2016 Viticcio Chianti Classico Tuscany 750 ml

This is our third allocation of Viticcio’s stunning Chianti Classico this year, and as the number of five-star ratings climbs (and our repeat orders disappear), Viticcio continues to prove that Tuscany’s hallmark red is a mainstay for a reason: Perhaps no other combination of grape variety and appellation creates a wine that’s both powerful yet restrained; ripe yet understated; ostentatious yet unassuming. 

A dazzling red complex enough to hold its own but with the charm and classic Tuscan rusticity to play a supporting role no matter what’s on the table, Vitticio’s 2016 Chianti Classico is a $19 winner, hands down. 

This isn’t the basket-clad Chianti of yore: Bursting from the glass with ripe plums and tart cherries, Vitticio’s 2016 quickly does an elegant two-step, letting tomato leaf, tobacco, and polished tannins move across center stage, before resolving in a long, dramatic finish. 

The Chianti wine designation has existed for over 300 years and covers a huge swath of the Tuscan countryside, but Viticcio sits on hallowed ground in the village of Greve, which forms the core of the “Chianti Classico” zone. Here, where elevation is between 230 and 400 meters, a high concentration of alberese (AKA limestone) in the soil gives the organically farmed estate an edge over its peers. The unique combination of minerals in the soil, elevation, and exposure allows the grapes to achieve the perfect balance between delicacy and power—the kind of balance that’s rare in $30 bottles, and all but an urban legend in $19 values. 

Given the right conditions and winemaking prowess, Sangiovese becomes a complex, delightful red that’s all too easy to reach for every night, and Viticcio’s versatility perfectly highlights why 2016 was a dream vintage for Tuscany. At $18.99 and adorned with 94 points from James Suckling—its highest score ever—those with quick trigger fingers will be rewarded today. 

Harvest is by hand at Vitticcio, allowing a double selection in the vineyard before a third on the sorting table prior to temperature-controlled fermentation. The 2016 is a blend of 98% Sangiovese (the star of Tuscany), topped with 2% Merlot—just enough to round out the texture and give this wine its early, easy-drinking appeal. One year of aging in a mix of oak barriques and large Slavonian casks marries the components of the wine into an elegant and harmonious blend. 

While Viticcio is far from a household name, this isn’t the legacy producer’s first vintage in the limelight. The 2015 was Wine Spectator’s second-highest scoring Chianti in the history of the magazine, and the 2016 embodies the vintage that Vinous called “superb” and “profound,” with room to spare.