2020 Castello di Ama Chianti Classico Collection Case (3xBellavista 3xCasuccia)
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Tasting notes
2020 Bellavista: Compared to the more compact and reticent La Casuccia bottling tasted alongside, the 2020 Bellavista is already much more open and exuberant. The aromas explode from the glass and cover a broad spectrum from bloody, iodine mineral tones, to more floral violet notes, peppery, dry spice oak tones and rich bramble fruit – it’s a delight. The perfumed notes blossom even more with time in the glass. The palate is full bodied and has a lovely balanced power with a good textural plushness on the mid palate, no doubt helped by a dollop of Merlot in this Sangiovese-dominant blend. It is more juicy than the Casuccia tasted alongside and bursting with perfumed, purple fruit flavours. This is one to enjoy while waiting for the La Casuccia to mature.
2020 La Casuccia: The 2020 La Casuccia is much more compact than the Bellavista tasted alongside but even at this early stage the potential for this wine is huge. It has a really dense core of earthy, cherry fruit, cherry stone, dried currants and savoury mineral stony flavours. Its contained energy buzzes on the palate and with time in bottle is going to unfurl into a real beauty. The oak gives structure but is beautifully integrated with the concentrated fruit. It feels so precise, the velvety tannins –while still young – are rounded and layered and evenly set. This is exceptionally balanced but needs three to five years in bottle before it will start to show its full potential.
Critic scores
Average Score
Monica Larner, Wine Advocate
James Suckling
More reviews and scores
2020 Bellavista: This has an attractive nose with dried strawberries, plum skins, crushed walnuts and licorice. Full-bodied, compact and structured with velvety tannins and a chocolaty mouthfeel. Really focused and balanced. Long, steady finish. Better after 2025.
2020 Bellavista: The 2020 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigneto Bellavista is outrageously beautiful. Graphite, crushed rocks, lavender, menthol and juniper berry all race out of the glass. A dollop of Malvasia Nera adds striking savory/earthy intensity. Black fruit, gravel, incense and cloves build over time, framed by potent Bellavista tannins that need time to soften.
2020 La Casuccia: This is beautiful and decadent with notes of ripe red and dark berries with sweet spices, bark and hints of dried leaves. Full-bodied and tight with finely polished and compact tannins that run the whole length of the wine. Long and firm with granite-like presence on the finish. A little chewy at the end. A blend of sangiovese and merlot. Try after 2026.
About the producer
Castello di Ama is one of the pre-eminent estates in Chianti Classico. Situated in the southern-most district of the appellation, the estate has only been making wine since the late 1970s but has since built a reputation as one of the region’s best.