Banfi makes this in the hills between Florence and Siena, where Chianti Classico has been mapped and argued over for three centuries. The estate is one of the larger landowners in southern Tuscany, and the wine is Sangiovese in the classic mould: no filler grapes, no shortcuts, just the variety the zone was built on.
- Sangiovese, the grape of Chianti Classico.
- Tuscany, between Florence and Siena.
- 2020, a warm vintage across central Italy.
- 13.5% abv, medium body, dry.
- High acidity, medium tannin.
How it is made
Chianti Classico DOCG is a ruled appellation, not a broad one. Sangiovese must dominate the blend, and the wine has to spend time in oak and in bottle before it can carry the name. The zone itself is small, a defined set of hills between Florence and Siena, and the black rooster on the neck is the guarantee that the wine came from inside it.
How it tastes
Red cherry and plum lead, with dried herbs and a damp-earth note underneath. The tannins are firm but already settled, and the oak reads as a frame rather than a flavour. High acidity keeps the fruit lifted rather than heavy, which is what Sangiovese does when the vintage is warm and the picking is right.
Good to know
Chianti Classico is the older, smaller heart of Chianti, and it has held its own DOCG since 1984. Sangiovese is a thin-skinned, late-ripening grape that responds to heat with colour and to cool nights with perfume, which is why the altitude of these hills matters more than the latitude.
Contains alcohol.
