The great San Felice estate is situated in Castelnuova Berardenga, the southernmost commune of Chianti Classico and considered by many experts to be the greatest of all the Chianti subzones. The finest wines from Castelnuova Berardenga zone possess that elusive balance of power, intensity, elegance, and ability to repay ageing. San Felice’s delicious 2017 Chianti Classico – a blend of Sangiovese (80%), Colorino, and Pugnitello – epitomizes all those traits while being approachable and delicious upon release. A rusty crimson-garnet color in the glass, the wine casts aromas of ripe cherries, black tea, dark leather, violet, and chalky earth. Warm and inviting on the palate, the wine balances a core of fleshy cherry and red currant fruit alongside complex notes of cedar, button mushrooms, leather, smoke, and savory herbs. Plentiful noble Sangiovese tannins segue the wine to its long, tobacco-tinged finish, which will prove to be a wonderful foil for pastas, pizzas, grilled steaks, burgers, eggplant preparations, and mushroom ragoûts. Enjoy now and over the coming five years.
An August 2019 newsletter selection
