On the Road with the Grape Guy
Anteprima: Chianti Classico Riserva 2025
01 Oct 2025- Details
- Category: On the Road with the Grape Guy
The Opener ... 
Riserva wines have always been a tough slog for me. I continue to find them too oaky and lacking focus, and with the advent of Gran Selezione, it seems Riserva have taken a further step back. Where do you decide to put your reserve, or best fruit? It's a no-brainer type of question.
Thankfully, and for now, there are some who do take Reserva seriously, usually producers you have heard of and have a reputation to uphold: Antinori, Dievole, Nozzole, Brancaia, Ricasoli, and Volpaia... just to name a handful who made the list.
There are less than two dozen on this list; and I would have sampled wines from quadruple that amount to whittle it down.
Bottom line... when buying Reserva Chianti Classico, stick with recognizable producers. All wines below are worth drinking now or putting aside for five plus years.
The Anteprima's Best
... TOP WINE ...
Castello di Volpaia 2022 Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG
Finding more and more ways to impress: this has a vanilla, blackberry, cassis and black cherry palate - the fruit is front and center which raises this wine to another level.
... The BETTER ...
Antonori 2022 Villa Antinori - Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG
Good version of the Villa with big fruit that sits in the dark range, drink now and over the next 5 years for full effect.
Dievole 2022 Novecento - Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG
Good structure, nice red fruit and spice with good acidity. Well-balanced.
Tenuta di Nozzole 2021 La Forra - Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG
Juicy and easy drinking; here the wood does not get in the way and the spices are savoury with acidity that help move everything along.
... GOOD ...
Antonori 2022 Marchesi Antinori - Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG
Badia a Coltibuono 2020 Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG
Brancaia 2022 Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG
Castellare di Castelina 2022 Castelllare - Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG
Castello di Gabbiano 2021 Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG
Castello Vicchiomaggio 2022 Agostino Petri - Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG
Fattoria San Giusto a Rentennano 2022 Le Baroncole - Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG
Il Molino di Grace 2021 Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG
Lamole di Lamole 2021 Lareale - Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG
Querciabella 2021 Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG
Ricasoli 2022 Brolio - Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG
Villa Mangiacane 2020 Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG
