microlocations, which will be vinified separately from the 2015 vintage onwards. The range of Chianti Classico Gran Selezione now includes, in addition to the famous Castello di Brolio, three cru sites (Colledilà, Roncicone and Ceniprimo), all of which are 100% planted with Sangiovese. They differ in structure and taste in close correspondence with their terroir and impressively demonstrate the complexity of the Chanti Classico region.

As a result of extensive soil research, Francesco Ricasoli was able to identify three microlocations, which will be vinified separately from the 2015 vintage onwards. The range of Chianti Classico Gran Selezione now includes, in addition to the famous Castello di Brolio, three cru sites (Colledilà, Roncicone and Ceniprimo), all of which are 100% planted with Sangiovese. They differ in structure and taste in close correspondence with their terroir and impressively demonstrate the complexity of the Chanti Classico region.

The "heart" of Trinoro – the wine that most perfectly embodied Andrea Franchetti's vision. No fixed recipe, no predetermined formula, just the essence of the vintage: the best plots, the ripest grapes, the most expressive terroir. A cuvée that reinvents itself year after year, always dominated by Cabernet Franc and Merlot, complemented by Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. The 2022 vintage was characterised by drought and heat, but meticulous foliage work and radical thinning out preserved the balance.

In 2017, exactly thirty years after the first Masseto, Massetino was born: not as a mere second wine, but as an independent interpretation of the same extraordinary terroir. Where its big brother requires patience and can mature for decades, Massetino opens up earlier, more – more accessible, more inviting, without sacrificing depth. A wine that provides an introduction to the Masseto universe without compromising on quality. The cuvée combines Merlot with a small proportion of Cabernet Franc – a deliberate difference to the single-varietal Masseto. The Franc brings floral nuances, herbal spice and an additional aromatic dimension into play, giving the Massetino its own character. Hand-picked in small crates, double selection, temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel, then twelve months of ageing in French oak, half of which is new. After blending, the wine rests for a further month before being bottled.

Just like its older brother, Massetino skilfully showcases the contrast between power and opulence combined with restraint and class. A solid, crisp wine with a bright colour, very distinctive, vertical and elevated, intense and expressively aromatic. On the nose, the essence of hyacinth, saffron, wild rosemary, mulberry and a hint of lavender. Juicy on the palate, but with a frame that emphasises the feeling of density and compactness. Vertically layered, but with great depth, tapering downwards to a distant vanishing point. After a silky attack, the present tannins take hold as the wine progresses. Long and pure, very persistent. Massetino is truly something special every year. SUPERIORE.DE

Of all its wines, the flagship Tenuta di Trinoro offers the deepest insight into the Franchetti family's viticulture. The proprietary blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot from limestone and clay soils is adjusted each year depending on the quality and quantity of the harvest. The grapes are always the best of the vintage and come from the very best plots. The unique style of this Tuscan wine icon is recognisable with every vintage.

Rennina from the dream year 2016 is a proud parade drop - everything is in the right place here and, for the true connoisseur, a lot more besides. Deep, almost impenetrable ruby red colour. Initially a rather closed nose with mineral notes and a hint of oak sawdust. Then gravel road, mint and hints of caraway. The palate is fleshy, powerful, with concentrated sour cherry fruit and a present but never intrusive tannin. Despite a certain opulence, it is a balanced wine that - away from the mainstream - is guaranteed to find its friends who will give it the necessary understanding, plenty of experience and patience. SUPERIORE.DE

In 1997, Francesco Ricasoli planted the first vines on a 7.6-hectare plot near Gaiole as part of a project aimed at exploring Sangiovese and its diverse soils. Ten years later, in 2007, the first single-vineyard cru was bottled from these vines – the first of a total of three vineyards identified through the estate’s comprehensive soil mapping. The vines are situated at an altitude of 380 metres with a south-easterly aspect, on calcareous-clay Alberese soil – one of the most characteristic soils of Chianti Classico – which is stony and low in organic matter. A single-varietal Sangiovese, comprising three different clones, is grown here at a high density of 6,600 vines per hectare. After around two weeks of fermentation and maceration with daily punching down, the wine matures for 22 months inLiters, 30% of which are new, before being released following further bottle ageing.

