The Castello di Ama 2020 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigneto la Casuccia is a single-vineyard expression of Sangiovese. The wine is dark and concentrated in this vintage with lovely tones of ripe blackberry, baked plum, sweet earth and black rose. It has all the classic aromas of the variety, only in this case they are delivered with extra heft and push thanks to the warm and sunny growing season. This vintage remains slightly more accessible overall.

The 2019 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigneto la Casuccia is a wine of intensity, volume and power. Yet it also shows impeccable balance thanks to the deft hands of the estate winemaking team. I find this edition of la Casuccia, with fruit from a steep vineyard that faces the Castello, to be especially full and rich. Fruit weight and concentration is indeed a characteristic of this classic growing season, and this wine wears it well. You are treated to plenty of blackberry, spice, tobacco and grilled herb.

Slightly more contained next to the 2019 vintage that I tasted at the same time, the Castello di Ama 2018 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigneto la Casuccia offers ample volume and fruit weight, but it holds back slightly on the mid-palate. The 2018 vintage tends to deliver all of its brooding intensity up front, leaving you with plenty of black fruit, spice and tobacco to fuel a long finish. Ultimately, 2019 shows more depth and dimension. However, this beautiful wine should not go overlooked, especially if long cellar aging is not your objective.

From the small vineyard facing Castello di Ama from the north, the 2016 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigneto la Casuccia shows a dark and hearty side with rich fruit that flows steadily from the bouquet. Like the other new releases from this iconic estate, this wine shows a pretty earthy note that is particularly well defined and fine-tuned in this vintage. The fruit is broad, thick and horizontal. This is a Sangiovese painted with broad brush strokes. It'll stand another decade or two, or open it sooner with a pappardelle al cinghiale.

Compared to Castello di Ama's other top Gran Selezione expressions, the 2015 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigneto la Casuccia offers thick brushstrokes of ripe fruit, spice and crushed stone. Perhaps this wine has less depth compared to the others, but this is only by a tiny fraction. This wine exhibits immediate boldness, suppleness and richness, especially in this warm and exuberant vintage. The wine finishes with dark fruit flavors and firmly structured tannins.