To be labelled as a “Riserva,” a Chianti Classico must be at least 12.5% ABV and be aged for at least 24 months.
Smells of fresh and ripe strawberry, plum, and fig. The taste is fruity but muted, with flavors of plum, cherry, fig, and strawberry making brief, and for the most part unsweetened appearances before fading into the finish and extremely astringent, but structured full body. The finish is long and very dry with a low acidity, featuring notes of oak, vanilla, raspberry, forest floor, tobacco, and leather and a lingering mouth feel of wine gums. Overall, this a very well structured wine with a lot of complexity. The brighter fruity flavors of the younger wines are all but gone, but the added dimensions brought from the aging in oak more than make up for it and result in a truly unique and memorable wine. Well worth $20/bottle.
