Happy New Year, my friends! Can you believe that we’ve made it to 2022? I can’t….and I sure do wish that the new year was off to a better start than has been the case. But hey, at least we still have wine to keep things pleasant and fun… ;-)

For me personally, it’s a new year that will be full of fresh, new Wine Wednesday Picks!

Based on some polling that I recently did on my Instagram stories, it appears that weekly Wine Wednesday picks are a big hit and therefore should continue. And I promise to try to do my best, bringing you one wine each week that I have tried and am able to share honest feedback about. Just a reminder that I don’t get paid to try these wines or write about them - I do it because I love to. And I hope you get some value from this passion of mine :)

So with that, let’s get into this week’s Wine pick!

2018 Mazzei Ser Lapo Chianti Classico Riserva

This week’s wine comes from the heart of the Chianti region in Tuscany, Italy. It is made by one of the more prolific, historically significant and highly successful producers in the country. Read on to learn all that you need to know about this wine.

What does this wine cost?

$23.95.

Where does this wine come from?

This wine hails from one of the most recognized regions of Italy - Chianti. This is the land of rolling hills, warm and sunny days and endless red wine. Chianti encompasses more than 7000 hectares of vineyards (it is a big region!).

Of note, this wine is from the “Classico” part of the region, which means that it is made in the “historic centre” of this appellation. Located between Florence and Sienna, the historic centre is deemed to be where Chianti was first and most traditionally made and is meant to be a moniker of quality in these parts. Wines from the Chianti Classico DOCG are widely regarded as being more complex and age worthy than their counterparts from the broad Chianti appellation.

The Chianti Classico appellation also comes with stricter rules than the more generic “Chianti” appellation, including a requirement for the wines to contain at least 80% Sangiovese (as opposed to 70%) which is the typical grape of this area.

I’ve written about this before but it’s worth noting again. Chianti Classico wines always bear the symbol of a black rooster on the neck of the wine bottle. There is a rather amusing backstory for why this is the case which you may or may not be interested in; regardless, know that when you see the black rooster, you are supposed drinking the best quality of Chianti wine in the region i.e. because it is from….you got it, the historical centre of the appellation :)

Click here if you actually want to learn more about the significance of the black rooster emblem and Chianti Classico.

Why is this wine unique?

There are two things about this wine that make it unique in my view.

First of all, it is a “riserva” which is a definite step up from standard Chianti Classico when it comes to complexity (remembering that the latter is already a step up in complexity from Chianti) because these wines required to be aged in barrel for a minimum of two years and then in bottle for a minimum of four months before it may be released for sale. This requirement makes these wines very good for meat-based dishes, often at a more affordable price than comparable wines from elsewhere in the world, or even Italy.

Secondly, with the 2018 vintage, the winery decided to pay homage to its founder, Ser Lapo, who is said to have written some of the first official papers mentioning the Chianti appellation. This is commemorated vis-a-vis the label on the wine bottle, which is truly unique and special. It presents as an overlay on the bottle, attached with a wax seal which contains a reproduction of the founder’s writing on historical documents. If you crack open the seal, the inside of the overlay has a beautiful illustration by a young Florentine artist which depicts the founder in all of his glory, extolling the virtues of good wine. What a whimsical touch!

Who makes this wine?

This wine is made by Mazzei, one of the longest standing wine producers in Italy. Still family owned after 26 generations, Mazzei is based out of Tuscany but has estates in other parts of Italy too. Not only famous for winemaking, the family also has ties to political royalty - in particular, one family member - Philip Mazzei - is said to have inspired ideas shared by Thomas Jefferson in the U.S. Declaration of Independence.

Click here to learn more about Mazzei.

A few Wine Geek “essential facts” about the wine (feel free to skip this if you don’t care about detailed wine-making information!):

Varieties - 90% Sangiovese, 10% Merlot

Vineyard Age - 15 - 30 years

Soil types - clay and limestone

ABV - 13.7%

Residual Sugar - 2 g/L

My tasting notes:

A deep maroon colour in the glass, this wine expresses purple plum, black cherry, dried earth and slight tobacco notes on the nose. On the palate, it displays notes of blackberries, plums, dark cherries, tobacco, dried green herbs and licorice. The wine is almost full bodied, with solid acidity and muscular tannins. This is a dark and intense wine - very pleasing and satisfying to drink now if you love a complex and tight wine. Some may find it too soon to drink, as this wine will surely improve after 3-5 years of further aging in the bottle.

Aging potential:

5-8 years.

Recommendations to Wineitupanotch:

Enjoy this wine with robust meat dishes such as lamb, beef, meat and potato stews or beef sausages.

Wineitupanotch Wine Score: 90 points

A very lovely Chianti Classico that honestly drinks more like a Bordeaux! This is a lovely wine to buy several bottles of, tuck away and enjoy over several years to come.

If you’re located in Ontario, you can find this wine at the LCBO under Product #288530.

FINAL VERDICT:

If you like rich and flavourful wines, or you think that all Chianti is light and watery, you’ve really got to try this one! It’ll give you a good sense of the robustness that can be found in this fascinating region.

If you’ve tried this wine already, or decide to pick it up and try it after reading this post, I’d love to hear from you and hear what you think of it! Please do drop me a line.

Until next time, wishing you love, light and of course - good wine! :)

Cheers…..and once again, happy new year to you and yours!

XOXO

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