2020 Chianti Classico Castello di Ama

Parker - Monica Larner 91, 2022 - 2026, 

Castello di Ama settles on a tried-and-true formula with its 2020 Chianti Classico Ama. The trick is to present the elegant side of Sangiovese (blended in this case with a touch of Merlot) while also remaining fun, accessible and easy-drinking. The 2020 vintage brings forth a bit more heat and fruit concentration, but it also shows delicate cassis, red rose and Mediterranean aromas. The tannins are gentle and the mouthfeel is streamlined.

I visited with Marco Pallanti at Castello di Ama last year. Dressed in a breezy linen shirt and with a feisty Jack Russell named Bach always at his side, Mr. Pallanti was gearing up for his 40th harvest.

"As we say in Italian, I'm turning my 40th leaf," he confides.

That 40th leaf marks a big new addition to this historic property in Gaiole in Chianti that straddles the worlds of fine wine and art. In 2021, a new tasting room and visitor center called l'Arca (or "the Ark") was inaugurated. The contemporary design space is lofty and open, making it an ideal spot to soak in the Tuscan atmosphere. The building houses 80,000 bottles and larger formats from the library collection in the basement. Admission to the Ark is free and wines are served by the glass.

Suckling 93, A fresh and composed red with blackcurrant and blueberry aromas with minerals and citrus underneath. It's medium-bodied with fine tannins and a racy, long finish. Drink or hold.

Galloni 90, This set of new releases from Lorenza Sebasti and Marco Pallanti is the most impressive I have ever tasted here. The wines are strong across the board, while the 2019 flagship wines - La Casuccia, Bellavista and L'Apparita - are off the charts great. Pallanti has long coaxed notable intensity from these vineyards, but the 2019s add dimensions of freshness and energy that are simply breathtaking. I tasted these wines a few weeks later in my home in New York, far away from the bucolic setting of Ama, and was equally blown away.