Castellare di Castellina Chianti Classico Riserva 2020

Drink now or cellar for up to 9 years. Decant 1 hour. Rich ruby in colour, the aromas of cherry, strawberry, citrus and hints of liquorice and tobacco are prominent with a hint of vanilla. The flavours of ripe black fruit, cherry and leather mingle with great acidity, silky tannins all perfectly balanced in this full bodied wine. The finish is long and lingering with a touch of spice at the end. Will match fantastically with rich beef stew, pasta with meat or sausage sauce, ham, salami or roast beef. The hand harvested grapes from a single vineyard are vinified in steel vats for between 18 and 25 days prior to being aged in new oak for 12 months. There is a further 12 months in bottle prior to release. No herbicides, pesticides or chemicals of any nature are used in Castellarre’s wines which makes them even more desirable. The yields from this vineyard are well below the maximum yields allowed for its DOCG status, which further drives up the quality of the resulting wines. Castellare di Castellina is situated in Castellina in Chianti. It comprises of 33 hectares that are growing in an amphitheatre that is south east facing. The altitude of 1000 feet above sea level has a cooling effect on the grapes and helps drive the quality up. The vines are relatively young (between 5 and 30 years old) and constant research is being carried out to further improve the wine. A notable point of interest – each year a different endangered bird is put on the label to reflect the company’s environmental stance.

Price: £25.51 from 8wines UK