Chianti Wine Review
A hedgehog playing in a pile of autumn leaves. This bottle starts off with a very specific wet fur-and-oak-leaf aroma that was both surprising and delightful. There is a question whether this was an element of brettanomyces along with a dose of wood tannins, but that seems unlikely with a producer this well established.
On the palate, a leaden element pushes through dark cherry, celery, and raspberry. The body is lush and forgivingly plump, like a hedonist in a prison cell. While that description may cause the reader to reconsider, they shouldn’t. This bottle balances classic tones of leather and spice with an aggressively tannin framework that still manages to be charismatic and delicious.
Wine Rating: 89 Points
Background
There are villages in the Chianti Classico that historically have made superior wines. Greve is one of those places. This wine is sourced from Lanciola’s 14-hectare vineyard planted largely to Sangiovese. There are a handful of other varietals planted, including the traditional Canaiolo and Colorino grapes.
“Le Masse di Greve” is an ancient hillside vineyard and villa that dates back to the 14th century, when the Ricci family owned it. They were a powerful Florentine family with a lineage that was already called ancient in the 14th century. They were the Kardashians of their time: they built a church every time one of their progeny misbehaved. There are a lot of Ricci churches in Florence.
Ricci’s Greve villa has been restored and is now an agriturismo hotel. It’s in a busy section of Tuscan farmland where crazy guys on tractors barrel through the narrow roads. The winery itself isn’t located on the property. It’s located about twenty minutes away, just past Florence in the Colli Fiorentini section of Chianti.