In the southern Arbia Valley lies one of Brolio's rarest soils: an ancient river terrace dating from the Pliocene and Pleistocene epochs, shaped by water that has long since taken a different course. Francesco Ricasoli also included this site in his Cru project in 2015, through which the estate aims to reveal the character of its Sangiovese plot by plot, moving beyond any generalised narrative about Chianti. The vines are planted at an altitude of 300 metres with a south-west aspect, on silty, clay-rich soils with a low stone content, covering around 6.35 hectares with a high planting density of just under 6,000 vines per hectare, a single-varietal Sangiovese comprising three clones, each of which develops its own distinctive character on this rare terraced soil. After around two weeks of fermentation and maceration with daily punching down, the wine matures for 22 months inLiters, 30% of which are new, before being released following further bottle ageing.

Where vines grow today, the sea once lay: the soils of Roncicone consist of Pliocene marine deposits, interspersed with shell fossils and lignite – a geological archive that was formed here long before the first vine was planted. In 2015, Francesco Ricasoli included this site in his 'Cru' project, which aims to showcase the diversity of the soils around Brolio on a plot-by-plot basis, with each plot telling its own geological story. At an altitude of 320 metres, facing south-east, the vines grow across almost eleven hectares, planted between 1998 and 2000, pure Sangiovese comprising two clones, densely planted at 6,600 vines per hectare, on subsoil that is unusually rich in organic matter for the region. After around two weeks of fermentation and maceration with daily punching down, the wine matures for 22 months inLiters, 30% of which are new, followed by further ageing in bottle before release.

Since summer 2023, Chianti Classico producers have been allowed to include the eleven additional geographical indications (UGA = unità geografiche aggiuntive) introduced in 2021 on the labels of the top Gran Selezione category. For Chianti Classico winegrowers, it is a logical step to produce wines that reflect the area in which they were produced as authentically as possible. And customers can thus deepen their knowledge of the relationship between the wines and their region of origin - a real added value.

What begins with a seductive bouquet of delicate plums and a hint of mint gains volume and depth as grilled sage and rum-soaked blackcurrants mingle with sweet tobacco and allspice. Its texture is silky and fleshy, accompanied by a nervous acidity, while ripe black cherries and a hint of cranberry sauce create a sweet and sour tension on the palate. The concentration is astonishing, yet the energy remains incredibly high, even if the grippy tannins increase towards the end. Notes of sour citrus fruits, savoury herbs and tart wild berries linger incredibly long in the structured yet remarkably fresh final. Only around 3,000 bottles of this cru are produced and it is a real must-have for all Aglianico lovers! SUPERIORE.DE

Grotte Alte is more than just a wine, it is a very serene and precise tribute to its homeland. Arianna Occhipinti names it after the white limestone caves above Vittoria, where her oldest vineyards are situated: broodingred soils over limestone, permeated by Mediterranean herbs and the wind. It is here that the grapes from which she crafts her most personal wine are grown – a Cerasuolo di Vittoria Classico that impressively expresses the identity of this landscape. The cuvée, made from Frappato di Vittoria and Nero d'Avola, is vinified separately. Following spontaneous fermentation with long maceration periods, both batches mature for around 48 months in large oak casks before being blended and bottled. No fining, no filtration – just time, patience and respect for the terroir.

In the early 1990s, Vittorio Frescobaldi and Robert Mondavi joined forces, thereby opening a new chapter in the history of Tuscan wine. Since 2004, sole management has rested with Lamberto Frescobaldi, who has consistently carried forward this vision ever since. Alongside Luce, the estate's renowned flagship wine, the Tenuta has since also devoted itself to Brunello itself – the wine produced in the south-western quadrant of Montalcino from a single, tiny plot known as Madonnino. Of the estate's 92 hectares, only eleven are officially registered in the Albo del Brunello di Montalcino, and it is precisely here, on Galestro soil with ideal exposure, that the Sangiovese finds that balance of structure and elegance for which this grape variety is famous.

Luce Brunello is dark and impenetrable, as always in its more international style. On the palate, it delivers ripe and round fruit flavours of blackberries and plums with plenty of opulence, power and breed. SUPERIORE.DE

In the pantheon of Tuscan winemaking, there are moments of pure alchemy – and Sette from Tenuta Sette Ponti embodies just such a moment. Seven different Merlot vineyards, seven distinct characters, seven unique terroirs, which Antonio Moretti Cuseri blends into a harmonious symphony. A magnificent tribute to the art of winemaking, demonstrating how diversity gives rise to unity.

