96 points Wine Advocate
The 2016 Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia knocks it out of the park. Like the other new releases from Fèlsina, this pure expression of Sangiovese needs more time to evolve and improve with bottle age. But even at this young stage, you are made fully aware of the beautiful intensity and complexity of the quality fruit at its core. There is so much energy and tension here, further reinforced by the fresh acidity of the vintage. There are vibrant tones of wild cherry, raspberry and spice, followed up by white truffle and tilled earth.
Fattoria di Felsina has long been one of the great names in Tuscany. Based in the Chianti Classico region, Felsina produces one of the finest ranges of ageworthy and complex Chianti bottlings in all of Italy. Unlike many of their neighbors, Felsina has never succumbed to the temptation to produce “new age” wines from their fine Chianti vineyards, and continues to grow solely Sangiovese here, rather than dabble with international-styled blends that include Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot. Consequently, their elegant yet intensely flavored Chiantis place them firmly among the top handful of Chianti producers, with the best vintages of their top Riserva Chiantis often approaching Brunello di Montalcino in terms of complexity and potential for longevity. In addition to their distinct bottlings of Chianti Classico, Felsina also produces one of Italy’s top Vino di Tavola’s (or IGTs), called Fontalloro. Fontalloro is also 100% Sangiovese, with the wine sources from old vines in three top vineyards that straddle the border between two of Chianti’s top regions: “Classico” and “Colli Senesi”. It is produced from vines that are in excess of fifty years of age, and aged in small French oak barrels for fifteen to eighteen months prior to bottling.
