Sergioveto Chianti Classico Riserva 2018 - Tuscany, Italy

94/100 James Suckling
93/100 Decanter World Wine Awards
93/100 Michaela Morris, Decanter
93/100 Falstaff
93/100 Ernersto Gentili
91/100 Monica Larner, Wine Advocate
93/100 James Suckling (2019)
93/100 Bruce Sanderson, Wine Spectator (2019)
94/100 James Suckling (2016 vintage)
93/100 Falstaff (2016 vintage)
90/100 Monica Larner, Wine Advocate (2016)
90/100 Michaela Morris, Decanter (2016)
90/100 Bruce Sanderson, Wine Spectator (2016)
95/100 Bruce Sanderson, Wine Spectator (2015)
94/100 James Suckling (2015)
90/100 Monica Larner, Wine Advocate (2015)

Gold Medal, Mundus Vini
Bronze Medal, Wine Spectator
Gold Medal, Mundus Vini (2015)

Michaela Morris, Decanter ''...assertive and characterful....pepper and rosemary with compelling notes of lavender and iris poking though. It is unpretentious, balanced and speaks of the vintage. Dusty, clayey tannins frame the palate and inner-mouth perfume of fennel, anise and orange give lovely lift.''

Bruce Sanderson, Wine Spectator "This is rich and dense, with mouthfilling flavors of plum, cherry, leather and earth flavors, which are backed by dusty tannins."

James Suckling "A really bright, fruity red with blackberry and cherry aromas and hints of orange peel. It’s medium-bodied with a very tight palate and an intense finish."

James Suckling "Subtle and complex aromas of red berries, mushrooms, blood orange and nutmeg. A medium-bodied Chianti Classico, showing dusty tannins and juicy, savory berry fruit on the palate. Silky and effortless. Drinking nicely now, but can hold, too." (2019 vintage)

Bruce Sanderson, Wine Spectator "Rich, laced with cherry, raspberry, earth and underbrush flavors. Revealing weighty, well-integrated tannins, this is balanced overall and tightens up on the finish. Best from 2024 through 2038. 550 cases made, 300 cases imported." (2019 vintage)

James Suckling ''Extremely well done. I appreciate the aromas of forest flowers, cedar and plums that follow through to a full body with round, chewy tannins and a structured finish. I love the balance here between freshness and concentration, embodied by the interplay of dried berries, sandalwood, fresh violets, blueberry cake and spices. Very refined and silky on the palate, which the acidity does well to spice up and energize. Medium to full body and a medium-chewy finish.'' (2016 vintage)

Michaela Morris, Decanter "The Riserva is a selection of the best grapes from the four located in Chianti Classico's township of Castellina-in-Chianti. Aromas of tea and smoke lead to the red-fruited palate which is lifted by grilled bay leaf and pepper nuances. There's good definition in this medium-weight 2016, and it's drinking now." (2016 vintage)

Bruce Sanderson, Wine Spectator 'This round red is harmonious and muscular, laced with black cherry, plum, earth and spice flavors. A saline, mineral element and underbrush note line the finish. Drink now through 2035. 1,100 cases made, 300 cases imported.'' (2016 vintage)

Monica Larner, Decanter '' ...single-vineyard expression of Sangiovese that is dark and concentrated, with lots of plum, dried cherry and blackberry. The fruit is quite ripe, almost sweet, with lingering tones of berry confit or preserves. The complexity and depth of the wine is halted by the easy and accessible style prioritized here. Italo made some good Spaghetti Westerns as a filmmaker, and this is an excellent spaghetti wine as well, best-served with a sausage ragù.'' (2016 vintage)

Falstaff (Othmar Kiem, Simon Staffler)''Rich, dark radiant ruby red. On the nose wild berry confit, rich cherry and a hint of blackberry, subtle oak spice. On the palate clear, bright fruit, full in the mouth, slightly salty, persistent and long.'' (2016 vintage)

James Suckling "I love the balance here between freshness and concentration, embodied by the interplay of dried berries, sandalwood, fresh violets, blueberry cake and spices. Very refined and silky on the palate, which the acidity does well to spice up and energize. Medium to full body and a medium-chewy finish. Drink now or hold." (2015 vintage)

Bruce Sanderson, Wine Spectator ''A wonderful expression of Sangiovese, featuring a core of cherry flavors allied to leather, iron, sandalwood and tobacco notes. Shows sweetness midpalate, backed by a muscular structure. Fine length. Best from 2021 through 2035. 550 cases made, 300 cases imported.'' (2015 vintage)

Monica Larner, Decanter ''Moved up from a Toscana IGT to a Chianti Classico Riserva, Chianti Classico Riserva Ser Gioveto is a single-vineyard expression of Sangiovese, playing off the estate proprietor's name, Sergio. In comparison to most of the other wines tasted in this flight, this bottle raised the bar high in terms of concentration, richness and overall quality. There is a lot of ripe and exuberant fruit that adds to the roundness and texture of the mouthfeel. It's a great Riserva for a grilled steak and mashed potatoes. Only 6,500 bottles were made.'' (2015 vintage)

Rocca delle Macìe was established in 1973, when film producer Italo Zingarelli – of Ettore Scola’s “We All Loved Each Other So Much” fame, and also the wildly popular series of films featuring comedy duo Bud Spencer and Terence Hill (including “They Call Me Trinity” and “Trinity Is Still My Name”) – decided to realize his lifelong dream by acquiring the “Le Macìe” estate – extending across 93 hectares (230 acres) in all, of which only two were under vine – in order to create a winery in the heart of the Chianti Classico zone.

The estate now extends to more than 500 hectares (1250 acres) with, in total, more than 200 (500 acres) used as vineyards and 22 (54 acres) as olive groves, subdivided across the company’s six estates: Le Macìe, Sant’Alfonso, Fizzano e le Tavolelle in the Chianti Classico Area, in addition to the Campomaccione and Casa Maria estates in the Morellino di Scansano Area (Maremma).

The Chianti region in Italy's Tuscany wine growing region is split between Chianti and Chianti Classico. Accordingly, two separate DOCG designations apply to wines from the Chianti region: the Chianti Classico DOCG for the heartland of Chianti, and Chianti DOCG for all other Chianti regions. (In 1984, the Chianti region was promoted from DOC to DOCG - Italy’s highest classification - and in 1996, Chianti Classico - the historic heartland of the region - DOCG was created, which gave autonomy to that region. In the last 20 years, a consortium of Chianti Classico producers have researched new Sangiovese clones, replanted vineyards, updated cellar practices and generally made Chianti Classico DOCG a world-class appellation. Chianti Classico must contain a minimum of 75% Sangiovese. In the 2014 edition of its annual compendium of wine ratings, Gambero Rosso noted that Chianti Classico DOCG wines were noteworthy for their “significant return to a more defined style, true to tradition.” The typical Chianti Classico wine is a ruby-red, Sangiovese-based wine with aromas of violets and cherries and a hint of earthy spice.

The Chianti DOCG designation covers wines from six Chianti sub-zones (Colli Pisane, Colli Fiorentini, Colli Senesi, Colli Aretini, Montalbano and Rufina) as well as all other Chianti wines. The Chianti Classico DOCG is located in the very center of Tuscany, between Florence and Sienna."

Sangiovese (or Nielluccio in Corsica), a dark-berried vine, is the most widely planted grape variety in Italy. Virtually synonymous with the red wines of Tuscany, and all the romanticism that goes with the territory, Sangiovese is the core constituent in some of the great names in Italian wine. Italy's love affair with Sangiovese – and indeed the world's – is generations old, though recent grapevine research suggests the variety is not as ancient as once thought.