John’s Picks

2022 La Vigna di San Martino Chianti Classico Riserva

94 Points John Caro
In stock
An expertly made boutique Chianti from the cooler north west of Chianti. Truly artisinal, this wine is very rare in retail anywhere in the world with less than 2000 bottles made each year! We know it exists because the winemaker is the accomplished Tuscan oenologist Giampaolo Chiettini, who was friends with John Caro years ago when they worked at the legendary Chianti house Isole e Olena. Grown on soils very similar to Felsina's vineyards in Berardenga, this cooler terroir in Argiano allows Chiettini to produce a wine of even greater elegance and inherent harmony. This rare wine sells for over $100 NZ in Australia! At this price it's an absolute must for fine wine lovers.
$59.99 in mixed 6+ or $66.99 per bottle

Grape

Sangiovese

Its Origins

The Vigna San Martino Chianti Classico is the project of oenologist Giampaolo Chiettini. Chiettini operates as a consultant oenologist in Tuscany, as well as throughout Italy and Europe. Trained in Trentino, Chiettini moved to Tuscany at a young age, where he spent many years working alongside Paolo De Marchi as winemaker at Isole e Olena, where he developed a profound understanding of Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Malvasia del Chianti and Trebbiano. The Vigna San Martino is produced in miniscule quantities from a 1ha vineyard in Argiano, in the commune of San Casciano Val di Pesa, in the north-west of the Chianti Classico zone. The soil is a mixture of clay loam, stone fragments and sand, not unlike the soils of Berardenga in the south of Chianti Classico. The difference here is the cooler climate, producing more fragrant and tightly structured wines. The vineyard is at an altitude of 250 metres and is cultivated with organic methods. The vines are planted at a density of 5000 vines to the hectare, trained with the Guyot system. The ferments are carried out with wild yeasts and in stainless steel tanks. After fermentation, the wine is racked into used barriques where it ages for 18 months. The wine is not clarified and only undergoes a light filtration prior to bottling, then bottle aged for a further 30 months prior to release.

What The Critics Say

17.5/20 Jancis Robinson, Walter Speller

"Deep, lustrous ruby. Complex, brooding and substantial on the nose, with chalky minerally notes. Finely perfumed cherry fruit just emerging when swirling the glass. Lots of sour cherry and with plenty of stuffing, the acidity cuts through. Long finely ground tannins align seamlessly with the fruit. Not ready yet but with a great future. A proper riserva." Drink 2028 – 2040

92/100 James Suckling.com

"A textured, dense and fruity red with baked cherries, dried flowers and sweet spices on the nose. It’s full-bodied with plush tannins. Dense and generous core of ripe berries and cherries on the palate. Textured and layered, with great focus and a compact, fluid finish. Try after 2025."

91/100 Vinous, Antonio Galloni

"These are the first wines I have tasted from La Vigna di San Martino ad Argiano, a tiny two-hectare property in San Casciano. These two new releases are full of character and suggest there is tremendous potential here. The 2022 Chianti Classico Riserva is an intense, brooding wine. Super-ripe cherry, tobacco, new leather, blood orange and cinnamon lend an exotic flair. This complex, dynamic Riserva has a ton to offer, starting with its considerable character. It's one of the most pleasant surprises of my tastings for this report. The Riserva is on the riper side of things, but its personality is so distinctive." Drink 205-2034

Variety Sangiovese
Region Tuscany
Closure Cork
Volume 750ml
Maturity 2025 - 2034

This Wine Goes Well With

with GAME
with LAMB
with PORK

Taste

3

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If for any reason you are not entirely happy with your order or you suspect that they may be affected by a quality issue, please do not hesitate to contact us and we will remedy the problem straight away. Contact us on 0800 422 767.