Chianti
Chianti
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Vinous (96+)
The 2017 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo is a dense, packed wine. It is also surprisingly, almost shockingly backward. That is probably a good thing for its long-term aging prospects. Readers hoping to get an early glimpse into the 2017 before it shuts down may have a hard time doing that, as today acids and tannin dominate. I expect the 2017 will be stellar in another 4-5 years and drink well to age 25-30 if not longer. Proprietor Giovanni Manetti gave the 2017 18 months in barrique followed by 6 months in cask.HK$1,785.00 -
Vinous (96+)
The 2017 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo is a dense, packed wine. It is also surprisingly, almost shockingly backward. That is probably a good thing for its long-term aging prospects. Readers hoping to get an early glimpse into the 2017 before it shuts down may have a hard time doing that, as today acids and tannin dominate. I expect the 2017 will be stellar in another 4-5 years and drink well to age 25-30 if not longer. Proprietor Giovanni Manetti gave the 2017 18 months in barrique followed by 6 months in cask.HK$2,705.00 -
Vinous (98)
The 2018 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo is quite possibly the most elegant, refined version of this wine I have ever tasted. It does not offer the immediacy or impact of either the 2015 or 2016, but, instead, impresses with its elegance, persistence and total class. Bright floral and spice notes add perfume to a core of red-toned fruit. The 2018 represents another move towards greater finesse at Fontodi. It spent a year in French oak barrel and a second year in cask.HK$1,425.00 -
Vinous (98)
The 2018 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo is quite possibly the most elegant, refined version of this wine I have ever tasted. It does not offer the immediacy or impact of either the 2015 or 2016, but, instead, impresses with its elegance, persistence and total class. Bright floral and spice notes add perfume to a core of red-toned fruit. The 2018 represents another move towards greater finesse at Fontodi. It spent a year in French oak barrel and a second year in cask.HK$2,630.00 -
Decanter (97)
At an elevation of 400 metres, Vigna del Sorbo boasts Chianti Classico’s classic Galestro soil. The warm southwest-facing vineyard typically yields a powerful, intense wine in need of ageing. The 2019 demonstrates all the wild, penetrating characteristics of this site but it comes into harmony quickly, revealing its balance and precision. Wood-driven top notes of smoke and vanilla meld into pressed violets, rosemary and liquorice. Luscious red cherry and dark plum flesh are wrapped in long, layered chalky tannins. Across the palate there's an energetic beam of unwavering acidity, giving the wine a linear feel. The finish reverberates with fennel and crushed stone.HK$1,680.00 -
Decanter (97)
At an elevation of 400 metres, Vigna del Sorbo boasts Chianti Classico’s classic Galestro soil. The warm southwest-facing vineyard typically yields a powerful, intense wine in need of ageing. The 2019 demonstrates all the wild, penetrating characteristics of this site but it comes into harmony quickly, revealing its balance and precision. Wood-driven top notes of smoke and vanilla meld into pressed violets, rosemary and liquorice. Luscious red cherry and dark plum flesh are wrapped in long, layered chalky tannins. Across the palate there's an energetic beam of unwavering acidity, giving the wine a linear feel. The finish reverberates with fennel and crushed stone.HK$3,295.00 -
(6x150cl) 2020Wine Advocate (96)
Showing enormous precision and direction, the 2020 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo (with 25,000 bottles released) is a generous expression of Sangiovese that boasts singular intensity. This organic wine offers black fruit, grilled rosemary, pressed rose and crushed limestone. All of these aromas enjoy special, forward-moving intensity that dovetails into the ample fruit generosity that this sun-filled vintage will be remembered for.HK$9,935.00 -
Wine Advocate (96)
Showing enormous precision and direction, the 2020 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigna del Sorbo (with 25,000 bottles released) is a generous expression of Sangiovese that boasts singular intensity. This organic wine offers black fruit, grilled rosemary, pressed rose and crushed limestone. All of these aromas enjoy special, forward-moving intensity that dovetails into the ample fruit generosity that this sun-filled vintage will be remembered for.HK$2,955.00 -
Wine Advocate (98+)
Now boasting the proud Panzano UGA on the front label, the Fontodi 2021 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Panzano Vigna del Sorbo is a little more delicate, even subdued, compared to its new brother, the more exuberant Terrazze San Leonlino. Vigna del Sorbo is a little more tuned in on itself, aromatically speaking, but reveals just enough complexity and sheer beauty to believe in the promise of its future aging potential. Even now, tasted so young, the wine's pedigree is evident. It excels in terms of complexity and depth. The tannins are velvety soft, and soft mineral aromas add focus. This certified expression of Sangiovese comes from a single parcel within the sun-drenched Conca d'Oro basin of vines that distinguishes Panzano. The Vigna del Sorbo stands out as one of my favorite wines from this region made in 2021.HK$3,010.00 -
(6x75cl) 2020HK$3,805.00 -
(6x75cl) 2022Grevepesa Chianti Classico Castelgreve Riserva 2022 epitomises Tuscan excellence, meticulously crafted in the renowned Chianti Classico region. Produced by Castelgreve, a distinguished family estate with decades of viticultural expertise, this riserva undergoes a stringent selection of Sangiovese grapes from premier vineyards in Castellina in Chianti. Fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, ensuring the preservation of the grapes' vibrant character. The wine is then aged for 24 months in a combination of French and Slavonian oak barrels, imparting subtle vanilla and spice nuances. On the nose, it reveals an elegant bouquet of dark cherries, plum, and hints of tobacco. The palate is full-bodied with velvety tannins and a well-balanced acidity, culminating in a lingering, refined finish. Grevepesa Chianti Classico Castelgreve Riserva 2022 pairs beautifully with rich Italian dishes, showcasing the meticulous craftsmanship and heritage of its esteemed producer.
