Castell’in Villa Chianti Classico – 2020

Castell’in Villa is one of the most important and renowned wine estates in Chianti, based in the beautiful, hilly countryside just outside Castelnuovo Berardenga. It was rated one of only 3 “1er Grand Cru Classé A” equivalent estates in Chianti by Walter Speller in his 2020 classification of Chianti’s top estates on Jancisrobinson.com.

This remarkable Chianti Classico is made from 100% Sangiovese grapes coming from the estate’s 8 vineyard sites. It is aged in large Slavonian oak casks in traditional Chianti fashion for 12 months before bottling, then released onto the market around 3 years later. It has super-impressive depth of flavour and structure for a “simple” Chianti Classico, with notes of dried cherries, spice and cigar box. It is medium bodied, fresh and elegant, yet has the ability to develop and improve over 10-20 years!

“Still quite tight and a little closed on the nose with perfumed cherry fruit and peppery minerally notes. Fluid cherry fruit with bags of firm gripping tannins and lifted acidity. Very long and focused and in no hurry to be drunk.” 17++/20 jancisrobinson.com – tasted in February 2025

“The 2020 Chianti Classico is a gorgeous wine from Castell’in Villa. Soft contours are the first sign of a rare young Chianti Classico from this estate which will drink well with minimal cellaring. Dark wild cherry, cedar and pipe tobacco open first. The 2020 offers gorgeous, dark Sangiovese fruit along with all of the structure that is so typical of the wines here. Plum, graphite, leather, incense and dried herbs shape the striking finish. What an absolute delight!” 93/100 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.

“”Winemaker Federico Staderini continues to do a terrific job in exalting the classicism that makes Castell’in Villa such an iconic estate. The 2020 Chianti Classico is one of the most alluring, flat-out delicious young wines I have tasted here in some time.” Antonio Galloni