2004 - Chianti Classico Rancia Riserva, Felsina

The 2004 Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia is pure silk on the palate. The 2004 is never going to be a huge Rancia. Instead, it is the wine’s elegance and poise that stand out most. In this tasting, the 2004 comes across as a modern day 1990, even if the vintage was quite different from a climactic perspective. Sweet roses, spices and licorice are all woven together beautifully on the impossibly fine, dazzling finish. This is a wine of unbelievable harmony. Proprietor Giuseppe Mazzocolin and longtime oenologist Franco Bernabei have elevated Sangiovese to a level of sophistication rarely seen. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2034. I will never forget this once in a lifetime tasting of Felsina’s flagship Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia. What started out as a casual survey of a few older vintages turned into a complete vertical as proprietor Giuseppe Mazzocolin and long-time oenologist Franco Bernabei surprised me with bottle after bottle of fabulous Rancias going back to the inaugural 1983. A few days after this tasting I received a complete lab analysis of all the wines, one of the most valuable pieces of data I have ever seen, and a presentation worthy of serious wine scholarship. The single biggest takeaway from this tasting is the amazing consistency of the wines across all vintages. Considering its modest price, Rancia remains one the most fairly priced, cellar worthy wines in the world. As great as Rancia can be, the straight Riserva makes a fine substitute at about half the price. I learned that lesson again recently at Maialino in New York City, where Wine Director Liz Nicholson served me a fabulous bottle of the 1995.I have to say there is something about the wines of the 1980s and mid-1990s that goes straight to the heart. Giuseppe Mazzocolin describes his early wines from the 1980s as huge challenges to make because he constantly had to convince his vineyard workers to drop fruit, something that was a culture shock and that seemed like an enormous waste of mo