94pts Wine Spectator
A bright yet firmly structured Chianti Classico, with iron, leather, almond and floral accents surrounding a core of cherry fruit. Sleek and intense, with a lingering finish echoing cherry, red berry and mineral notes. Best from 2024 through 2040.
93pts James Suckling
Aromas of sweet berries, crushed stones and violets follow through beautifully to a medium-bodied with fine, integrated tannins and a pretty finish. Crisp and crunchy with structure.
93pts Decanter
Selected from eight vineyards with yields between 35 and 45hL/ha, Castello di Volpaia’s 2019 Riserva is aged in a combination of French and Slavonian oak barrels. It's polished and detailed without sacrificing its tousled charms and grip. Heady cherry blossoms, warm flinty stone and grilled herbs greet the nose. On the palate, crunchy acidity and a clever blood orange lift lend brightness to black cherry and dark earth nuances. Sturdy enough for the next decade. Drinking Window: 2023 - 2032.
93pts Jeb Dunnuck
Taking on a somewhat darker expression, the 2019 Chianti Classico Riserva is floral and concentrated with candied blackcurrant, lavender, and graphitic mineral earth. It is full bodied without being weighted and has finely polished tannins, a stony texture, and a warming finish. On the back end, a delicate amaro-like finish emerges, with hints of tea leaf and iron earth.
93pts Wine Advocate
Here's a wine I highly recommend. Packaged with a black label, the Volpaia 2019 Chianti Classico Riserva is certified organic Sangiovese from a site with sandstone soils that rises up to a cool 600 meters above sea level in Radda in Chianti. These well-priced results are perfumed and vibrant with black fruit, crushed stone and wild rose. I especially appreciate those drying mineral tones that match the wine's elegant, mid-weight mouthfeel. Best After 2022
93pts Wine Enthusiast
The nose on this wine opens with cherry candy and candied orange peel joined by medicinal herbs and underbrush. The palate offers cherry, chocolate, fig and sugar plum. Dusty, gritty tannins and plenty of heat on the backpalate keep things lively.
91pts Vinous
The 2019 Chianti Classico Riserva is a dark, brooding wine. Black cherry, leather, licorice, incense, spice and tobacco give the 2019 its decidedly somber, inward personality. There's good depth and yet the 2019 is marked by somewhat angular contours that leave it feeling a touch rustic.
Winemaker's Notes
The Chianti Classico Riserva has a ruby-red hue with a trace of garnet. The nose is elegant, displaying hints of spice and fruit. This a well-structured wine with smooth tannins and a long finish.
History
Castello di Volpaia is located in an 11th century village that bears the same name. It sits on a hilltop just north of the town of Radda in Chianti, 2,024 feet above sea level, in the heart of the Chianti Classico region. One of the most historical wineries of the region, Volpaia is owned by the Mascheroni-Stianti family and benefits from some of the highest altitude southern exposure vineyards of the area, delivering certified organic Sangiovese-based wines of finesse and elegance with a terroir approach.
