About this wine
Castell'in Villa's entry-level Chianti Classico is 100% estate-grown Sangiovese from Castelnuovo Berardenga, at the southern edge of the Chianti Classico zone. Fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel with roughly two weeks of skin contact, it is then aged for about two years in large traditional Slavonian oak botti before bottling, unfined and unfiltered. It shows the estate's uncompromising, old-school approach even at the base tier: bright acidity, firm tannins, and real ageability rather than a soft, modernized style.
A traditional, structured Chianti Classico that rewards patience — not a soft, easy-drinking style.
Sommelier's Note
"This is what Chianti Classico tasted like before modernization softened the category — proof that even the 'entry' wine from a serious estate outclasses most producers' top bottling."
Food Pairings
A versatile trattoria red: excellent with meat lasagna, spaghetti bolognese, grilled sausages, and other classic Tuscan pasta and meat dishes. The bright acidity and firm tannin also make it a natural match for tomato-based sauces.
When to drink it
Weeknight Italian dinners, pasta night with friends
Specs
- Grape Varieties
- Sangiovese
- Style
- Red
- Alcohol
- 14%
- Price Range
- $25-35 (750ml, US retail)
Terroir & Winemaking
100% Sangiovese from estate vineyards in Castelnuovo Berardenga (southern Chianti Classico). Fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel with approximately two weeks of skin maceration. Aged roughly 2 years in large Slavonian oak botti, then bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does Castell'in Villa Chianti Classico taste like?
- Expect red and black cherry, tobacco, wild herbs, and a touch of leather, with bright acidity and firm, structured tannins — a traditional, food-driven style rather than a soft, fruit-forward one.
- Is this wine ready to drink on release, or does it need aging?
- It is approachable young and can be enjoyed on release, but thanks to Castell'in Villa's traditional long aging in large oak casks, it also holds up well for several years in the cellar.
- What food pairs best with this Chianti Classico?
- Classic Tuscan trattoria fare — meat lasagna, spaghetti bolognese, grilled sausages, and other tomato-and-meat dishes — is the natural match.
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Talk to the SommelierMore wines from this producer
キャンティ・クラシコ・リゼルヴァ
Chianti Classico Riserva
RedSangiovese
Made entirely from Sangiovese sourced from Castell'in Villa's best vineyard blocks, the Riserva is aged for 24-36 months in large Slavonian oak casks before release — considerably longer than most peers. The result is a concentrated, structured wine with ripe black cherry fruit, dried herbs, leather, and earthy spice, built for a decade or more of further cellaring.
キャンティ・クラシコ・リゼルヴァ・イン
Chianti Classico Riserva 'IN'
RedSangiovese
Named after 'IN,' the estate's symbol, Riserva 'IN' is Castell'in Villa's highest expression of Sangiovese — produced as a distinct, separately bottled selection only in the best vintages, on top of the estate's standard Riserva. It is sourced from the finest lots and receives the estate's full traditional treatment: long maceration and extended aging in large Slavonian oak, resulting in a wine of exceptional depth, spice, and longevity that has drawn strong scores from critics such as Vinous and James Suckling.
キャンティ・クラシコ・リゼルヴァ・ポッジョ・デッレ・ローゼ
Chianti Classico Riserva Poggio delle Rose
RedSangiovese
A single-vineyard Chianti Classico Riserva from the Poggio delle Rose cru, planted in 1990 with a clonal selection taken from Castell'in Villa's original vineyards; the first commercial release followed in 1996. Unlike the estate's other reds, which favor large traditional oak, Poggio delle Rose is aged in new French oak barriques for over 18 months, giving it a slightly more polished, structured profile while retaining the estate's hallmark tension and ageability.
サンタクローチェ
Santacroce
RedCabernet Sauvignon · Sangiovese
Castell'in Villa's flagship 'Super Tuscan,' Santacroce is a 50/50 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese, aged around 18 months in 225-liter Bordeaux barriques. Because the blend falls outside DOCG rules, it is classified as Toscana IGT. Expect a dense, multi-layered wine with dark berry fruit, pine, tobacco, licorice, and firm, grippy tannins — built for long aging, with library releases from the 1990s still showing well decades later.
ラ・ガッザーラ
La Gazzara
RoséSangiovese
Named after the medieval hamlet and convent on the Castell'in Villa estate, La Gazzara is a 100% Sangiovese rosé from Toscana IGT. Rather than a light, easy-quaffing summer rosé, it is built more like a delicate red: notes of red currant, rose petal, cherry, and unripe strawberry, with herbal hints and a long, dry, fresh finish.
ヴィン・サント・デル・キャンティ・クラシコ
Vin Santo del Chianti Classico
dessertWhiteTrebbiano · Malvasia
A traditional Tuscan Vin Santo made in very limited quantities. Trebbiano and Malvasia grapes are hand-picked and dried on straw mats in a high loft before pressing, then the wine ages a minimum of fifteen years in small oak caratelli with a 'mother' inherited from generations past — one of the longest Vin Santo aging regimes in Italy. The result is a rich, medium-dry wine with dried fruit, honey, spice, and toasted nut character, balanced by remarkable freshness and length.