On the Road with the Grape Guy
Chianti Lovers 2023
03 Aug 2023- Details
- Category: On the Road with the Grape Guy
(February 2023) … Chianti Lovers was a bit of a mishmash for me this year. Instead of trying everything, I tried to zero in on some regions and areas to see if I could distinguish differences. I looked at plenty of reserve wines as well. Wines from Rufina, Montalbana, Montespertoli, Colli Senesi were single out for tasting; and the ones that really impressed were the wines from Collli Fiorentini: they had a lovely freshness and florality to them that made them both interesting to drink as well as the aromas and flavours that made them exceptionally approachable. They won't be the best wines from Chianti you taste, but these wines were fun to drink and had an easy drinkability about them. Again, there were plenty still in barrel, so they are scored for potential on a Good / Better / Best scale.
In all, I tasted 59 wines from this part of the tasting - of which 26 are reviewed below - with selected notes.
Castello Sonnino 2021 Chianti Montespertoli DOCG ... (*** ½+)
Lanciola 2021 Chianti Colli Fiorentini DOCG ... (*** ½+)
Malenchini 2021 Chianti Colli Fiorentini DOCG ... (*** ½+)
Pietraserena 2020 Chianti Colli Senesi DOCG Riserva
Really good acidity and freshness, subtle white pepper, balsamic and cherry ... (*** ½+)
Poggio Salvi 2022 Chianti Colli Senesi DOCG
Another with a lovely lift of floral and fruit, light touch on the acidity ... (*** ½+)
Marchesi Gondi 2020 Chianti Rufina DOCG Riserva
Generous spice and acidity with a little balsamic-strawberry ... (*** ½)
Montalbino 2021 Chianti Montespertoli DOCG ... (*** ½)
Unfinished Wines
Pietraserena 2022 Chianti Colli Senesi DOCG
Fresh and fruity - this one is going places if they can keep it ... (Best)
Cantine Fratelli Bellini 2020 Chianti Rufina DOCG Riserva ... (Better)
Castelvecchio in San Casciano Val di Pesa 2021 Chianti Colli Fiorentini DOCG ... (Better)
Fattoria Selvapiana 2020 Chianti Rufina DOCG Riserva ... (Better)
Podere dell'Anselmo di Forconi Fabrizio 2021 Chianti Montespertoli DOCG ... (Better)
Tenuta di Artimino 2022 Chianti Montalbano ... (Better)
Tenuta Moriano 2020 Chianti Montespertoli DOCG Riserva ... (Better)
Bindi Sergardi 2022 Chianti Colli Senesi DOCG ... (Good)
Borgo Macereto 2021 Chianti Rufina DOCG ... (Good)
Fattoria di Gragnano 2020 Chianti Rufina DOCG Riserva ... (Good)
Fattoria il Lago - Famiglia Spagnoli 2021 Chianti Rufina DOCG ... (Good)
Fattoria Torre a Cona 2020 Chianti Colli Fiorentini DOCG Riserva ... (Good)
Fattoria Torre a Cona 2020 Chianti Colli Fiorentini DOCG Riserva ... (Good)
Fattoria Torre a Cona 2021 Chianti Colli Fiorentini DOCG ... (Good)
Fattorie Giannozzi 2020 Chianti Colli Fiorentini DOCG Riserva ... (Good)
Geografico 2022 Chianti Colli Senesi DOCG ... (Good)
Mannucci Droandi 2022 Chianti Colli Aretini DOCG ... (Good)
Marzocco di Poppiano 2021 Chianti Colli Fiorentini DOCG ... (Good)
Podere dell'Anselmo di Forconi Fabrizio 2020 Chianti Montespertoli DOCG Riserva ... (Good)
Morellino Di Scansano
Within the same tasting were the wines of Morellino di Scansano. This year, I decided to give the riservas my undivided attention, 14 in all, of which eight are reviewed below - not a bad ratio. Only four of the wines were finished, the rest were barrel samples and fall into my Good / Better / Best system, used to judge the potential of the wine.
La Selva 2020 Morellino Di Scansano DOCG Riserva
Nice spicy edge to the black cherry fruit ... (*** ½+)
Bruni 2020 Morellino Di Scansano DOCG Riserva
There's a little cooked fruit, but there is nice spice around it that makes it an interesting wine to drink ... (*** ½)
Vignaioli de Morellino di Scansano 2020 Morellino Di Scansano DOCG Riserva ... (*** ½)
Unfinished Wines
Santa Lucia 2020 Morellino Di Scansano DOCG Riserva ... (Better)
Alberto Motta 2020 Morellino Di Scansano DOCG Riserva ... (Good)
Fattoria le Pulpille 2020 Morellino Di Scansano DOCG Riserva ... (Good)
Morisfarms 2020 Morellino Di Scansano DOCG Riserva ... (Good)
Terenzi 2020 Morellino Di Scansano DOCG Riserva ... (Good)
