2007 San Marcellino Chianti Classico Riserva
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A ripe, exotic wine, the 2007 Chianti Classico Vigneto San Marcellino is a total turn on. Full-bodied, opulent and utterly hedonistic, the San Marecellino also retains considerable freshness for its age and the year. Morever, it has developed exquisitely since I last tasted it. The 2007 is a sensual wine with voluptuous curves and tremendous allure, all of which make it impossible to resist. And why would you want to?
Critic scores
Average Score
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2007 Chianti Classico San Marcellino is a deep, dense wine with serious structure. The fruit is dark and inward, but over time the blackest of cherries, smoke, incense, minerals, earthiness and tar emerge in the glass. Far from an easygoing 2007, the San Marcellino needs at least a handful of years in the cellar, after which it should drink beautifully. The San Marcellino is 95% Sangiovese and 5% Pugnitello that spent 18 months in Allier oak (24% new), the traces of which need time to integrate. A touch of heat on the finish is borderline distracting, which is pretty much the only thing that keeps the score from going higher.
The 2007 Chianti Classico San Marcellino is a deep, dense wine with serious structure. The fruit is dark and inward, but over time the blackest of cherries, smoke, incense, minerals, earthiness and tar emerge in the glass. Far from an easygoing 2007, the San Marcellino needs at least a handful of years in the cellar, after which it should drink beautifully. The San Marcellino is 95% Sangiovese and 5% Pugnitello that spent 18 months in Allier oak (24% new), the traces of which need time to integrate. A touch of heat on the finish is borderline distracting, which is pretty much the only thing that keeps the score from going higher. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2027. My visit last year with proprietor Marco Ricasoli was illuminating, as we tasted through a number of older wines. The progress this young estate has made under Ricasoli’s leadership is nothing short of remarkable. I would be remiss if I didn’t say a word about the most surprising wine Ricasoli poured. It wasn’t one of his higher-end selections, but rather the straight 2002 Chianti Classico that impressed the most. Readers, of course, know 2002 was one of the worst years on record in northern Italy, yet this was a beautiful, mid-weight wine with no hard edges or signs of greenness, and the freshness to drink well for a number of years to come. It was truly a mind-opening wine. Importers: T. Edward Wines, Ltd., New York, NY; tel. (212) 233-1504; Elite Brands USA, Kalamazoo, MI, tel. (616) 405-3260; K & L Imports, Redwood City, CA; tel. (800) 247-5987