Ripe, dark fruit aromas accompany great depth of flavour, fine natural tannins, and aromatic complexity on the long finish. Mazzei were one of the first producers to espouse the new Chianti Classico Gran Selezione category when it was introduced in 2014. Of the three examples they now produce, this one – from the historic vineyards of the Castello – is the most representative of the combination of power and elegance typical of the Castellina UGA. One of the top Gran Selezione of the vintage.

Really beautiful aromas of violets, berries, sandalwood and cherries. It’s medium-bodied with round and polished tannins that run the length of the wine and show lovely finesse and focus. Juicy at the end. Needs two or three years to open and show what it has. Drink after 2026.

Made with vines closest to the winery headquarters in the village of Castellina (spanning six clones and eight massal selections of Sangiovese), the Mazzei 2021 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Castellina Castello Fonterutoli stands somewhere between the broad, warm appeal of Castelnuovo Berardenga and the more acidic wines from Radda. This happy middle ground is characterized by mid-weight texture and very bright cherry aromas that are especially easy to identify. There is a hint of crushed stone that frames the generous fruit in this 47,000-bottle release. The wine undergoes 18 months in oak with an additional four months in cement to integrate. -ML

The 2021 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Castello Fonterutoli is 100% Sangiovese, a blend from around 30 small parcels. Silky, aromatic and wonderfully nuanced, the 2021 is all class from start to finish. Vineyards at elevation yield a mid-weight, nuanced Gran Selezione that has so much to offer. Clean mineral notes support the finish. - Antonio Galloni