Castello di Radda, Chianti Classico DOCG (Tuscany, Italy) 2012

 As much as I liked Castello di Radda’s 2012 Chianti Classico Riserva, I must admit, their Gran Selezione from the same vintage is just better.  With stricter production standards, Gran Selezione, a relatively new category for Chianti Classico, is supposed to highlight a producer’s top wine.  Castello di Radda’s 2012 Gran Selezione is just that.  Its gorgeous aromas stop you in your tracks before you sip it.  It has more of everything — a finer texture, more complexity, more refinement, and more length — without having too much of anything.  Packed with flavor, but not boisterous, it delivers a harmonious combination of dark black cherry-like fruitiness and earthy savory notes atop an underlying firmness.  In short, it sings.