2018 Tenute Poggio Bonelli Chianti Classico 750 ml

Our last offer of Tenute Poggio Bonelli was a godsend for our Chianti-loving members. The bottle—crafted under the eye of Carlo Ferrini, the multi-100-point star who Wine Spectator called “one of Tuscany’s great winemakers” and Decanter crowned the “Italian Master”—is exceptionally delicious, and delivers outstanding value.

We first tried this stunner at the recommendation of our friend Roberto. He had all of Italy to choose from—six pages on the wine list at one of West LA’s Italian institutions, packed with some of the finest Brunellos, Barolos, and Barbarescos. But the bottle put on the table of our thirsty wine experts was the mouthwatering, ruby-hued Tenute Poggio Bonelli Chianti Classico.

Our buddy’s restaurant went through a case a day of the Bonelli, minimum—at $15 per glass—and it pairs with just about any red-wine-friendly dish. When we visited, Roberto made sure just about every menu item made it to our table, and before long, we were diggin into classics like carpaccio, pappardelle ai funghi, pizza Margherita, and bistecca con fagioli—a diverse spread that could daunt most red wines. 

But not Chianti Classico, and especially not Ferrini’s exquisite red, which is grown on an estate that many prominent families have owned since the Middle Ages, including the Piccolomini clan (of Brunello fame). Located on the hills of Castelnuovo Berardenga, the vineyard sits on clay and sandy soils, and a more atypical mix (for Chianti Classico) of decomposing rock. That combination of terroir helps impart the super-savory minerality that makes Chianti Classico like this one some of the best-value wines in Europe.