1983 Castello di Monsanto Chianti Classico Riserva Il Poggio

Community Tasting Notes (9) Avg Score: 91.4 points

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View Wine Canuck's profile
  • Report Issue

  9/15/2023 - Wine Canuck wrote: 92 Points

  This pours medium garnet in the glass. The nose is moderately expressive and classically tuscan showing dried cherry, raisin, shoe polish, worn leather, iron, dusty soil, black tea, and a touch of balsamic. The palate is classically italian entering on dried cherry, with medium plus tannin and medium plus acid. The finish closes on raisin and black tea. While the palate is a tad problematic the nose had some pretty lovely moments. Age has treated this pristine example very well.

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View forceberry's profile
  • Report Issue

  6/7/2021 - forceberry wrote: 94 Points

  A blend of Sangiovese (95%), Canaiolo and Colorino. Fermented and macerated with the skins for 20-22 days in stainless steel tanks. Aged for approximately 18 months in partly new 500-liter demi-muids. 13,5% alcohol.
  
  Evolved, moderately translucent maroon color with an orange-yellow rim. Ripe, somewhat sweet and quite dark-toned nose with mature aromas of wizened black cherries, tobacco, some dried dates, a little bit of sweet balsamic VA, light salty liquorice notes, a hint of smoke and a touch of cranberry sauce. The wine is evolved, full-bodied and silky on the palate with a taste that at first feels juicier and sweeter, then turns drier and more savory. Flavors of sour cherries, meaty umami, some licorice root, a little bit of ripe forest fruits, light tart lingonberry tones, a hint of beef jerky and a touch of pouch tobacco. The sour cherry bitterness seems to kick in on the backbeat. Wonderfully high acidity with rather resolved medium tannins that still retain a bit of grip, but contribute more to the texture rather than the structure. The finish is ripe, savory and gently grippy with long flavors of wizened cherries, some crunchy cranberries, a little bit of game and beef jerky, light salty liquorice tones, a hint of tart lingonberry and a touch of earth.
  
  A beautiful, classically built Chianti Classico with a lot of age, but not a bit too much. The wine is very evolved, yet retains quite a bit of fruit, so that it doesn't come across as too tertiary. The structure feels perfectly in balance with the body and the fruit, so that the wine drinks just wonderfully with and without food. All in all, a very impressive and rewarding wine for an aged Chianti Classico; only an inch less impressive than the excellent Il Poggio 1985. Highly recommended.

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View blanquito's profile
  • Report Issue

  11/4/2014 - blanquito wrote: 93 Points

  Beautiful chianti, just a bit of orange at the rim, still going strong. Scents of leather, earth, cherries, tea. Dark fruited but with a high-toned attack from ample acids. Deep, layered, and balanced with lots of everything.

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View Vinomane's profile
  • Report Issue

  1/13/2013 - Vinomane wrote: 89 Points

  Best days are behind. Hollowing. Likely better, though never great, 8-10 years ago.

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View Burgundy Al's profile
  • Report Issue

  3/31/2012 - Burgundy Al wrote: 89 Points

  Another Saturday at Knightsbridge - mostly blind (Northbrook, IL): Mostly earthy aromas with some good red fruit. Flavors were good but slightly simple, also earthy and red cherry. Acidity and elegant tannins helped contribute to a very good, textured finish, my favorite part of this wine today.

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

View all 9 Community Tasting Notes

Professional reviews have copyrights and you can view them here for your personal use only as private content. To view pro reviews you must either subscribe to a pre-integrated publication or manually enter reviews below. Learn more.