The quality of this wine and the enjoyment from it should come as no surprise. The 2016 vintage in Chianti Classico was fabulous, producing ripe but racy wines. Badia a Coltibuono is consistently among the top producers. The surprise here is finding a wine of this caliber for an average price of $20, though I’ve seen it for much less. It delivers a perfect combination of herbal or earthy notes combined with delicate red fruit flavors. Not a powerhouse, it wows you with elegance and complexity rather than brute force. Its focus is not on fruitiness, but rather on alluring, non-fruit-based, savory nuances. Juicy and fresh with fine tannins, it’s a delight to drink now with a hearty pasta dish or a grilled veal chop. It isn’t going to fade anytime soon, so you can safely buy this one by the case.
Badia a Coltibuono, Chianti Classico DOCG (Tuscany, Italy) 2016
By Michael Apstein