Sergio Zingarelli Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2019 - Tuscany, Italy

98/100 Luca Maroni
96/100 Daniele Cernilli-Guida Essenziale
94/100 James Suckling
94/100 Wine Enthusiast
94/100 Raffaele Vecchione, Wine Critic
94/100 Falstaff Wein Guide
93/100 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate
91/100 Wine Spectator
96/100 Daniele Cernilli-Guida Essenziale (2018 vintage)
95+/100 Luca Maroni (2018 vintage)
95/100 James Suckling (2018 vintage)
94/100 Wine Enthusiast (2018 vintage)
94/100 Wine Spectator (2018 vintage)
93/100 5 Stars Wine, The Book, Vinitaly (2018 vintage)
92/100 Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (2018 vintage)
92/100 Falstaff Wein Guide (2018 vintage)
92/100 Raffaele Vecchione, Wine Critic (2018 vintage)
91/100 Decanter (2018 vintage)
90/100 The Wine Independent (2018 vintage)
17.5/20 Vinum Wine Magazine (2018 vintage)

Corona - Vini Buoni d'Italia
5 Grappoli - Bibenda
3 Biccheri - Gambero Rosso
3 Stelle Oro - Veronelli
Oro - Civiltà del Bere – WOW (2018 vintage)
Finalista 2 bicchieri rossi - Gambero Rosso (2018 vintage)
5 Grappoli - Bibenda (2018 vintage)

Gold - Decanter World Wine Awards
Gold - London Wine Competition
Bronze - Korea Wine Challenge
Gold - Decanter World Wine Awards (2018 vintage)

James Suckling "Extremely perfumed, with blackberry, lavender and rose-petal aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied with an integrated palate and very fine tannins that give length and definition to the wine. Some citrus undertones, too."

Wine Enthusiast "Leather, pencil shavings and balsamic vinegar on the nose mingle with wild herbs, especially oregano, with mint, cherry and chocolate arriving later. The palate has more cherries surrounded by blood orange jam before a shot of espresso on the slightly bitter finish that lasts thanks to sturdy tannins."

Raffaele Vecchione, Wine Critic "Slightly reductive in the primary profile showing notes of raspberries, black prunes, plums and mixed blue flowers. Medium bodied, soft tannins and a serious, essential finale which balances equilibrium and distension."

Falstaff "Bright ruby red with garnet hints. Slightly reductive on the nose at first, then rich, sour cherry, dried rose petals and a touch of white pepper. Well balanced on the palate, with velvety tannins and lively acidity, a long and elegant finish."

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate "...offers the extra richness and concentration that came naturally to the 2019 growing season. There are aromas of baked cherry, sweet earth and black olive that are characteristic of Sangiovese."

James Suckling "Sweet-berry, bark and pine-needle aromas with some cedar. Flowers, too. Medium-to full-bodied, fresh and bright with firm tannins and a lively acidity. Crunchy and vivid. Firm tannins. Austere, in a sophisticated way." (2018 vintage)

Wine Enthusiast "Notes of dark chocolate, spices and cherry syrup with metallic hints of crushed rocks make for a luxurious nose with a palate to match, nearly spicy with pepper and acidity and structured if opulent tannins." (2018 vintage)

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate "....offers pretty brightness and intensity with layers of dark currant, cherry and crushed mineral with lingering smoke and spice. This is the estate's top-end wine to pair with a hearty Tuscan cut of T-bone steak." (2018 vintage)

Falstaff "Elegantly shining deep ruby. Graceful bouquet of wild berries, fresh cherry and mint, accompanied by light leather notes. Fresh and steely on the palate, with great traction. Vivid, fine-grained tannin, beautiful fruit core into the persistent finish." (2018 vintage)

Raffaele Vecchione, Wine Critic "Wilted flowers, calendula, pumpkin and chinotto are the primary scents of this Gran Selezione. Medium bodied, light tannins and a finale of medium progression." (2018 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."
"Tuscany is Italy's third most planted region (behind Sicily and Apulia) but it is eighth in terms of output, reflecting both the poor soil of Tuscany and deliberate efforts to limit yields and increase the quality in the wine. After Piedmont and the Veneto, Tuscany produces the third-highest volume of DOC/DOCG wines. More than 80% of the regions' production is in red wine, with the Sangiovese grape being Tuscany's' most prominent grape. Trebbiano is the leading white variety of the region.

The history of viticulture in Tuscany dates back to the Etruscans in the 8th century BC. From the fall of the Roman Empire and throughout the Middle Ages, monasteries were the main purveyors of wines in the region. As the aristocratic and merchant classes emerged, they inherited the share-cropping system of agriculture known as mezzadria. Many Tuscan landowners would turn their half of the grape harvest into wine that would be sold to merchants in Florence. Following the end of the Napoleonic Wars, Tuscany returned to the rule of the Habsburgs. Chianti, Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Super Tuscan are Tuscany’s best known wines.

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.

Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the most famous red wine grape variety on Earth. It is rivaled in this regard only by its Bordeaux stablemate Merlot, and its opposite number in Burgundy, Pinot Noir. From its origins in Bordeaux, Cabernet has successfully spread to almost every winegrowing country in the world. It is now the key grape variety in many first-rate New World wine regions, most notably Napa Valley, Coonawarra and Maipo Valley. Wherever they come from, Cabernet Sauvignon wines always seem to demonstrate a handful of common character traits: deep color, good tannin structure, moderate acidity and aromas of blackcurrant, tomato leaf, dark spices and cedarwood.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.