On the Road with the Grape Guy

Report from Anteprima Toscana 2026: Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2023 & 2022

Details

Category: On the Road with the Grape Guy

(February 2026) ... Looking at the wines of the Anteprima Toscana 2026. This year I will break the wines down a little more, compartmentalizing them so they are easier to find on the website. In this article it's the 2023 and 2022 Gran Selezione wines.

I tasted all the Gran Seleziones on offer from these two vintages.

My "Personal Aside" is a note taken to encompass the whole of what I have tasted, and was written after tasting all the wines in a category and on the spot to get my unvarnished reaction.

Tasting Notes are on wines that are rated BETTER and above.

Personal Aside: Good concentration and good fruit; there was a lot to smile about here ... some very approachable wines now, but also with some age-ability. These are wines you can do both with. The good news here is that the style is definitely evolving and wineries are finding their feet ... I suspect, in the next few years, we will see some leg stretching and greater evolution as winery put their stamp on their offerings. It is an exciting time for Gran Selezione.

BETTER-PLUS ... 

Banfi 2022 Fonte alla Selva - Chianti Classico Gran Selezione
Refreshingly light, gentle fruit, delicate spice - really pretty acidity. Medium length finish.

Castello di Ama 2022 Castello di Ama San Lorenzo - Chianti Classico Gran Selezione        
Rich, concentrated fruit, slightly smoky, with smoked-cherry, balsamic, black cherry, cassis, bold and worthwhile for aging.

Fontodi 2022 Vigna del Sorbo - Chianti Classico Gran Selezione
Good concentration - fruit is dark and spicy - nice length to the finish with a good acidic seam.

BETTER ...

Brancaia 2023 Brancaia - Chianti Classico Gran Selezione
Nice fruit leads the charge here, then in comes the acidity and the tannins follow - a little floral and spice combine with the dark fruit on the finish.

Poggio al Sole 2023 Casasilia - Chianti Classico Gran Selezione
Ripe blackberry, strawberry and balsamic notes; lengthy finish, nice spice core and lovely acidity.

Castello di Bossi 2022 Castello di Bossi - Chianti Classico Gran Selezione        
A light and fruity number that catches strawberry, raspberry and cherry dancing together with a beautiful range of spices; acidity picks up the slack and boom ... simply put: lovely.

Colombaio di Cencio 2022 Montelodoli - Chianti Classico Gran Selezione        
Extremely juicy, but well-concentrated. Lots of dark fruit backed by spice, a little cocoa bean and vanilla ... it's a ballsy wine with spirit.

Fontodi 2022 Terrazze San Leolino - Chianti Classico Gran Selezione        
Spicy opening with a balsamic coffee-esque finish. The concentration of fruit is dark and delightful.

Nittardi 2022 Nittardi - Chianti Classico Gran Selezione        
Legit spice opening with a fruit core and a lushness of flavour - this is a very good Gran Selezione. Finish could be a little longer to help fill in the gaps.

Poggio al Sole 2022 Casasilia - Chianti Classico Gran Selezione        
Big cherry-strawberry core, lush fruit - red berry is all over this. The spices are delicate and the acidity charms the palate into submission.

GOOD-PLUS ...

Casa Emma 2022 Casa Emma - Chianti Classico Gran Selezione
Fattoria di Valiano 2022 San Lazzaro - Chianti Classico Gran Selezione
Isola delle Falcole 2022 Le Falcole - Chianti Classico Gran Selezione
Le Filigare 2022 Lorenzo - Chianti Classico Gran Selezione
Pomona 2022 Vigna del Termine - Chianti Classico Gran Selezione
Terreno 2022 Sillano - Chianti Classico Gran Selezione

GOOD ...

Antinori 2023 Badia a Passignano - Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 
Famiglia Zingarelli  2023 Tenuta Fizzano, Il Crocino - Chianti Classico Gran Selezione
Fèlsina 2023 Rancia - Chianti Classico Gran Selezione
Il Molino di Grace 2023 Il Margone - Chianti Classico Gran Selezione
Il Poggiolino 2023 Le Balze - Chianti Classico Gran Selezione
Ricasoli 2023 Castello di Brolio - Chianti Classico Gran Selezione
Setriolo  2023 Terrazze - Chianti Classico Gran Selezione
Tenuta di Arceno 2023 Campolupi - Chianti Classico Gran Selezione
Borratella 2022 Sasso del Borro  - Chianti Classico Gran Selezione
Capraia 2022 Effe 55 - Chianti Classico Gran Selezione
Castello di Cacchiano 2022 Millennio - Chianti Classico Gran Selezione
Castello di Gabbiano 2022 Vigneto Cerbaiola - Chianti Classico Gran Selezione
Castello di Volpaia 2022 Il Puro Casanova - Chianti Classico Gran Selezione
Castello la Leccia 2022 Bruciagna - Chianti Classico Gran Selezione
Fattoria di Valiano 2022 6.38 - Chianti Classico Gran Selezione
Fèlsina 2022 Fèlsina - Chianti Classico Gran Selezione
Querceto di Castellina 2022 Sei - Chianti Classico Gran Selezione
Ruffino 2022 Riserva Ducale Oro - Chianti Classico Gran Selezione
San Felice Toscana A.D. 714 2022 La Pieve - Chianti Classico Gran Selezione
Terra di Seta 2022 Assai - Chianti Classico Gran Selezione

