Castell’in Villa Chianti Classico 2015

AG 92 / Decanter 93 pts

AG: Castell’in Villa’s 2015 Chianti Classico is a gorgeous wine that will delight readers who enjoy the Chianti Classicos of this reference-point estate in Castelnuovo Berardenga. Crushed flowers, mint, licorice, dried herbs, cedar and tobacco give the 2015 lovely aromatic complexity. The 2015 is perhaps a bit more open than young wines tend to be here, but then again, 2015 is a warm vintage that generally yielded accessible Chianti Classicos. All that means is that the 2015 can be enjoyed with less cellaring than is the norm here. As it so often is, the Castell’in Villa Chianti Classico is a wine of real pedigree and distinction.

Decanter : Castell’in Villa was originally purchased as a weekend retreat in 1968. An avid gardener and talented taster, proprietress Princess Coralia Pignatelli della Leonessa has been crafting singular Chianti Classico ever since. She holds her wine back a few years and has just released the 2015. It has a bit more weight to it than previous vintages but the unfussy, traditional style is unwavering. Notes of terracotta, chamomile, baked herbs, flint and underbrush lead to a dusty fruit core and chalky tannins cling to the palate. It is an introspective wine, though not austere, and will express itself slowly over the next decade or so. Drinking Window 2021 – 2033