Sangiovese

90 points The Wine Advocate:The 2007 Chianti Classico Castello di Brolio offers up rich, textured dark fruit in a succulent style that is very appealing. French oak gives the Castello di Brolio notable volume and body, in addition to an attractive smokiness that works quite nicely in this vintage. The Castello di Brolio can be enjoyed today for its forward fruit or cellared for another decade or so. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2020. Antonio Galloni

92 points The Wine Spectator:A wine of finesse and elegance. Cherry, licorice and spice flavors, with a saline element, combine seamlessly with the medium-bodied frame and firm structure. The savory note continues on the lingering finish. Drink now through 2020.

98 points The Wine Enthusiast:"Beautiful nose with natural complexity and oak-driven tones of cinnamon, clove, chocolate and exotic spice. The fruit is dark, dense and ripe. There’s extra roundness and density in the mouth that acts like the glue that holds together the wine’s firm tannins and its crisp, acidic component. Hold 10–20 more years. Great structure with a touch of pleasurable softness."

97 points Wine Enthusiast: "Gorgeous, opulent, rich, long-lasting intensity and concentration. The wine has body, power, persistency and loads of plush Brunello personality. Incredibly beautiful and layered with chocolate, cherry, blackberry, spice, leather and savory notes. There's a deep mineral layer as well. Masterful mouthfeel. Compelling and lovely"

90 points The Wine Advocate:Volpaia’s 2008 Chianti Classico is a pretty, mid-weight offering informed by tobacco, flowers, herbs and cherries. As is often the case in cooler years, these high-altitude vineyards tend to yield a more ethereal style of wine. Still, this Chianti Classico finds its balance nicely with time in the glass. It is a model of restrained elegance. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2014. Antonio Galloni

91 points The Wine Spectator-Powerful aromas of blueberry pie and black licorice follow through to a full body, with chewy tannins and lots of fruit. Long and structured. Still a little tight. Best after 2010. 6,500 cases made.

95 points The Wine Advocate:The 2007 Chianti Classico Riserva Vigna del Sorbo is a wine that expresses a contemporary vision of what Chianti Classico can be but without ever fully abandoning its roots. The single-vineyard Vigna del Sorbo adds 10% Cabernet Sauvignon (planted on Sangiovese rootstocks) to the Sangiovese. Texturally it is classic Sangiovese with the fine, sweet tannins that are the hallmark of the vintage, while the Cabernet adds a sepia-hued dimension to the fruit and an element of greater richness in the body, but without dominating the aromatic or flavor profile. The radiant warmth of Panzano doesn’t hurt either, as the fruit is gloriously ripe and soft in this vintage. Everything is beautifully in balance, including the oak, which is barely perceptible. Today the Vigna del Sorbo is very young. It should start to be expressive around age ten and continue to drink beautifully for another decade-plus. Vigna del Sorbo remains a benchmark for the heights the international style of Chianti Classico can reach. This is another fabulous effort from proprietor Giovanni Manetti. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2032. Antonio Galloni