2019 Uggiano Roccialta Chianti Classico Riserva 750 ml

The Chianti Classicos that excite us most accomplish what seems simple but is actually very difficult: They express the brilliant red-fruit persistence of the Sangiovese grape with total purity.

Achieving that goal makes intense demands of the winemaker and the vineyard, which is why truly authentic wines from Chianti Classico don't usually come cheap—and why the 2019 Uggiano Roccialta Riserva, which is one of the best deals in the category. The product of indigenous varieties farmed conscientiously, this wine is fantastically vivid right now but boasts the bones to improve for another decade. 

Many producers try to mask the authentic, detailed expression of pure Sangiovese because, when making wines that will come at low price points, they often don't have healthy, perfectly ripe grapes. Faced with that handicap, they'll round out or soften the blend with Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot, which is permitted under the DOCG rules.

But Uggiano is a holdout. Its composition—90% Sangiovese and 10% Canaiolo—makes this wine true to its Tuscan roots. Meticulously farmed grapes and careful winemaking give this bottling superb purity and focused fruit intensity.

Uggiano was founded in the 1970s in a Montespertoli castle and originally headed by French-trained winemaker Giuseppe Losapio. The estate's hilly vineyards feature a classic mix of galestro and alberese soils. In 2019, they were treated to a near ideal growing season from spring to fall. The result was a batch of wines that Chianti Classico purists will be celebrating for years to come.