The 1995 Chianti Classico displays a solid ruby color with garnet at the edge, and a moderately intense, black-cherry, smoky nose that opens after 10-12 minutes in the glass. It possesses chalky tannin in the finish, but does offer elegant, textbook Chianti flavors in a medium-bodied, slightly rustic format. Drink it over the next 4-5 years. This estate, owned by Paolo Panerai, has made significant changes (cutting yields, eliminating fining, and curtailing the amount of filtration) since the 1993 vintage. The vineyards, which are managed with no pesticides, consist of 49 acres in Tuscany's heartland.
A Leonardo Lo Cascio Selection, Winebow, Hohokus, NJ; tel. (201) 445-0620