2022 Villa Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG

Villa Antinori has been making Chianti for generations, and the Riserva is the one where they really turn the dial up a notch. First released almost 100 years ago, it’s still very much about showing off what Sangiovese can do when you give it just a bit more time and care.

The 2022 season in Tuscany was warm and pretty dry, so the fruit came in small and concentrated, full of flavour. After ferment, the wine rested in oak for about a year before being bottled and held back until it had settled into itself. That extra time adds a touch of polish and structure, but at heart it’s still classic Chianti Classico – bright cherry fruit, a savoury edge and plenty of energy.

It’s the sort of red that works just as well with a midweek pasta as it does in the cellar for a few years. Nothing over the top, just a really well-made wine from one of Tuscany’s most reliable names.