Castellare di Castellina, Chianti Classico DOCG (Tuscany, Italy) 2018

 The 2018 vintage is a really lovely one for Chianti Classico, in my experience.  The wines have freshness and purity of fruit but can need some aeration to get beyond their solid Sangiovese and oak tannins.  Castellare di Castellina 2018 is that kind of young wine now.  A day or two after opening, it shows good ripeness of fruit within a mid-weight structure.  The aromas and flavors are concentrated and suggest tart cherry, red plum, dried herbs, spiciness and a minerally graphite note.  The wine’s acidity is high, as is appropriate for Chianti Classico; its structure, lean; and its texture, velvety.  To love Chianti Classico is to love moderate wines with subtle virtues.  Give this wine aeration and thought.