A blend of 80% Sangiovese, 13% Merlot and 7% Malvasia Nera, this opens with aromas of black- and red-skinned berry, pipe tobacco, tilled earth and a whiff of new leather. Elegant and taut, the palate shows tension, verve and finesse, delivering juicy Marasca cherry, crushed raspberry, licorice and hints of French oak. It's balanced, with polished, fine-grained tannins and bright acidity. Drink 2021–2036. KERIN O’KEEFE

From the 25.5ha San Lorenzo vineyard, which, at 466m-525m, was one of the first to be acquired by the company in 1972, after it was founded by a group of friends. Sangiovese, Merlot and Malvasia Nera are vinified separately and combined after malolactic fermentation. The wine is then transferred to barriques, 18% of which are new, for 10 months. Aldo Fiordelli: Restrained cherry fruit allied to a chalky minerality, powerful yet elegant on the palate, layered with violet and Earl Grey flavours, followed by velvety and grainy youthful tannins. Andrew Jefford: Supple, chocolatey fruits and the scents of sun-warmed wood: gentle, sensual and inviting. Close-textured, deep and gently tannic, with classically austere yet inviting fruits, deftly handled. Monty Waldin: Crunchy tannin and slightly powdery red fruit. Well built on the mid-palate with fruit and oak in equal balance. (Drink between 2020-2025)

The 2016 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione San Lorenzo is immediately more inky and balsamic in terms of aromas. As soon as you lift the wine to your nose, you get pretty tones of blackberry, cassis, rosemary essence, licorice and a touch of medicinal herb. I love when Sangiovese produces those elegant aromas, and for that reason, this wine stands tall among the three single-vineyard expressions from Marco Pallanti and Castello di Ama. It shows fiber, richness and lasting structure with a very well-managed quality of tannins.

This is a sultry wine, sangiovese’s bright cherry flavors and edgy acidity smoothed out by the addition of merlot (13 percent) and malvasia nera (seven percent). The wine rested for ten months in barriques (18 percent new), keeping the oak influence subtle as the wine developed a silky texture and finely knit flavors of tobacco leaf, toasted nuts and savory herbs. A note of menthol adds lift to the dark fruit and herb flavors, and the finish is long and elegant.

Offers stunning aromas of black cherry, blackberry and violet, with ripe, sweet fruit on the palate, shaded by iron, earth and tobacco elements. Supple yet well-structured, this should come together soon. Shows terrific harmony and length. Best from 2022 through 2036. 6,500 cases made, 670 cases imported. — BS

The 2016 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Castello di Ama San Lorenzo is a blend taken from Ama's four core estate vineyards. Black cherry, graphite, sage, mint, juniper berries and licorice give the San Lorenzo a distinctly dark, brooding profile to match its powerful feel. The big tannins need time to soften, but there is certainly plenty to look forward to. Stylistically, San Lorenzo is closest to Bellavista, with which it shares a decidedly somber feel. This is such a gorgeous wine. -- Antonio Galloni