There are few wines over the past five years that have captured my imagination like the Chianti of Castell'in Villa.

This is Sangiovese as it should be: finessed, harmonious, and understated.

It's a strange thing to say, but I owe a lot to these wines. They made me return to some of my favorites from my early days of wine - Montevertine, Costanti, Cerbaiona, etc. They remind me just how much Tuscany can bring to the table.

The fact that the Riserva from Castell'in Villa's inaugural 1971 vintage is still stunning today testifies to how finely crafted these traditional Chiantis are.

The 2013 is an utterly classic and outright thrilling example of their Riserva. In recent years, the only competition comes from the profound 2010.

This is one of those dream brew sort of wines where you have concentration, verve, complexity, and purity. Antonio Galloni captures the wine well when he writes that it: "is a wine of tremendous intrigue, the sort of wine that opens up over hours, constantly revealing new dimensions of personality."

The Chianti Classico Riserva is sourced from Castell'in Villa's best vineyards in the southeast corner of Castelnuovo Berardenga. The breeding that Riservas show in any vintage is obvious, but in 2013 something magical happened.

Castell'in Villa is one of the most historic, time-tested estates in Chianti. The 2013 Riserva is clearly a distance runner, and a dazzling one at that. We can only echo Galloni: "Don't miss it."

To order, email offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.

Ian McFadden

Director, Fine & Rare Wine
Crush Wine & Spirits