Next up: Gran Selezione 2021

Report from Anteprima Toscana 2026: Chianti Classico Riserva 2022 & Older

Details

Category: On the Road with the Grape Guy

(February 2026) ... Stepping to the next level of Riserva, or at least a different vintage, and we find 2022 to have a better calibre of wine; especially at the higher end.

This year I break the wines down a little more, compartmentalizing them so they are easier to find on the website. I started with the vintage 2024 Annata (which was published several days ago) ... Now we are talking Riserva wines, meaning longer aging in oak - and it shows as my "personal aside" below explains - but also a different vintage. And as mentioned above, what a difference a vintage makes.

In this range, I tasted all the 2022 Riservas and a smattering of the older vintages. I have a pretty good idea how the wineries handled the fruit and the oak in 2022.

My "Personal Aside" is a note taken to encompass the whole of what I have tasted, and was written after tasting all the wines in a category and on the spot to get my unvarnished reaction.

Notes are on wines that are rated BETTER and above.

Personal Aside: My note here says see 2023, so I will repeat that note here. Riserva continues to be a tough make / sell - people love that "reserve" means something in Italy; but sometimes the thing that makes it special can be a distraction or a detraction - in this case the wood gets in the way of the vintage. The wines below proved that they knew how to create a balancing-marriage between oak and fruit.

BETTER-PLUS ...

Cantalici 2022 Baruffo - Chianti Classico Riserva        
Pleasing, pleasant, refreshing - good acidic punch with some nice, light red fruits, slightly high-toned but this just adds something to the long finish. 

Castello di Monsanto 2022 Castello di Monsanto - Chianti Classico Riserva        
Sweet black cherry, hints of mocha, toasty, good acidity. A real winning wine here that shows depth of character, depth of fruit and plenty of charm; but also it has a dark side.

Tenuta di Nozzole 2022 La Forra - Chianti Classico Riserva        
Upfront you'll find cherry and blackberry; a nice dollop of acidity picks up on the mid-palate. Smoky-cherry, cassis, and mocha rounds out the finish - complex and layered from the first sip to "down the hatch".

BETTER ...

Cantina Poggio Borgoni 2022 Borromeo - Chianti Classico Riserva        
There is some charm here, even some refreshment: good acidity, nice little tang of sour cherry and wild strawberry. Very pleasing.

Castello di Gabbiano 2022 Castello di Gabbiano - Chianti Classico Riserva        
Nice balance of oak and fruit. Fruit sits on the darker side with cassis and some cedar notes mixing it up with blackberry and spice. Plenty to be excited about here - like whether the fruit can beat that oak into submission.

Querciabella 2022 Querciabella - Chianti Classico Riserva        
This one has enough spice and stuffing to keep it interesting; the dark fruit mixes with the dark spices and the cedar wood to create something special.

GOOD-PLUS ...
Castello di Ama  2022 Montebuoni - Chianti Classico Riserva
Castello di Radda 2022 Castello di Radda - Chianti Classico Riserva
Castello Vicchiomaggio 2022 Agostino Petri - Chianti Classico Riserva
Ruffino 2022 Ducale - Chianti Classico Riserva

GOOD ...
Buondonno 2022 Buondonno - Chianti Classico Riserva
Carpineto 2022 Carpineto - Chianti Classico Riserva
Castagnoli 2022 Terrazze - Chianti Classico Riserva
Dievole 2022 Novecento - Chianti Classico Riserva
Vignamaggio 2022 Gherardino - Chianti Classico Riserva

SOME OLDER VINTAGES OF NOTE ...
Castell'in Villa 2020 Castell'in Villa  - Chianti Classico Riserva        
Lots of dark, brooding fruit and even some smokiness. Plum and black cherry lead the charge.  (BETTER)

Badia a Coltibuono 2021 Badia a Coltibuono - Chianti Classico Riserva  (GOOD+)
Borgo Scopeto 2021 Vigna Misciano - Chianti Classico Riserva  (GOOD+)
Castello Monterinaldi 2021 Castello Monterinaldi - Chianti Classico Riserva  (GOOD+)
Fattoria di Lamole - Paolo Socci 2018 Antico Lamole - Chianti Classico Riserva  (GOOD)
Frescobaldi 2021 Tenuta Perano - Chianti Classico Riserva  (GOOD)

Next up: The Big Guns - Gran Selezione 2022 and 2023