Chianti Classico 2006

Chianti Classico 2006

2006 was a superb year for Chianti and Tuscany in general. For once, Tuscany could revel in it's 55 Tre Bicchiere awards while the usually undisputed King of Italian wine making regions, Piedmont, had to settle for a paltry 52. Within Italy sales of Chianti are on the rise and internationally there is growing demand for Chianti Classico which is now world renowned for offering fantastic QPR and has shed it's straw covered/tourist image. It's hard to generalise a vintage across an area as wide as Chianti but these wines are of high alcohol, good acidity and with a fine tannic structure so should age beautifully.

2006 is thought to be the second best Chianti Classico vintage in the last 15 years, coming two years after the best vintage, 2004. As is often the case when you have a great vintage, the second brilliant vintage in quick succession can offer great opportunities for those looking to invest in wine. It is often forgotten that the mighty Sangiovese, even outside of Brunello di Montalcino is capable of ageing and any one of the four wines in this review will be drinking beautifully in 2016 and some even possibly up to 2030.

Reliable and Excellent Producers of Chianti Classico
There are some producers who can be relied upon year in year out with their Chianti Classico wines being among the best of the vintage, however, I can't guarantee any of these wines will be excellent in any given vintage, I'm not Matt Skinner. These are four of my favourites from 2006 that you should be able to easily locate.

• Felsina Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia £20-25
• Barone Ricasoli Chianti Classico Castello di Brolio - £15-20
• Fontodi Chianti Classico Riserva Vigna del Sorbo - £25-35
• Castello di Volpaia Chianti Classico Riserva - £12-16

The top two wines here are among my personal top five wines of the year and I'm not just talking about Chianti, or Tuscany, or Italy, I'm talking unbeatable value, two of the best wine bargains of the year anywhere. Capiche?

You may notice a glaring omission from this list, Castello di Ama. While there is no denying that both the Bellavista and Casuccia bottlings are extraordinary I can't recommend these wines as great value both retailing around the £100 mark.

Fattoria di Felsina Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia 2006 - BUY - £25
A deep brooding ruby red the wine takes a while to express itself on the nose however when it does the bouquet has sumptuous notes, spice and earthy with blackberries and cherries mingling with floral tones too. This is a full bodied Chianti that is fresh with strong acidity, drying tannins and a great structure for ageing potential. Powerful and vibrant give this wine some respect and another five years at least. 94 Points

Barone Ricasoli Chianti Classico Castello di Brolio 2006 - BUY - £15
Almost purple in colour this wine is stunningly aromatic and typically Chianti Classico. Dried fruits, spices, cherries and chocolate on the nose. The wine is mid-full bodied, tannic and with a bitter finish. This wine won the best Italian wine of the year with Wine Spectator magazine and so the price has gone up since my video review you can see here. 89 Points

Fontodi Chianti Classico Riserva Vigna del Sorbo 2006 - BUY - £30
A deep purple wine and full bodied, this Chianti Classico takes hours and hours to open up and really should be cellared for a further 10 years to get close to its best expression. However, today the wine is bringing a sour cherry, tobacco and chocolate nose if decanted for several hours. On the palate the wine is high on both tannins and acidity and the structure and power here is immense. Some red fruits on the palate but mostly earth and just dense. One of those wines where drinking today is pleasurable but not a patch on having a little patience, it's gonna be a monster! 94 Points

Castello di Volpaia Chianti Classico Riserva 2006 - BUY - £14
The lightest of the four, a medium ruby red and also the least dense this Chianti Classico is made in a smooth style and is medium bodied. On the nose the wine has classic sour cherry, some vanilla but also a heap of earth too. The wine can be drunk today but will improve, is smooth in style with the typical high acidity and great fruits on the palate. A touch watery and clipped on the finish. 89 Points

Where can I buy this wine? (the lowest price available - just click the link on the country)
Felsina - USA - EUROPE - UK
Barone Ricasoli - USA - EUROPE - UK
Fontodi - USA - EUROPE - UK
Castello di Volpaia - USA - EUROPE - UK

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Felsina Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia

Felsina Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia

Felsina Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia was the wine picked out last night in an attempt to banish the bitter memories of that shocking Villa Caffagio effort from the weekend and reaffirm my faith in Chianti. I picked up the Villa Caffagio believing it would represent Italy well in the Tesco challenge only to see it come out as the worst value wine of the bunch. So it was down to the Felsina Chianti Classico Riserva 2005 to reinstall the good name of Chianti Classico and prove the value to be had in this DOCG.

Felsina is a legendary producer in Chianti with both fair prices and an excellent product line. Alive and kicking since the 12th century, its only in the last few decades that Felsina went from also ran Tuscan producer to the top name in Chianti. This radical transformation can be credited in part to top Italian oenologist Franco Bernabei whose wines rarely fall short of outstanding. Felsina produce the very best of contemporary Chianti Classico and are considered the reference point for quality in the area. Felsina are in the southern part of Chianti, closer to Brunello, the wines are both powerful and earthy.

Last night I tried the Riserva Rancha, which in 2004 took an outstanding 95 point Parker score. The 2005 isn't too shabby either; among the very best Chianti Classico wines of the vintage, possibly the best. At €23 it's hard to think of what other #1 producer in any AC or DOC can match that kind of value, let alone a DOCG as famous as Chianti Classico. Even the 95 Point 2004 effort can still be found for under €30.

There has been a Fattoria di Felsina since the 12th century. The estate is skipping distance from Siena itself and a perfect estate to visit when touring Tuscany. Felsina produce a cheaper Chianti Classico bottling which is also outstanding but its with the Riserva Rancia that the real quality of the wine making shines through. The grapes grow in albarese and galestro soils (shale, lime and clay) and undergo a temperature controlled fermentation before seeing 12-18 months in small barrels followed by 6 months of bottle age before release.

Fattoria di Felsina also produce a very good Cabernet Sauvignon, the Maestro Raro, a famous and lauded 100% Sangiovese IGT Fontalloro (which can rival the Rancia in terms of quality), a top Tuscan Vin Santo and a blended white I Sistri, a Chardonnay with a splash of Sauvignon Blanc. All of Felsinas wines are fairly priced much to the chagrin of many other Tuscan producers.

Fattoria di Felsina Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia 2005 - BUY - €22.50

A darker than normal deep ruby red. Takes a few moments to come alive on the nose but once it does the aromas are a beautiful, fresh and lively mix of sweet cherries, toasted oak and a floral component in the background. On the palate the wine is still heavily tannic. The initial attack is very impressive, fresh yet concentrated with lots of luscious dark fruits and once more with feeling for the cherries. Fruit continues through the mid palate to a long, earthy finish. A powerful, full bodied wine that still needs a few years to relax. 93 Points

This is the kind of wine you want to be filling your cellars with (or in my case, cupboards) for short to mid term drinking. I can see this going wonderfully well with all kind of Italian fayre, meats and cheeses as well as being perfect for drinking alone. I'm not sure I can point to many more Italian wines that are better value, age worthy and simply delicious as well as terroir expressive and a great accompaniment for a range of foods. Even if you're not used to laying down the big bucks on wine, this will be the best £20 you spent on wine.

I don't think there's any need to continue this blog is there. We found it! *rings the bell* I'm off home.

Where can I buy this wine?

Americans - Napa Cabs - $29.95

Europeans - Italian Wine Selection - €22.50

Brits - Fine and Rare - £21

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Buy this wine. Tell me what you thought. If you're already a convert, how much does this wine rock the casbah? When buying a wine, what is it you really want to see? Value for money? Fruit? High alcohol? (I know someone who buys wine based on the ABV!)