Tenuta di Lilliano, Chianti Classico Riserva (Tuscany, Italy) 2015

 Tenuta di Lilliano’s vineyards lie at a 1000 foot elevation on clay/limestone soils and are mostly devoted to Sangiovese.  Known since the Middle Ages, the estate was brought into the modern wine era by Princess Eleonora Ruspoli Berlingieri who began bottling Lilliano’s wines in 1958.  The Ruspoli family now owns the estate.  The 2015 Lilliano Chianti Classico Riserva is a lovely example of the beauty of Sangiovese.  The nose shows pure red cherry and plum tones with hints of violets, tobacco, porcini mushrooms and subtle baking spices.  The red cherry and plum fruits dominate the palate and are enhanced by elements of black cherry, earth, tobacco and spice.  This is exciting Chianti, with the brightness and purity that defines the best of the appellation.  The vivid cherry fruit carries through the long finish.  It will be a fabulous companion for a summer grillfest this year, or it can be cellared for another decade.