I was going to include this wine in my Tasting Report on the best wines from the new class of Chianti Classico Riserva, but ultimately, Castell’in Villa is just too singular. In a lineup of its peers, the Castelnuovo Berardenga estate’s wines always stand out — not so much for their grace and harmony (which is in abundance), but the different aromas and flavors they conjure. Every time I encounter their wines at the Chianti Classico Collection, I am struck by how dramatically unique they are, especially the Riserva. My raw notes on the 2019 were this:
The nose is so unique, so weirdly specific: plum, dried cherries, cedar, juniper berries, gentle spice. Yet still so fresh despite its age. No sign of savory, meat or leather. Smells like a mountain wine, not like the others from Castelnuovo Berardenga. Beautiful, complete, patient acidity; elegant tannins and a lot of persistence overlaying that mountain fruit. Finish reminds me of cardamom.
On the surface, what used to make Castell’in Villa unique — i.e. 100% Sangiovese, abundant biodiversity, traditional techniques, low intervention — is not so unusual in Chianti Classico now. When Principessa Coralia Pignatelli della Leonessa and her husband, Riccardo, took over the estate in the late 1960s, they immediately prioritized Sangiovese and abandoned the white grapes on the property. This effectively gave them a 50-year head start on the prevailing fashion of Chianti Classico today, and there has been little tinkering since. Perhaps that’s partly what shows in the glass.
Secondly, she’s prioritized traditional techniques in the vineyard (like massale selection) and cellar (ambient yeasts from the beginning, long aging before release). The Riserva typically spends between 24 and 36 months in large Slavonian oak casks, which is far longer than most Chianti Classico these days. And the release date is always one or two years longer than mandated. Again: this partly shows in the glass, especially that oak aging.
But there seems to be an intangible third element accounting for Castell’in Villa’s magnificence. Is it soul? I’ll have to visit to find out, but this is one of those special wines that grabs a hold of your imagination and does not let go.
2019 Castell’in Villa Chianti Classico Riserva
Chianti Classico DOCG (Tuscany )
Grapes: Sangiovese (100% )
Alcohol: 13.5%
Opinion: ★★★★★ (out of five)
Food-friendliness: Selective
Value: A Little Pricey
A beginner might like … knowing that the roots of Principessa Coralia Pignatelli della Leonessa’s family go back to the Middle Ages and the Kingdom of Naples, where the noble honorifics in the family originate, and what they refer to today.
A wine obsessive might like … collecting this wine. Castell’in Villa is one of those rare wineries that does things the hard way, and only releases the wine when they believe it is ready. Having a few of their wines is a treasure to behold.
Note: My travel expenses to attend the Anteprima di Toscana were paid for by the governing body of the event. Learn more about my travel and editorial policy in producing this publication.
