Olives, sour cherries, cedar and sun-dried tomatoes on the nose. It’s medium- to full-bodied, deliciously savory, with firm tannins and lively acidity. A little tight and chewy for now, but with length and focus. 100% sangiovese. From organically grown grapes. Try after 2024.

With 10,000 bottles made, the Rocca di Castagnoli 2017 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Stielle is a fully organic expression of 100% Sangiovese from a hot and dry growing season. Signs of the vintage come through with hints of tertiary definition and mature fruit. Baked plum, cola, black olive and rusty earth emerge first. The finish is mid-weight, and the wine ends with dry tannins that suggest a slightly shorter drinking window. This is an expression of hard work in a challenging vintage.

The Rocca di Castagnoli 2016 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Stielle is a beautifully polished and glossy expression with plenty of rich and balanced fruit that gives the wine a clean and elegant entrée to the palate. It shows slightly textured tannins and a polished feel with long endurance and freshness. The wine hits all the right spots. Pair it with some fresh bread, caramelized onions and foie gras.

Opening to a dark and enriched appearance, the 2015 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Stielle is a balanced and intense wine with tarry aromas of resin and smoke that segue to raw cherry and blackberry. This is an inky, rich wine (made with 100% Sangiovese) with a thick and tightly knit texture. It's all about richness and concentration. The mouthfeel is a bit flat and broad, but this is a steady red for baked short ribs, collared greens and buttered cornbread. Some 15,000 bottles were made.

Not many producers opted to make a Gran Selezione in this difficult vintage. The Rocca di Castagnoli 2014 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Stielle delivers above my expectations. Although the bouquet is initially shy or closed, it takes just a little more attention and patience before it starts to unfold, revealing bold and delicious fruit along the way. This is a pure expression of Sangiovese. Only 7,500 bottles were made.