Chianti Classico (29 TN inside!)

Great event with 140 producers and almost 400 bottles!! I tried a different separation in stages, based upon the tipology. As usual rating strictly refers to the tasted bottle. Location was very good, a bit crowdy and dark. I reached a new personal record with 29 tastings...maybe more confused...
Some problems (for my experience) to rate pre-release samples.

This is a pre-release tasting. Wine is already in bottles, but will be distributed in a couples of months.

• 2008 Badia a Coltibuono Chianti Classico 83 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

  Pre release tasting.
  Light red, very good consistent. Good fruit at nose (Wild cherries)
  Good body, a bit too tannic, but ready for bottling. Good equlibrium, but a bit too alcoholic (14%); Intra:85

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• 2008 Barone Ricasoli Chianti Classico Brolio 83 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

  Pre release.
  Good fruit at nose, but not very intense. Nice taste, but still chewing tannins; Intra: 82

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• 2008 Castello di Verrazzano Chianti Classico 90 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

  Very nice smell and full mouth (Fruit)!; Similar to Fonterutoli, more body, but a bit lacking in acidity; 13,5%;
  Intra: 83

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• 2008 Podere l'aja Chianti Classico 78 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

  Pre-realease sample.
  One of the weakest. Still confused.
  Nice purple colour, but not intense at nose. Not harmonic in mouth, not very pleseant. 14%

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• 2008 Ruffino Chianti Classico Tenuta Santedame 80 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

  Pre- release sample.
  Technicallly correct, but nothing special.....nothing to remember. Intra: 87

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• 2007 Barone Ricasoli Chianti Classico Castello di Brolio 86 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

  Intense in colour, and nice taste, but is not far above the others.
  From choosen grapes and 20 months in barrique, small percentages of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot

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• 2007 Marchesi Mazzei Chianti Classico Castello di Fonterutoli Gran Selezione 89 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

  Nice smell and coherent mouth, with lots of fruit; good acidity, tannins still young.
  16 months in barrique, will get better for sure. Intra: 85

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• 2007 Castello di Verrazzano Chianti Classico 92 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

  One of the best of my tastings, rich nose, with fruit, clearly detectable. Good body, and fruity mouth, with some tannins still to smooth
  WS: 85; LM: 84

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• 2007 Fontodi Chianti Classico 77 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

  Really a delusion. low intense odour..and not very pleasant. A bit better taste, but still harsh tannins.
  LM: 86; AIS 80/85; WS: 91

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• 2007 Lamole di Lamole Chianti Classico 84 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

  Nice fruity nose, mature, almost jammy, but not particularly intense. Coherent taste. 13,5%; AiS : 80/84

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• 2007 Monteraponi Chianti Classico 84 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

  Nice colour, more intense than Coltibuono. Good fruit showing at nose, less intense in mouth. Low acidity. 13,5% . AiS 80/85

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• 2007 Podere l'aja Chianti Classico 79 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

  A bit better than 2008, with more fruit at nose and mouth, but similar. 14%

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• 2007 Ruffino Chianti Classico Tenuta Santedame 88 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

  Very nice fruit at nose, with a intriguing balsamic scent.
  Full mouth, one of the best, but not excellent. WS: 85

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• 2007 Cafaggio Chianti Classico Villa Cafaggio 86 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

  Not excellent at nose: low intensity; very good mouth, also if a bit lacking in body.
  LM: 84; AiS 80/84; WS: 86

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• 2006 Il Molino di Grace Chianti Classico 91 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

  Perfect nose, full of fruit and a clear remind of CHOCOLATE. Good body and full mouth,
  11 months in tonneaux and second-hand barriques. LM: 81; WS: 84

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This is a pre-release tasting. Wine is already in bottles, but will be distributed not before year's end.

• 2007 Badia a Coltibuono Chianti Classico Riserva 85 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

  Pre release tasting.
  Much richer and finer nose than the Classico and finer in mouth, then similar.
  A bit lacking in body (more alchol than texture, 14,5%); Intra: 82
  The Vineyards start to have some problems with the increase in temperature, resulting in too alcoholic wines

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• 2007 Barone Ricasoli Chianti Classico Riserva Rocca Guicciarda 87 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

  Rich at nose: Fruity: plums, cherries; some spices (?). Full mouth. One of the best, lacking in acidity; Intra: 87

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• 2007 Castello di Verrazzano Chianti Classico Riserva 89 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

  Nice wine, but still too young compared to Classico 2007, rate will need a resting in a couple of years

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• 2006 Carpineto Chianti Classico Riserva 86 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

  Nice nose and very equilibrated mouth. One of the best for 2006; 13%
  20% Canaiolo

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• 2006 Fontodi Chianti Classico Riserva Vigna del Sorbo 82 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

  Good fruity nose, also if not very intense. Coherent taste. In the average.

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• 2006 Lamole di Lamole Chianti Classico Riserva 82 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

  In the average with the others, a bit lacking in acidity, like most of the 2006'. 13,5%.
  24 months in tonneaux. Ais 80/85; LM 83

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• 2006 Lamole di Lamole Chianti Classico Riserva Vigneto di Campolungo 81 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

  15% Cabernet in it, giving some roundness (better than Ruffino), but no personality. Still tannic, but not lacking acidity. LM: 82; AiS 80/85

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• 2006 Monteraponi Chianti Classico Riserva Il Campitello 82 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

  Nice, but a bit weak in body and acidity. Tannins are still harsh and no poor acidity to sustain alcohol (13,5%). From vineyards 35/40 y. old.
  AiS 80/85

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• 2006 Monteraponi Chianti Classico Riserva Baron 'Ugo 86 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

  Good fruit both at nose and mouth, but (like most of the 2006) lacking in acidity - a bit closed. Intra: 90+

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• 2006 Podere l'aja Chianti Classico Riserva 83 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

  In the average, with good structure and texture, but still harsh tannins.
  8% Merlot, 2 % Colorino

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• 2006 Ruffino Chianti Classico Riserva Ducale Oro 78 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

  In bottle, but not yet distributed. 36 months in Tonneaux.
  Original nose, with a scent of game, then fruit: complex, but the "wild" reminds appear in mouth too...
  Too young and tannic, alcoholic. Intra: NR
  20% Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot

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• 2006 Cafaggio Chianti Classico Villa Cafaggio Riserva 90 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

  Probably the best tasting.
  Very rich nose: fruity, balsamic and a bit spicy.
  Coherent mouth full and good body. A bit of tannins to smooth. LM: 84; AiS 80/84; WS: 88

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• 2005 Il Molino di Grace Chianti Classico Riserva 90 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

  Very nice fruit, at nose and mouth!!1 Still young and tannic. 1/3 in new barriques. LM: 82; WS: 87

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• 2004 Il Molino di Grace Chianti Classico Riserva Il Margone 89 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

  Nice smell, very rich, with reminds of coffee, dried flowers and , for sure, red fruits.
  A bit lacking in acidity in mouth and still harsh tannins. 13,5%; LM: 83; WS: 83

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An overall good quality, level is high, but, at the moment, before ageing, a bit flat. More aged (mature) samples normally have a higher rating. Special mention to Castello di Verrazzano, Molino di Grace and Villa Cafaggio