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: 2016 San Giusto a Rentennano "Le Baròncole" Chianti Classico Riserva

2016 San Giusto a Rentennano "Le Baròncole" Chianti Classico Riserva (Elsewhere $70)

SKU #1446703 96 points James Suckling

Outer quote mark Lots of blackberry and blueberry aromas with freshly cut flowers. Full body. Firm and lightly chewy tannins with a mineral and hot-stone undertone to the brightness and energy. Fantastic, single-vineyard Chianti Classico. Needs a year or two to soften. Inner quote mark (7/2019)

96 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Outer quote mark The 2016 Chianti Classico Riserva Le Baròncole is a beautiful wine that delivers a very convincing performance as soon as you venture your happy nose into the glass. The wine is inky dark in appearance, yet brilliant hues of dark ruby and garnet shine bright from within. There is a moment of austerity on the bouquet, with dark aromas of slate and blackberry that slowly unwind and relax to producer softer aromas of red cherry and candied plum. This wine's natural range and distance shows more latitude than you may expect. This Riserva is a real beauty, and this vintage is something truly special. (ML) Inner quote mark (9/2019)

95 points Vinous

Outer quote mark The 2016 Chianti Classico Riserva Le Baròncole is a super-elegant, perfumed wine. Classy and polished, with exceptional balance, the 2016 has so much to offer. All the best elements of the house style come together in a deep, layered Chianti Classico that oozes with class. Super-ripe dark cherry, plum, lavender, spice and menthol build into the finely knit, delineated finish. The 2016 spent 22 months in a combination of casks and smaller format French oak, mostly tonneaux. In 2016, Baròncole is especially fine. Don't miss it! (AG) Inner quote mark (8/2019)

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2016 San Giusto a Rentennano "Le Baròncole" Chianti Classico Riserva

Price: $54.99

Quantity:

JS: 96

RP: 96

VN: 95

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Product Reviews:

By: Ryan Moses | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 2/22/2020 | Send Email

What a wine. I've been following the wines of San Giusto a Rentennano over the past couple years, and they've received nearly every winemaking benchmark you can imagine (multiple 100-pointers, WS Top 10, etc). Even at this modest price level, it's easy to see why the wines are so cherished. It has a bit of the wild side of Sangiovese with dark red to black fruits, a bit of an herbal note, and racy acidity. But it is rich and deep, with resounding waves of fruit, in a way that makes me think of top-notch Super Tuscans at twice the price instead of a Chianti. This offers a ton right now with a healthy decant, but will age beautifully over the better part of two decades.

Additional Information:

Varietal:

Sangiovese

- The most widely planted grape in Italy is Sangiovese, a high-acid grape with moderate to high tannins, apparent earthiness and subtle fruit. It is thought to have originated in Tuscany and its name, which translates to "blood of Jove," leads historians to believe it may date all the way back to the Etruscan period, though historical mentions only go as far back as the early 1700s. Though planted all over modern Italy, the most significant wines made from Sangiovese still come from Tuscany: Chianti and Brunello di Montalcino. Sangiovese must make up 75% of a blend from the Chianti DOCG t be labeled as such, traditionally allowing for Canaiolo, Trebbiano and Malvasia for the remainder, though more recently small proportions of Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot have been allowed. In Brunello di Montalcino the wine must be made entirely of Sangiovese. Prugnolo is Montepulciano's name for Sangiovese, and it is used there for the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano wines. In the DOC of Carmignano Sangiovese can be blended with 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. There are also Super Tuscans, IGT wines that blend Sangiovese with large proportions of Cabernet or Merlot. Elsewhere in Italy it is a workhorse grape, though it does find some success (though not the longevity) in the Montefalco and Torgiano wines of Umbria as well as the foundation of Rosso Piceno and a significant element of Rosso Conero from the Marches. Like Nebbiolo, Sangiovese has struggled to find footing outside of Italy, though in recent years California wineries have been having better fortune with grape plantings in the Sierra Foothills/El Dorado County, as well as Sonoma County and the Central Coast.

Country:

Italy

- Once named Enotria for its abundant vineyards, Italy (thanks to the ancient Greeks and Romans) has had an enormous impact on the wine world. From the shores of Italy, the Romans brought grapes and their winemaking techniques to North Africa, Spain and Portugal, Germany, France, the Danube Valley, the Middle East and even England. Modern Italy, which didn't actually exist as a country until the 1870s, once produced mainly simple, everyday wine. It wasn't until the 1970s that Italy began the change toward quality. The 1980s showed incredible efforts and a lot of experimentation. The 1990s marked the real jump in consistent quality, including excellence in many Region that had been indistinct for ages. The entire Italian peninsula is seeing a winemaking revolution and is now one of the most exciting wine Region in the world.

Sub-Region:

Tuscany

Specific Appellation:

Chianti

- Chianti is the most famous wine name in Italy is not the name of a grape but actually a region. Chianti lies in the 35 miles of hills between Florence and Siena, a complex geological region as well as geographically. The extraordinary geography makes grape growing a very challenging feat with multiple exposures and soil types on the same estate. The region comprises 9 different communes not dissimilar to Bordeaux wherein each commune has a particular characteristic that shows in the wine. The wine is made predominantly Sangiovese, the grape must comprise at least 80% of the blend. Chianti Classico is the "classic" region, though many other nearby regions now use the name "Chianti" to make similar wines. The "Gallo Nero" or Black Rooster on many of the Chianti Classico bottles is a private consortium of producers who try and control the direction of production and quality amongst their members.