07
Aug
2026
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Category: On the Road with the Grape Guy
(February 2026) ... Looking at the wines of the Anteprima Toscana 2026. This year I will break the wines down a little more, compartmentalizing them so they are easier to find on the website. In this, the second article I'm looking at the 2023 vintage and beyond. Though the emphasis is on the wines from 2023.
Here, once again, I tasted a handful of the wines to get a feeling on how the vintage was.
My "Personal Aside" is a note taken to encompass the whole of what I have tasted, and was written after tasting all the wines in a category and on the spot to get my unvarnished reaction.
Notes are on wines that are rated BETTER and above
Personal Aside: The 2023 have proven to have more depth and complexity than the 2024 - and there are some really great wines in this batch. Look for 24s for their juiciness, look at 23s for their complexity and depth.
BETTER-PLUS ...
Castello di Ama 2023 Ama - Chianti Classico
Lovely complexity, nice darker fruit with cassis and balsamic notes at the core. Gentle spices graze the palate. Great finish with a length that doesn't give up easily.
BETTER ...
Castello Monterinaldi 2023 Castello Monterinaldi - Chianti Classico
Nice acidity with lots of cherry, sour, sweet and even byng.
Isole e Olena 2023 Isole e Olena - Chianti Classico
This is a kick-ass Chianti Classico: balsamic, strawberry, blackberry, all rounded off by its nice finish.
Nittardi 2023 Belcanto - Chianti Classico
Well-balanced, good acid crunch, screamingly bright fruit, complexity and depth abound.
Poggio al Sole 2023 Poggio al Sole - Chianti Classico
Bright and full of acid punch, fruit shows up on the mid-palate and hangs around till the end. This is a pretty wine with notes of floral and fresh red fruits on the nose.
Tenuta di Nozzole 2023 Nozzole - Chianti Classico
Dark fruit, spicy - deep, dark and delicious.
GOOD-PLUS ...
Cafaggio 2023 Cafaggio - Chianti Classico
Castello di Radda 2023 Castello di Radda - Chianti Classico
Dievole 2023 Petrignano - Chianti Classico
Frescobaldi 2023 Tenuta Perano - Chianti Classico
Nittardi 2023 Vigna Doghessa - Chianti Classico
Querciabella 2023 Querciabella - Chianti Classico
Vallepicciola 2023 Vallepicciola - Chianti Classico
GOOD ...
Rocca di Montegrossi 2023 Rocca di Montegrossi - Chianti Classico
Tenuta degli Dei 2023 Forcole - Chianti Classico
SOME OLDER VINTAGES OF NOTE ... 
Castell'in Villa 2020 Castell'in Villa - Chianti Classico (GOOD+)
Fattoria di Lamole - Paolo Socci 2020 Fattoria di Lamole - Chianti Classico (GOOD+)
Vignamaggio 2022 Terre di Prenzano - Chianti Classico (GOOD+)
Next up: The Riservas of the 2023 Vintage
06
Aug
2026
- Details
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Category: On the Road with the Grape Guy
(February 2026) ... Time to look at the wines of the Anteprima Toscana 2026. This year I will break the wines down a little more, compartmentalizing them so they are easier to find on the website. Starting with the vintage 2024 ... these are the early wines, the ones we are here to taste and judge; the NEW vintage.
In this range, I tasted a handful of the wines (~40) to get a feeling on how the vintage was.
My "Personal Aside" is a note taken to encompass the whole of what I have tasted, and was written after tasting all the wines in a category and on the spot to get my unvarnished reaction.
Notes are on wines that are rated BETTER and above; even the barrel samples (they are unfinished wines, so I have unfinished notes).
Personal Aside: 2024 seems to be a super juicy vintage with lots of fruit and fun in the bottle - there's a lot to get excited about.
BETTER-PLUS ...
Il Molino di Grace 2024 Il Molino di Grace - Chianti Classico
Layers of complexity in a "base-model" Chianti Classico" is a good thing; and extremely welcome. This one has cherry, raspberry, strawberry, balsamic, hints of herbal and gentle spice. Plus, the acidity is on point. Bravo.
BETTER ... 
Antinori 2024 Pèppoli - Chianti Classico
Ripe cherry, strawberry, fresh and fruity. Easy to drink. Juicy and yummy.
Castellare di Castellina 2024 Castellare - Chianti Classico
Quite juicy and approachable; a lovely fresh wine, good acidity, with nice cherry flavour at its core. Drink up.
Castello di Monsanto 2023 Castello di Monsanto - Chianti Classico
(barrel sample) - no note, but this has potential to be a banger
Monteraponi 2024 Monteraponi - Chianti Classico
Nice depth of flavour with plenty of power and punch. Acidity shows some real pop. Delightful and on the dark fruit side with a few shakes of balsamic for depth.
Querceto di Castellina 2024 L'aura - Chianti Classico
(barrel sample) - no note, but this has potential to be a banger
Rocca delle Macìe 2024 Rocca delle Macìe - Chianti Classico
There is some nice spice, fruit and acidity that mixes and matches along the way: spiced-cherry, strawberry; bright, fresh and lively.
GOOD-PLUS ...
Badia a Coltibuono 2024 Chianti Classico
Capraia 2024 Capraia - Chianti Classico
Castello di Gabbiano 2024 Castello di Gabbiano - Chianti Classico
Castello Vicchiomaggio 2024 Guado Alto - Chianti Classico
Riecine 2024 Riecine - Chianti Classico
Ruffino 2024 Santedame - Chianti Classico
GOOD ...
Banfi 2024 Chianti Classico
Brancaia 2024 Chianti Classico
Carpineto 2024 Carpineto - Chianti Classico
Castello di Querceto 2024 Castello di Querceto - Chianti Classico
Fèlsina 2024 Berardenga - Chianti Classico
Il Poggiolino 2024 Il Classico - Chianti Classico
Lamole di Lamole 2024 Duelame - Chianti Classico
Principe Corsini - Villa Le Corti 2024 Le Corti - Chianti Classico
Ricasoli 2024 Brolio - Chianti Classico
Tenuta Collazzi 2024 Bastioni - Chianti Classico
Tenuta di Bibbiano 2024 Bibbiano - Chianti Classico
Next up: Vintage 2023 - plus older vintages 2018-2022