HK$1,160.00 -
(6x75cl) 2021Experience the elegance of Grevepesa Chianti Classico Clemente VII Riserva 2021, a distinguished expression from the heart of Tuscany. Crafted in the renowned Chianti Classico region, this Riserva is meticulously vinified from Sangiovese grapes, complemented by a selection of indigenous varietals. Aged for 24 months in French oak barrels, it develops a complex bouquet of ripe cherries, dried herbs, and subtle spice notes. The meticulous selection process and traditional winemaking techniques of Grevepesa ensure a harmonious balance and refined tannins, culminating in a velvety, persistent finish. Esteemed producer Grevepesa boasts a legacy of excellence, blending innovation with time-honoured practices to create wines of exceptional character and depth. Perfectly pairing with gourmet Italian cuisine, the Grevepesa Chianti Classico Clemente VII Riserva 2021 embodies sophistication and the rich heritage of Chianti, making it a quintessential choice for connoisseurs seeking unparalleled quality.
HK$880.00 -
Vinous (94)
The final bottle was the 2015 Ipsus from Caggio. This maiden release comes from 6.5 hectares of Sangiovese owned by the Mazzei family, matured 50% new tonneaux and 50% in stainless steel, plus eight months in cement vat. This was the first time I had tasted Ipsus, and I was impressed. Sure, it is primal on the nose and needs another year or two to subsume the oak, but it offers gorgeous scents of ebullient red fruit tinged with crushed violets and a hint of peppermint. The palate has more density than a lot of Chianti Classico and is quite insistent in terms of grip, offering pure blood-orange-infused, luxuriant red fruit toward the grippy finish. It improved with aeration and after a couple of hours was more open and floral. Superb.HK$3,465.00 -
Vinous (94)
The final bottle was the 2015 Ipsus from Caggio. This maiden release comes from 6.5 hectares of Sangiovese owned by the Mazzei family, matured 50% new tonneaux and 50% in stainless steel, plus eight months in cement vat. This was the first time I had tasted Ipsus, and I was impressed. Sure, it is primal on the nose and needs another year or two to subsume the oak, but it offers gorgeous scents of ebullient red fruit tinged with crushed violets and a hint of peppermint. The palate has more density than a lot of Chianti Classico and is quite insistent in terms of grip, offering pure blood-orange-infused, luxuriant red fruit toward the grippy finish. It improved with aeration and after a couple of hours was more open and floral. Superb.HK$4,220.00 -
Decanter (98)
2016 was a later harvest, with picking interspersed with rain showers. 18 micro-vinifications took place in 25% new tonneaux and 75% stainless steel tanks, using wild yeast for the first time (the 2015 was inoculated). It was also the first year of using large barrels as the team sought to reduce overt oakiness in the wine, and so the 2016 was matured for 24 months in new tonneaux and one large 15hl barrel, followed by five months in cement before bottling. It has a darker profile with more black cherry character compared to 2015, grippier, more powerful and silky in the mouth. It has great freshness, showing plenty of balsamic influence and raspberry acidity, finishing with flourishes of wood, herbs, spice and earthiness. 3,600 bottles produced.HK$6,330.00 -
Decanter (97)
The 2018 vintage appears to be a combination of 2015 and 2016, showing the ripeness of 2015 - red cherries and plums - with the freshness of 2016. The tannins are tight and still evolving, while the acidity is crisp. The red fruit is underpinned with oak notes. Hold for a couple of years before opening.HK$3,465.00 -
Decanter (97)
The 2018 vintage appears to be a combination of 2015 and 2016, showing the ripeness of 2015 - red cherries and plums - with the freshness of 2016. The tannins are tight and still evolving, while the acidity is crisp. The red fruit is underpinned with oak notes. Hold for a couple of years before opening.HK$4,940.00 -
Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (98)
This is intense, with vivid textures and flavours coming in waves. Creamy, enticing, mouthwatering, it bounces through the palate, first crushed raspberries and sour cherry, then orange peel, turmeric spices and roses, with supple tannins and a drawn out finish. Joyful. Vinified in stainless steel, native yeast aged in oak barrels and 10% ceramic jars for the first time this vintage, followed by 14 months in bottle before release. A vintage where the variations in night and day temperature were extreme, allowing for long slow ripening.HK$7,840.00 -
The Drinks Business (100)
(Chianti Classico Gran Selezione; 100% Sangiovese; for October release; bottled for just over a year; pH 3.39; 13.6% alcohol). A little more serious. Denser. More compact. A wine of incredible power for something so lithe and limpid and, again, viscous and crystalline. There’s plunge-pool clarity in the mid-palate. Pristine purity and precision and also great length and focus. So wondrously layered and beautifully pixilated – like a pointillist’s brushstrokes. More ample than the 2019 with a broader frame, accentuating the sense of layering. A further sublimation, with the learning curve meeting the sheer quality of the vintage! Juicy and sapid. An utterly beautiful wine fully indicative of the potential of this enticing project.HK$6,175.00 -
