2020 Castello di Volpaia Chianti Classico Riserva

A rich ruby color, the 2020 Chianti Classico Riserva is a selection from the best vineyards, aged for two years. The nose opens to ripe and polished aromas of toasted cedar, cherry lozenge, menthol, and spiced orange peel. Medium-bodied, it offers ripe tannins that fold into a more mineral texture, with mouthwatering stony earth and a rather long, clean finish. It’s a very nice wine to drink 2025-2040. Located just to the north of Radda, Volpaia is a walled village dating back to the 12th century. The estate owns 46 hectares of vines, at elevations between 450 and 600 meters above sea level. As a founding member of the Chianti League (Lega del Chianti) in 1250, they have been associated with and included in the territory of Radda. The ownership and operations are run today by Carlo Mascheroni and Giovannella Stianti Mascheroni along with their children, Nicolo and Federica. Lorenzo Regoli has held the position as winemaker and vineyard manager since 2000, having previously worked at Livia Felluga in Friuli in the northeast.

In the bottle with the black label, the organic 2020 Chianti Classico Riserva offers ripe fruit with measured intensity that never feels heavy or overdone. Achieving this level of balance is not easy in a hot growing season such as this. This wine is characterized by an especially linear and direct personality that pushes it over the palate with good momentum. An ambitious 60,000 bottles were released.

The 2020 Chianti Classico Riserva is terrific. Macerated dark cherry, spice, leather, tobacco, dried flowers and underbrush are some of the many notes that grace this super-expressive Riserva. The 2020 is a touch somber, but that only adds to its considerable allure.