“Simply put, this is one of the finest producers in all of Chianti with wines that offer tremendous quality to price ratio.” - Antonio Galloni

No doubt, Chianti Classico makes some of the world’s greatest value reds. If the quality to price ratio here was “tremendous” at the release price, our stupendous 40%+ discount makes this a wicked steal. One taste of this 94-point gem and you’ll feel the regenerative Tuscan sun warming your soul.

Montegrossi is an iconic name in Tuscany stretching back to the 80s. Only produced in great vintages, this top of the line “Gran Selezione” is the highest you can go here. Now mind you, 2014 was not an easy vintage in Tuscany, producers either had to consolidate their high-quality grapes into lower classifications or get extra judicious to make less of their top tiers. Rest assured though, Decanter noted that this one “stands up to many of the Gran Seleziones from the more highly-regarded 2015 and 2016 vintages.” and remarked on its “surprising heft and ripeness”. Galloni called it a “striking and complete wine”. Agent Noir adds it’s “the bomb diggy!”.

Montegrossi generally shows a richer, fuller style Chianti and we agree with the Vinous review: “dark, sumptuous and super-expressive”. This sublime and seamless wine flaunts juicy bing cherry, plum, tobacco and graphite, and there’s a nice spicy edge along with some savory herbs too. Super enjoyable with a nice lamb shank or some aged cheeses thanks to its vibrant acidity. A complete Sangiovese indeed and definitely capable of aging gracefully for years to come. It’ll certainly shame many a Brunello!

Let’s leave it with a Wine Spectator feature highlighting that; “San Marcellino vineyard Sangiovese makes for outstanding, mineral-driven Chianti Classico. Sangiovese from this area possesses a very strong backbone and mineral expression, and is capable of long aging. The flagship and the smaller production 15-acre single-vineyard Vigneto San Marcellino, bottled in the best years, can go the distance, as the 1999, 1995 and a 1990 bottling demonstrated.”

Make haste on this one. We already snagged a few and now it’s time to start braising a fat lamb shank. Ciao!

94 Points – Antonio Galloni’s Vinous

“The 2014 Chianti Classico Vigneto San Marcellino is dark, sumptuous and super-expressive. Like all of the wines here, the 2014 San Marcellino needs at least a few years in bottle to truly show everything it has, but there is more than enough here to provide for engaging drinking for many years to come. Time in the glass brings out gorgeous scents of black cherry, plum, menthol, licorice and smoke. The 2014 is a striking, complete wine. Drink 2021-2039.”

93 Points – Decanter

”Marco Ricasoli replanted his now 7ha San Marcellino vineyard with new and easier to manage clones of Sangiovese, giving thick skins and loose bunches. He also included less than 1ha of Pugnitello, a local grape that he helped rescue. This has surprising heft and ripeness of fruit for the cool and rainy 2014 vintage. Deeply coloured, it starts with toasted oak and sweet spice then makes way for red plum and pepper. The tannins are a bit chunky but admirably ripe, and this stands up to many of the Gran Seleziones from the more highly-regarded 2015 and 2016 vintages. Drink 2019-2027.”