Rocca di Montegrossi, Chianti Classico

Chianti Classico is one of the truly great wines of Italy—full stop. At its best, it belongs in the conversation with the great reds of the world. The trick is knowing where to look: Greve, Radda, Castellina, Gaiole, Panzano—these are the villages that matter, the places where Sangiovese finds real shape, perfume, tension, and detail. When the farming is right, when harvest is timed correctly, when élevage is handled with restraint and intelligence, you can get something outrageous for money that feels almost absurd once the bottle is open. That is exactly what is happening here. Rocca di Montegrossi’s 2023 Chianti Classico is light garnet in the glass, intensely aromatic, full of the wild red-fruited, floral, savory perfume that makes Sangiovese one of the greatest grapes on earth, then backed by tannins that are firm but refined, not aggressive—just structured enough to make you want it at the table with people you love and food that matters. This is the kind of bottle that reminds you why Chianti Classico is eternal. Do not miss this if you love Italy. And if somehow you don’t like it, I’ll come drink it myself and replace it.

Tuscany is one of the great wine landscapes on earth, a place where viticulture runs back through the Etruscans, through the Middle Ages, through noble families, monasteries, and farming traditions that shaped Italy long before modern appellation law existed. Today the region is home to some of the country’s most famous names—Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Bolgheri, Vernaccia di San Gimignano, Carmignano, and, of course, Chianti. But Chianti and Chianti Classico are not the same thing, and that distinction matters. Chianti is the broader denomination spread across a much larger area, while Chianti Classico is the historic original core between Florence and Siena, the zone where the wine earned its reputation in the first place. These are the older, more pedigreed hills, and within Chianti Classico the top communes—especially Gaiole, Radda, Castellina, Greve, and Panzano—tend to deliver the most distinctive and compelling wines.

Rocca di Montegrossi has the kind of history you simply cannot manufacture. The estate belongs to Marco Ricasoli-Firidolfi, a direct descendant of Bettino Ricasoli, the man who defined the original formula for Chianti Classico in the 19th century. The family’s roots in this part of Tuscany stretch back centuries, tied to the fortress of Montegrossi and the broader Ricasoli legacy in the region. Today, the estate farms organically, with a deep respect for tradition and site expression, focusing on high-elevation vineyards in Monti in Chianti, a distinct micro-zone within Gaiole. Here, the vineyards sit between roughly 1,050 and 1,500 feet above sea level, planted primarily to Sangiovese on stony, calcareous soils rich in alberese and galestro, which give the wines their lift, structure, and mineral edge. The 2023 Chianti Classico is composed of 92% Sangiovese, 4% Canaiolo, and 4% Colorino. Fermentation is carried out with indigenous yeasts in cement, followed by aging in a combination of cement and large traditional oak casks, preserving purity while allowing the wine to develop texture and depth without heavy oak influence. Everything here is done with restraint and intention—this is classic, site-driven Chianti Classico.

In the glass, this is everything you want from great young Chianti Classico: tart cherry, red plum skin, dried rose, a touch of spice, and that savory, stony character that keeps it grounded. There’s freshness and energy, but also enough grip to make it serious at the table. Serve it around 58–60°F, give it a quick decant if you want it to open up, and pair it with real Tuscan food—bistecca alla Fiorentina, pappardelle with wild boar ragù, grilled sausages, porcini risotto, or a simple spread of pecorino, salumi, and good olive oil with crusty bread. This is table wine in the highest sense—made for food, made for people, made for nights that go long.