2021 Castello di Ama 'San Lorenzo', Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG, Italy (750ml)

WINEMAKER'S NOTES: 

Wine Spectator #9 Wine of the Year in 2025

The complex Castello di Ama San Lorenzo is elegant, fresh and intense with finesse and length. Deep red ruby. Fruity aromas of red cherry, strawberry, licorice and orange zest complemented by hints of leather. Juicy and succulent with silky texture. A long-lasting palate of red ripe fruits and delicate, firm tannins. The finish is fresh and lively, expressing deep red fruit, wood and damp earth, developing exemplary intensity and aromatic complexity over time.

TASTING NOTES: 

This is really perfumed and gorgeous, with black cherries, blackcurrants and violets. Full-bodied with totally integrated tannins and a palate presence that is pretty spectacular. Wonderful finish. Give this three or four years.

- James Suckling, 99 pts. 

A clever bridge between the entire Castello di Ama stable, San Lorenzo is a selection of older vines from key estate vineyards. It also includes both Merlot and Malvasia Nera, which contribute to the identity of the cru bottlings. In 2021, this flagbearer is a brilliant balance of fruit and territorial expression with deftly integrated oak. Tobacco, iron and nutmeg infuse dark plum and cherry. There is great flow and length, with tangy, mouth-cleansing acidity. Articulate aromas and flavours along with finessed tannins give a sense of readiness – but that authoritative structure has the last word. 

- Decanter, 95 pts. 

This wine represents a selection of the best Sangiovese sourced from various plots with a tiny addition of Merlot and Malvasia Nera. The Castello di Ama 2021 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione San Lorenzo takes a few extra moments to open in the glass, but unlike the La Casuccia that holds back, this wine comes into full view quickly enough. The wine's flavor profile is a little meatier and fuller, and this could be linked to the warm vintage conditions. San Lorenzo is a generous wine, and it is a bottle you can enjoy in the medium or long term.

- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 95 pts. 

Deep, dark and densely wrought, featuring black cherry, blackberry, violet, iron and tobacco aromas and flavors. The sinewy tannins are enhanced by the vivid acidity, and everything comes together on the crystalline aftertaste, which echoes the fruit and floral elements. Power meets finesse. Sangiovese and Merlot. *Highly Recommended* 

- Wine Spectator, 95 pts. 

The 2021 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Castello di Ama San Lorenzo is packed with dark red fruit, licorice, spice, leather and graphite. This is a decidedly potent, backward Gran Selezione. Clean mineral notes extend the finish, presaging a brilliant future. The sculpted style is hugely appealing. Here, too, readers will have to be patient, as the 2021 is very young. 

- Vinous, 94 pts.