Guado al Tasso is not only the name of the winery, but also the historical term for a ford in the torrent on the Marchesi Antinori estate. In the Middle Ages, this was the name given to the place where one encountered the "tasso" (badger) while travelling through the water on horse and cart. This poetic place name came to symbolise a wine that combines depth and movement: A Bolgheri Superiore with provenance, history and attitude. Despite the summer heat, the 2022 vintage produced an astonishingly balanced structure. Selective harvest in the best plots between the hills and the Tyrrhenian Sea, fermentation in stainless steel, followed by 18 months of ageing in new French barriques, followed by at least 6 months of bottle ageing.

At the centre of the Via Bolgherese, that legendary wine route where the Tuscan dream and the Bordeaux vision merge into an indelible myth, lies a small kingdom of just 5.5 hectares. Here, nestled between the giants Ornellaia to the right and Sassicaia to the left, Antonio Moretti Cuseri and his sons Alberto and Amedeo tell a story of unbridled passion, a story called Orma. Orma means footprint. And this 2021 truly leaves one in the soul of the taster. The purest expression of an exceptional vintage, this organically certified Bordeaux blend of 50% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Cabernet Franc unfolds like a symphony in purple and garnet. The Mediterranean sun of Bolgheri, tempered by the salty breezes of the Tyrrhenian Sea, gave the grapes that unique ripeness that only a few terroirs in the world are capable of producing.

In the heart of the Valdarno Superiore, where the ancient Via dei Setteponti inspired Leonardo da Vinci to create his immortal landscape studies, lies Tenuta Sette Ponti – named after the seven bridges that have linked Arezzo and Florence since Etruscan times. Here, on 300 hectares where history meets modernity, Dr Antonio Moretti Cuseri realised a visionary idea in 1999: to create a Tuscan Bordeaux-style wine that combines international elegance with the soul of Tuscany. Oreno – named after the small river that flows through the estate in that clay-rich area where the Merlot vines put down their deepest roots – was born out of a passion for Bordeaux finesse. Fascinated by his travels to Bordeaux, Moretti Cuseri had existing vineyards grafted with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Whilst the Merlot thrives in the clay-rich soils, the Cabernet vines find their home on gravelly terraces that offer perfect drainage and natural temperature regulation. The Petit Verdot rounds off the cuvée with spicy notes and intense flavour.

Deep dark ruby-purple colour. On the nose, cassis, blackcurrants and a strong herbal spice with a good dose of pipe tobacco, tar and crushed gravel. On the palate, dark berries, chocolate and a cornucopia of herbs define the full-bodied palate. This juicy wine monument has precisely integrated tannins, an enormous silkiness and an almost endless finish. SUPERIORE.DE

Monteverro – a classic French blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot – is a grand cru from the Maremma, brimming with opulence and complexity. A deep, dark ruby colour with a black core. Incredibly rich in aromas of dark fruit, chocolate and spices; soft and full-bodied, with polished tannins. One cannot overstate the delight in the magnificence of this wine.  SUPERIORE.DE

Guado al Tasso presents itself with a warm-toned bouquet and an abundance of fruit that is just as convincing as its harmonious structure. Deep, dark, rich ruby-purple colour. Very clear and intense nose, with aromas of blackberries, cassis and dark cherries, underpinned by fine, spicy notes with hints of white pepper and leather. Very juicy on the attack and on the palate, with plenty of sweet flavour, elegant tannins and a very long finish. A finesse-rich red that offers maximum drinking pleasure and great ageing potential. SUPERIORE.DE

With this single-vineyard Sangiovese, the Mazzei family pursues no less a goal than to make the best wine in the Chianti Classico appellation. Seven different Sangiovese clones, four of them from their own 50 years of research, form the basis for a Gran Selezione that is produced at an altitude of up to 350 m in the single vineyard Il Caggio not far from Castellina (and only in the best vintages).

With this single-vineyard Sangiovese, the Mazzei family is pursuing no less a goal than making the best wine in the Chianti Classico appellation. Seven different Sangiovese clones, four of them from the family's own 50-year-old research, form the basis for a Gran Selezione, which is produced at an altitude of up to 350 metres in the single vineyard Il Caggio not far from Castellina (and only in the best vintages).