2012 - Chianti Classico Rancia Riserva, Felsina

A ripe, powerful wine, the 2012 Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia offers a level of finesse that balances some of the more overt intensity of the year. Dark cherry, plum, spice, tobacco, menthol and licorice add shades of nuance as this beautifully delineated Rancia opens up in the glass. Because of its mid-weight structure, I expect the 2012 will give up its charms relatively early by Rancia standards, which means around age 15-20. The 2012 is not an obvious or explosive Rancia, rather is a wine built on compelling overall harmony.

The single-vineyard 2012 Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia is a luminous and radiant Sangiovese-based wine. The vineyard is characterized by well-draining gravel soils with alberese and tufo limestone. Rancia delivers a beautiful sense of roundness and softness with dark berry, blackberry, leather, spice and pressed rose petal. This is an articulate and sophisticated wine. You can count on this Chianti Classico for excellent quality in what was a patchy vintage in other parts of the appellation.