97-pt Ricasoli: All This Focus, Elegance, & Finish + Great Value, Too?

Why Buy: What are you getting when you buy a bottle of Barone Ricasoli, the oldest estate in all of Italy and the one that "set the style," Wine Spectator once wrote, "for one of Italy's greatest regions"? Remarkable purity, elegance, grace, power, depth, and, yes, value. We've reached deep into their cellars to bring you a star-studded lineup of their greatest collectibles this decade, including a 97+-pointer, two 97-pointers, and two 96-pointers. To see this combination of power, dynamism, and maturity, and at a price point like this, is nothing short of remarkable, and makes this a flat-out phenomenal deal in the world of collectible wine.

What They're Saying: The Wine Advocate's Monica Larner awarded the 2021 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Gaiole Roncicone an impressive 97+ points. She praised its "energy and great sense of focus," noting its "elegant mineral tones of crushed seashell and chalk that frame a core of elegant berry fruit" and a "silky and long-lasting finish.” Not to be outdone, the 2021 Castello di Brolio earned 97 points from James Suckling, who was mesmerized by its "finesse and sensitivity." He described it as "delicate and almost weightless, with a beautiful and energetic fruit and acid balance... and extremely long.” The critics were equally impressed by the 2021 Chianti Classico Gaiole Colledilà Gran Selezione, which Wine Spectator awarded 97 points, praising its "superb balance and grace" and noting its "succulent and verging on racy" profile. 

Our Tasting Notes: To taste through this lineup is  to take a grand tour of Chianti Classico's finest terroirs:

* The Roncicone Gran Selezione 2021 opens up with an intoxicating bouquet of ripe cherries and violets, underlaid with subtle notes of Mediterranean herbs. On the palate, it's a beguiling combo of power and finesse, with silky tannins and a mineral-driven finish that seems to go on for minutes. 

* The Castello di Brolio 2021 is all elegance and polish. It offers layers of red and black fruits, with hints of tobacco and leather that speak to its aging potential. What's most striking is its ethereal quality – it manages to deliver both depth and lightness.

* In the Colledilà Gran Selezione 2021, we found ourselves in the presence of a stately majesty that, intriguingly, belies the boldness and muscle within. Its dark fruit (black cherry and plum) is direct and expressive, and given great dimension by its notes of espresso and dark chocolate. 

* The Ceniprimo Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2021 leaps from the glass with aromas of fresh red berries and crushed roses, with hint of white pepper. The tannins are fine-grained and perfectly integrated, giving the wine a sleek, racy character that's utterly captivating. 

* Rounding out the collection, the Casalferro 2020 showcases Ricasoli's mastery beyond Sangiovese. This Merlot-dominated blend offers a different take on Tuscan terroir. It's plush and velvety, with ripe dark fruit flavors balanced by a savory edge of herbs and earth. The finish is long and harmonious, with soft tannins and a touch of balsamic complexity.

The Story: Every bottle of Ricasoli is steeped in history, and perhaps more so than most wine lovers realize. The roots of the family run deep, extending as far back as the court of Emperor Charlemagne. Records suggest that the family was defending Florence against attack in the early 13th century from the famed Brolio castle, and we know that the family was making wine as early as the 12th century. History and winemaking come together perhaps most strikingly in the story of Bettino Ricasoli, known vernacularly as the Iron Baron. Bettino was twice elected Prime Minister of the newly united Italy, and, for all intents and purposes, inaugurated the modern era of winemaking for the family. It is often said that it was he who set down the formula for Chianti wine, now known as Chianti Classico. Today the winemaking is overseen by Baron Francesco Ricasoli, who, over the past three decades, has undertaken extensive research both of the original clones of Chianti Classico and of the different soils of his sprawling estate, a land of dense woodlands and rolling valleys that includes nearly 240 hectares of vineyards and 26 of olive groves. The results, almost across the board, have been stunning.

The Specs: Barone Ricasoli's winemaking philosophy blends centuries-old tradition with modern precision. The estate's 240 hectares of vineyards are divided into distinct parcels, each with its unique soil composition and microclimate. This allows for meticulous vineyard management and harvesting. For the Gran Selezione wines, only the best Sangiovese grapes are selected, often from single vineyards. Fermentation occurs in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, followed by malolactic fermentation. The wines then age in a combination of French oak barriques and larger casks, with the specific regimen tailored to each wine's character. The Castello di Brolio, their flagship wine, a blend of Sangiovese with small amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, undergoes an extended maceration period to extract maximum flavor and structure, followed by 18-20 months of aging in oak.

Fun Fact: The Ricasoli family's influence extends beyond wine. They were instrumental in developing the Italian language as we know it today. In the 14th century, one Bindaccio Ricasoli helped establish the Accademia della Crusca — the world's oldest linguistic academy, which played a crucial role in standardizing Italian.

Our Guarantee: We always buy and source direct, so rest assured – your wines will arrive in your hands with pristine provenance. Secure yours today!