(2023) Six thousand bottles of this super-premium Chianti Classico were produced, the wine spending 20 months in 500-litre French oak barrels plus 15 months more in bottle before release. On chalk and gravel soils, this block of the vineyard was planted in the 1970s, and San Felice say the wine has 20 years+ of ageing potential. An ethereal aspect to this wine, there is suggestion of a fresh forest after the rain, also a wisp of smokiness along with firm cherry and raspberry fruit. Lots and lots of juiciness here, mouth-watering, agile, defying its 14.5% alcohol. That shows just a touch in the finish, but the whole picture is so fresh, balanced and delicious.
(2023) The blend at this time was 80% Sangiovese along with 10% each of Pugnitello and Colorino, from 1970s vineyards. Softening brick on the rim, a mellow wine, with bloody and tobacco notes, a subtle truffle character with its age. Such sweet fruit on the palate: an almost strawberry or ripe red plum juiciness and fruit richness, some chocolate notes into a mellow but still vital finish, smooth tannins and gentle acidity balanced perfectly. At this stage might still benefit from decanting just to allow it to open slightly.
(2023) I believe the 2015 was 100% Sangiovese, but given a very similar winemaking treatment to the 2018, with 20 months in 500-litre French oak barrels and extended time in bottle before release. It's loaded with tobacco and spicy aromas over black fruit - cherries, but blackcurranty depth too. In the mouth lots of cherry depth over swirling smoky notes. Tannins are big and very drying, so I think these needs to be decanted or preferably given more time. Acid balance is excellent. A substantial wine for sure.
(2023) This is around 80% Sangiovese, the remainder being other local varieties including Abrusco, Pugnitello, Malvasia Nera, Ciliegiolo and Mazzese. Brooding, dark, combining black cherry and liquorice aromas, but there's intensity here, moving into plum and blueberry. This is drinking superbly a decade on since harvest, and while there is plenty of bittersweetness to the fruit, tannin and acid, the core has a dry but definite fruit ripeness and richness. It stays linear and focused. I would be drinking this now, though the axis of tannin and acid may well propel it further. No Uk stockists for this vintage at time of review.
(2023) A single vineyard, Sangiovese Riserva blended with some Colorino and Pugnitello, from limestone soils. Again a very darkly-hued wine, and this is the only one of the wines here that feels fully mature. There's some gamy tertiarty aroma, spices and a woodsmoke character, the fruit still there but not singing as clearly as in the 2010 Il Grigio for example. In the mouth this does still have balance thanks to the fruit feeling a little more solid, though it is fairly quickly clamped down by sandy tannins and bitter cherry acidity. The wine resolves into fruit and coffee in the finish, so perhaps this will have more longevity than I first thought it might.
(2023) This was fermented in stainless steel, a selection of the best grapes, sorted in the vineyard and again at the winery. At this time the blend was 80% Sangiovese with Pugnitello and Colorino. It was aged 24 months in 500-litre French oak. Deeply coloured, there's a real sense of classicism here: the fruit is vinous with plum and cherry, deep and smoothly concentrated over plush oak. The palate has gorgeous, chocolate-like fruit creaminess, depth and smoothness. There's lots of espresso here, presumably higher toast oak adding a little of that, but it gives lovely texture and depth after 13 years. The wine feels resolved, but no rush to drink. No UK stockists for this vintage at time of review.
(2021) So if you thought it remarkable that a 10-year-old wine was on offer, how about an 18-year-old super-Tuscan for less than £20? From a biodynamic estate owned and run by Château Giscours of Margaux, it's a blend of Sangiovese with Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Once again there's a mellow maturity to the colour, and the nose doesn't offer much other than a hint of truffle, olive and sweet damp earth, maybe a little cedar in there too. On the palate it is a different matter: I very much enjoyed its deep-set, rich fruitcake character, beautifully integrated oak and palate riven with a cherry-ripe acidity and taut tannin structure. It drinks really well, finishing on tobacco spice, coffee and black fruit, and is a bit of steal for a mature wine of such quality. Drink over the next couple of years.
(2021) A blend of 50% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot, 2005 was generally a very good year, though careful harvesting was necessary in autumn showers. The different parcels and varieties resulted in 54 separate vinifications of base wine components. The wines were matured for 12 months in barriques (25% new barrels), then blended, and returned to barrel for a futher five months. It still exhibits a deep colour, quite opaque at the core. The nose presents a lovely amalgam of plum and glossy black cherry, gamey and balsamic notes, and a hint of woodsmoke wreathed through it. Classic pencil shaving and graphite touches too. In the mouth, beautiful and expansive sweetness, a rich, creamy weight of fruit that is glossy and ripe, then terrific support pushes through, with chocolaty tannins, as fine as you like, fine acidity, and the wine runs on and on into the finish. Not currently available retail in the UK, but may appear at auction.
(2021) In 2013 the blend was slightly dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon with 36%, then 32% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 12% Petit Verdot, and it was a late harvest with a cool spring and autumn delaying growth. It is eight years younger than the 2005 of course, but seems to be a of much firmer character generally (possibly because of the upped Cabernet content), with firm black fruit on the nose and a savoury, liquorice bite to the acidity and fruit on the palate, tart berry skins giving grip and energy, a fine, long and flowing finish, though that slightly more austere edge is always there.
(2021) As with the 2013 vintage, Cabernet Sauvignon marginally dominates the blend with 33%, then 32% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc and 17% Petit Verdot. This was a rather wet year, but a warm one, with warm and dry conditions for harvest. Winemaking follows a similar recipe for this wine each year, with only 25% new oak for the barrel maturation, the separate components blended after one year in barrel before further barrel ageing. This is a particularly silky and sleek Le Serre Nuove at this young stage, smooth black cherry and cassis aromas, melding seamlessly with creamy oak, a little graphite and tobacco. Terrific fruit sweetness and juiciness on the palate, with smooth, unruffled black fruit but edged with keen cherry acidity and taut framework of tannins. This has the hallmarks to be an exceptionally good wine with longevity too. Many merchants are offering this by the six-bottle case currently, at under £50 per bottle equivalent. Use the wine-searcher link.
Displaying results 10 - 20 of 134
We use cookies to ensure you enjoy the best experience on our website. Click OK to continue.OK