Rocca delle Macie Chianti Class Sant'Alfonso 2017 DOC (JS 91)

James Suckling 91 points.

This wine provides proof positive of how Sangiovese succeeds in expressing different aspects of its character depending on the soil in which it is cultivated, the different clones used and the type of vinification applied.
Chianti Classico Tenuta Sant’Alfonso is one of the winery’s most well-established wines and one of the two prestigious crus produced today with 100% Sangiovese grapes cultivated exclusively on the Sant’Alfonso estate. Based on the studies and experiments conducted in the vineyard, it emerged that the most clay-rich and least gravelly soils of this estate, combined with the use of specific clones of Sangiovese, caused the grapes to develop and mature with a higher concentration of polyphenols and aromatic substances.
The result is this opulent, juicy Chianti Classico, which is awash with fruity overtones of amarena cherries and blackberries, as well as spicy notes of licorice and coffee. It also boasts a well-balanced, pleasant structure on the palate.