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This Week's Must-Try Wines from Vinous

Welcome to this week's Vinous Top Ten! Each week we compile a list of top ten wines from the Vinous database that you need to add to your wine wish list. With all the various regions, producers, and grapes, no week will be the same! All of the wines listed in this feature are available for purchase on Banquet . This week's must-try wines are from Antonio Galloni’s article 2016 Chianti Classico – A Modern Day Benchmark . Enjoy an excerpt from his article and his notes for this week's top ten below! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ “I can’t remember the last time I was this excited about Chianti Classico and its wines. My July trip included a number of truly memorable estate visits, two unforgettable verticals, and the thrill of discovering a handful of wineries that were new to me. The top 2016s have turned out to be just as extraordinary as I had hoped they would be, and the 2017s, while less consistent, have plenty to offer as well.” --Antonio Galloni, 2016 Chianti Classico – A Modern Day Benchmark, August 2019 1. Antinori 2015 Solaia 2. Badia a Coltibuono 2016 Chianti Classico Riserva Badia a Coltibuono 3. Carpineto 2015 Chianti Classico Riserva 4. Castellare 2016 Chianti Classico Riserva Il Poggiale 5. Castell'in Villa 2015 Chianti Classico 6. Castello di Bossi 2015 Chianti Classico Riserva Berardo 7. Fèlsina 2016 Chianti Classico Riserva 8. Montesecondo 2017 Chianti Classico 9. Podere Le Boncie 2016 Chianti Classico Le Trame 10. Volpaia 2016 Chianti Classico Riserva Castello di Volpaia

Castell'in Villa

Chianti Classico Sangiovese 2015

Delectable Wine
9.2

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. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, August 2019) — 5 years ago

Castello di Bossi

Riserva Berardo Chianti Classico Sangiovese Blend 2015

Delectable Wine
8.9

The 2015 Chianti Classico Riserva Berardo is a pretty, open-knit wine. Sweet dark cherry, plum, lavender, spice and menthol are nicely delineated in the 2015, a Riserva that is unusually translucent for the vintage. This is an especially refreshing, mid-weight wine for the year, with a good deal of savory and earthy Sangiovese character laced throughout. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, August 2019) — 5 years ago

Carpineto

Riserva Chianti Classico Sangiovese Blend 2015

Delectable Wine
9.0

The 2015 Chianti Classico Riserva is dark, plush and enveloping. Black cherry, chocolate, new leather, licorice, spice and lavender infuse this supple Riserva with lovely nuance and character. Silky tannins add to the wine's forward appeal. This is very nicely done in a forward style that is likely best suited to near and medium term drinking. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, August 2019) — 5 years ago

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Marchesi Antinori

Solaia Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2015

Delectable Wine
9.8

The 2015 Solaia hasn’t moved much since I tasted it last year. In the glass, the 2015 is surprisingly fresh and vibrant for the vintage. Blackberry jam, blood orange, chocolate, licorice, cloves, lavender and menthol are all woven together, but the 2015 needs time to show the full breadth of its beauty, as there is a ton going on here. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, August 2019) — 5 years ago

Podere le Boncie (Giovanna Morganti)

Le Trame Chianti Classico Sangiovese 2016

Delectable Wine
9.3

The 2016 Le Trame is a wine of striking translucent energy and nuance. Lifted aromatics and silky tannins let the purity of the Sangiovese fruit come through beautifully. Bright acids and a sense of energy add to the wine's many virtues. The 2016 is simply stellar, that's all there is to it. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, August 2019) — 5 years ago

Fattoria di Fèlsina Berardenga

Riserva Rancia Chianti Classico Sangiovese Blend 2016

Delectable Wine
9.6

The 2016 Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia is powerful, rich and explosive, with tremendous drive. Even so, several bottles have been quite closed. That is probably a very good sign for the long-term, but readers should not plan on touching a bottle anytime soon. A wine of vertical drive and aromatic nuance, the 2016 Rancia is super-complexed. Only with a few hours of air does it show the nuances and layers that were so evident from barrel. The 2016 is a painfully stubborn wine in the early going, but it will offer superb drinking pleasure for those who can wait. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, August 2019) — 5 years ago

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Castello di Volpaia

Riserva Chianti Classico Sangiovese 2016

Delectable Wine
9.2

The 2016 Chianti Classico Riserva Castello di Volpaia is a dark, powerful wine. Black cherry, smoke, licorice, incense, mocha menthol, lavender and leather infuse this virile, brooding Riserva with tons of character. In this tasting, the Riserva stands out for its depth and weighty substance. This is a decidedly virile wine from Volpaia. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, August 2019) — 5 years ago

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Azienda Agricola Montesecondo

Chianti Classico Sangiovese Blend 2017

Delectable Wine
9.4

The 2017 Chianti Classico is supple, racy and inviting, with striking textural depth and phenomenal balance. Succulent dark cherry fruit gives the 2017 much of its immediacy and appeal. Silky, plush and exceptionally harmonious, the 2017 captures all of the natural radiance of the year. Sweet floral and spice notes add lift to this sophisticated, beautifully polished Chianti Classico from Montesecondo. Quite simply, this is a phenomenal wine for the vintage. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, August 2019) — 5 years ago

Henry liked this

Castellare di Castellina

Riserva Vigna Il Poggiale Chianti Classico Sangiovese Blend 2016

Delectable Wine
9.2

The 2016 Chianti Classico Riserva Il Poggiale is a dense, powerful wine. Next to the straight Riserva, the Poggiale has more mid-palate depth and overall richness, but it is not more complex or nuanced, just a bigger wine. Red cherry jam, leather, smoke, sweet oak and licorice meld into the unctuous finish. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, August 2019) — 5 years ago

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Coltibuono

Badia a Coltibuono Chianti Classico Sangiovese Blend 2016

Delectable Wine
9.1

The 2016 Chianti Classico Riserva Badia a Coltibuono is a very pretty wine with lovely aromatic nuance and plenty of character to match its mid-weight personality. Crushed flowers, mint, lavender, spice and black cherry are all finely knit in this attractive, mid-weight Riserva. Fresh and energetic, the 2016 will drink nicely for many years to come. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, August 2019) — 5 years ago