Jancis Robinson (17.5)
Mid crimson. Immediately more complex on the nose with fruit and spice and hint of cigar box. Really tangy on the palate, vibrant and mouth-filling at the same time. Chewy tannins need time.HK$3,115.00 -
(6x75cl) 2018Jancis Robinson (17.5)
Barberino Tavernelle. 82% Sangiovese, 15% Canaiolo, 3% Syrah. Lustrous mid ruby. A concentrated cherry nose loaded with dark spice. Succulent, tangy cherry fruit with a mint oak note. Building up in concentration on the finish but without losing its freshness or elegance. A wine that never disappoints, regardless of vintage.HK$1,165.00 -
(12x75cl) 2020Jancis Robinson (17.5)
Just mid crimson. Finely fragrant, sweet raspberry nose. Beautiful precision on the palate with crushed-raspberry fruit and polished, fine tannins.HK$1,970.00 -
Decanter (94)
While Isole e Olena’s vineyards did suffer some minor frost damage in 2021, former owner Paolo de Marchi said it wasn’t dramatic, and fans will be happy to know that there is still ample quantity of this flag-bearing Chianti Classico. Bit by bit, it reveals characteristic nuances of brushwood, currants, rosehip, strawberry and pepper. Succulent and light on feet, the palate is judiciously concentrated with pure and persistent red berries. Taut, integrated tannins provide definition, and it trails off with garden-fresh herbs. This should give plenty of pleasure over the next eight to 10 years.HK$2,375.00 -
Wine Advocate (92)
Made with 90% Sangiovese and 10% Canaiolo, the Isole e Olena 2022 Chianti Classico has soft fruit and cherry with light spice and a hint of Tuscany rosemary or laurel leaf. I like the vibrant and lively quality of fruit in a vintage that also delivers ample ripeness. This release of 130,000 bottles ferments in stainless steel and sees a quick 12 months in botte grande.HK$1,330.00 -
Wine Advocate (97)
The 2006 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione is a controversial wine and for good reason. Proprietor Paolo De Marchi was initially opposed to the idea of introducing the Gran Selezione category above the Chianti Classico Riserva. But more than a year ago, the Institute of Masters of Wine held a special dinner in Florence and producers were invited to pour only Gran Selezione wines. Paolo had an amazing barrel of Sangiovese put aside for a commemorative wine to celebrate his 30th anniversary as a winemaker. He hoped to dedicate that wine as a special limited release. Because he also wanted to pour something of his at the Masters of Wine dinner, he declassified the wine and re-registered it as a Gran Selezione. This also explains why it is from an older vintage. Most of his peers inaugurated this new category with the 2010 vintage. Only 1,800 bottles were made (of which 500 are put aside for the family's personal use) and the blend consists of Sangiovese with 12% Cabernet Franc and 8% Syrah. I love Chianti Classico and I love super Tuscans, says Paolo De Marchi. This wine is a crossover of the two. The wine shows gorgeous ripeness with brooding dark fruit, depth and extreme balance. This is a wine that makes a statement upfront both in terms of the quality of the aromas and its overall integrity and persistency.HK$4,210.00 -
Wine Advocate (97)
The 2006 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione is a controversial wine and for good reason. Proprietor Paolo De Marchi was initially opposed to the idea of introducing the Gran Selezione category above the Chianti Classico Riserva. But more than a year ago, the Institute of Masters of Wine held a special dinner in Florence and producers were invited to pour only Gran Selezione wines. Paolo had an amazing barrel of Sangiovese put aside for a commemorative wine to celebrate his 30th anniversary as a winemaker. He hoped to dedicate that wine as a special limited release. Because he also wanted to pour something of his at the Masters of Wine dinner, he declassified the wine and re-registered it as a Gran Selezione. This also explains why it is from an older vintage. Most of his peers inaugurated this new category with the 2010 vintage. Only 1,800 bottles were made (of which 500 are put aside for the family's personal use) and the blend consists of Sangiovese with 12% Cabernet Franc and 8% Syrah. I love Chianti Classico and I love super Tuscans, says Paolo De Marchi. This wine is a crossover of the two. The wine shows gorgeous ripeness with brooding dark fruit, depth and extreme balance. This is a wine that makes a statement upfront both in terms of the quality of the aromas and its overall integrity and persistency.HK$3,675.00 -
(1x150cl) 2010HK$3,850.00 -
HK$3,125.00 -
HK$4,210.00 -
HK$4,210.00

