Notify me
2019 Chianti Classico
Castagnoli
Castagnoli sits at the top of a hill looking down on row upon row of terraced Sangiovese vines, forests, and rolling hills as far as the eye can see. Beneath your feet, you’ll find a special, highly decomposed stone, known locally as galestro, which imparts an unusually refined, high-toned, and mineral character to the wines. There is so much to love about this small estate halfway between Florence and Siena, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a more elegant introduction to Chianti Classico.
—Tom Wolf
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2019 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Sangiovese |
Appellation: | Chianti Classico |
Country: | Italy |
Region: | Tuscany |
Producer: | Castagnoli |
Winemaker: | Filippo Pratesi |
Vineyard: | 5 – 8 years |
Soil: | Galestro Schist |
Aging: | Wine ages for 18 months in neutral oak barrels (18hl and 4/5hl) |
Farming: | Organic (certified) |
Alcohol: | 14% |
More from this Producer or Region

2018 Chianti Classico Riserva “Fondatore”
Italy | Tuscany
Always a standout, it is lithe, racy, and elegant, while not lacking the stony backbone for which great Greve is known.

2021 Rosso di Montalcino
Italy | Tuscany
The perfume of rose petals and vivid red berry fruit, along with the delicate, fine-grained tannin, make this a truly special Rosso.

2020 Chianti Classico MAGNUM
Italy | Tuscany
A delicious Chianti Classico for now or later, with extraordinary potential at table.

2019 Chianti Classico Riserva
Italy | Tuscany
Concentrated, youthful, and soulful, this Sangiovese is enchanting now, but it has a long life full of gorgeous evolution ahead.

2017 Chianti Classico Riserva “Terrazze”
Italy | Tuscany
A decidedly bright, aromatic, almost exotic Chianti, with aromas of black olive, violets, iron, and smoked meat.

2021 Chianti Classico
Italy | Tuscany
A delicious Chianti Classico for now or later, with extraordinary potential at table.

2023 Toscana Rosso “Monteleccio”
Italy | Tuscany
Biodynamically farmed, Brunello-quality grapes with the thrill of early and festive drinkability.

2018 Brunello di Montalcino
Italy | Tuscany
Ample, deep, and succulent, this enthralling Brunello is already highly rewarding.

2019 Chianti Classico “Ai Lecci”
Italy | Tuscany
This new release highlights a parcel shielded from the hottest hours of afternoon sun by tall silver oaks (lecci), yielding a gentler Chianti characterized by dark, sultry fruit, luxurious spice, and velvety tannins.

2020 Chianti Classico
Italy | Tuscany
Broad-shouldered, with hearty tannin and acidity and a dark, earthy quality to its fruit, it is a lumberjack wine that can cut through anything a Tuscan table can throw its way—wild game and aged cheeses are some of our favorites.

About The Producer
Castagnoli
About The Region
Tuscany
Perhaps no region is tied to Italy’s reputation as a producer of fine wine as much as Tuscany. Since Etruscan times, viticulture has played a prominent role in this idyllic land of rolling hills, and the Tuscan winemaking tradition remains as strong as ever today. With a favorable Mediterranean climate, an undulating topography offering countless altitudes and expositions, and a wealth of poor, well-draining soils, conditions are ideal for crafting high-quality wines. Add to that the rich gastronomical tradition—Tuscany is home to some of the country’s finest game, pastas, salumi, and cheeses—and you have the blueprint for a world-class wine region.
This is Sangiovese territory; in fact, it is arguably the only place in the world where Sangiovese reaches a truly regal expression. In spite of a rocky history with fluctuations in quality, traditionally produced Chianti has reclaimed its status as one of the country’s most reliable, food-friendly reds, while the rapid rise of Brunello di Montalcino shows the grape’s potential for grandiose, opulent reds allying power and finesse. Traditionally-minded growers have stuck to using only indigenous grape varieties and employing techniques like aging in massive wooden casks known as botti, creating wines of terroir that shine at the Tuscan table.
Tuscan wines have had a place in our portfolio since Kermit’s first visit in 1977. While the names of the estates have changed, the spirit of those first unfiltered Chiantis he imported live on through our current selections.
More from Tuscany or Italy
2020 Chianti Classico MAGNUM
Castagnoli Italy | Tuscany
2017 Chianti Classico Riserva “Terrazze”
Castagnoli Italy | Tuscany
2021 Rosso di Montalcino
Ferretti Italy | Tuscany
2018 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva “Santa Maria”
Colleoni Italy | Tuscany
2018 Brunello di Montalcino
Sesti Italy | Tuscany
2019 Chianti Classico “Ai Lecci”
Villa di Geggiano Italy | Tuscany
2020 Chianti Classico Riserva “Fondatore”
Podere Campriano Italy | Tuscany
2019 Chianti Classico Riserva
Villa Di Geggiano Italy | Tuscany
2017 Brunello di Montalcino
Sesti Italy | Tuscany
2023 Toscana Rosso “Monteleccio”
Sesti Italy | Tuscany
2021 Chianti Classico
Castagnoli Italy | Tuscany
2018 Chianti Classico Riserva “Fondatore”
Podere Campriano Italy | Tuscany
2020 Chianti Classico MAGNUM
Castagnoli Italy | Tuscany
2017 Chianti Classico Riserva “Terrazze”
Castagnoli Italy | Tuscany
2021 Rosso di Montalcino
Ferretti Italy | Tuscany
2018 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva “Santa Maria”
Colleoni Italy | Tuscany
2018 Brunello di Montalcino
Sesti Italy | Tuscany
2019 Chianti Classico “Ai Lecci”
Villa di Geggiano Italy | Tuscany
2020 Chianti Classico Riserva “Fondatore”
Podere Campriano Italy | Tuscany
2019 Chianti Classico Riserva
Villa Di Geggiano Italy | Tuscany
2017 Brunello di Montalcino
Sesti Italy | Tuscany
2023 Toscana Rosso “Monteleccio”
Sesti Italy | Tuscany
2021 Chianti Classico
Castagnoli Italy | Tuscany
2018 Chianti Classico Riserva “Fondatore”
Podere Campriano Italy | Tuscany
Where the newsletter started

Where the newsletter started
Every three or four months I would send my clients a cheaply made list of my inventory, but it began to dawn on me that business did not pick up afterwards. It occurred to me that my clientele might not know what Château Grillet is, either. One month in 1974 I had an especially esoteric collection of wines arriving, so I decided to put a short explanation about each wine into my price list, to try and let my clients know what to expect when they uncorked a bottle. The day after I mailed that brochure, people showed up at the shop, and that is how these little propaganda pieces for fine wine were born.—Kermit Lynch