TENUTA DI ARCENO | Chianti Classico | Riserva | 2018
sangiovese | cabernet sauvignon

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Tenuta di Arceno is a very old estate from Tuscany with a diverse portfolio of high quality wines across two classification levels: Sangiovese-based wines under Chianti Classico DOCG and Super Tuscan wines under Toscana IGT designation. The estate is situated at the southernmost-edge of Chianti Classico sub-region, in the butterfly-shaped commune of Castelnuovo Berardenga, closest in proximity to Siena and rightfully referred to as ‘the most Senese Chianti Classico’. Toscana region has long boasted an impressive reputation in the world of great wines, earning its prestige as one of the most impressive and creative production areas in the world of wine as a result of a number of forward-thinking producers that experimented with international grape varieties like merlot, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc.

Today we are are going to review a genuine Chianti wine from the famous Tuscany wine region in the northern Italy – Chianti Classico Riserva 2018 by Tenuta di Arceno. This wine is the epitome of modern Chianti, made almost entirely with sangiovese grapes (90%), mixed with just a bit of cabernet sauvignon (10%). Chianti wines can be made with grapes sourced from a vast region within Tuscany: from the foothills of the Apennine Mountains, to the flatter plains towards the Mediterranean Sea, but, in order to taste some of best expressions of sangiovese-based Chianti wines, one needs to look into higher elevations, towards the original boundaries of the Chianti region, called Chianti Classico, where wines are made in smaller quantities, with lower yields and therefore are of higher quality. The best wines from the Chianti Classico sub-region will be labelled as ‘Riserva’ or ‘Gran Selezione’. This wine here is made with grapes that were sourced from the San Gusmé vineyards, planted on south-facing slopes on marl-rich soils on 350-400 meters altitude, near the town of Castelnuovo Berardenga in Siena. In order to soften the tannins and add extra complexity to the final blend, the wine has been aged for 10 months in neutral french oak barriques. But enough with all that theory, that said and without further ado, let’s take a look at the wine tasting results.
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Take a look at the tasting notes below and our detailed assessment of the wine:

//Visual
colour: medium-deep ruby color
clarity: hazy & noble ruby shades

//Olfactory
intensity: pronounced & savory
fruit profile: red fruits
__red fruits: red plum | redcurrant | cranberry | sour cherry | hints of pomegranate
fruit character: ripe to overripe

//Flavor
non fruit: herbal | oak | earth | savory
__herbal: dried leaves | thyme | rosemary
__oak: sun-dried oak | cloves | tobacco | rooibos tea | oaktree bark | cherry tree wood & sap
__earth: clay | loam | marl | hints of forest floor
__savory: brown olive | cheddar | old leather | hints of iron & veal
primary layer: fruity-savory

//Palate
sweetness: dry
acidity: high
alcohol: medium+
tannin: high
__grip: fine-grained
balance: fine
__dominant: alcohol
body: ample | medium+

//Taste
fruit profile: red fruits
fruit character: ripe
non fruit: oak & herbs
finish: medium+
aftertaste: velvety-seedy

//Scoring
TENUTA DI ARCENO | Chianti Classico | Riserva | 2018
variety: sangiovese | cabernet sauvignon
country: Italy
region: Toscana | Chianti Classico
rating: 95.3

//Conclusion
maturity: developing | drink now or age for 3 to 5 more years
verdict: great | a must try wine | a wine that has all the traits to become legendary

//Prediction
predicted RP rating: 91+

//RP Rating
actual RP rating: ?

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This is definitely a great wine of Italy and, with a total of 95.3 points scored, this wine is right there, among the best wines we’ve rated so far. Check our complete database on the wine rating page, where you can find all the wines that we have tasted and reviewed or go to the about us page and find out more about our exquisite rating system.

Verdict: this is an outstanding sangiovese-based wine and definitely one of the best we’ve tasted so far: ample, seedy and crisp, with a vibrant nose and a voluptuous palate. The wine is still in its development phase, therefore we would recommend to age it for 3 to 5 more years, as the potential is clearly there, but make sure you don’t overdo it, as it is always better to drink a wine a year too soon than a day too late. On the nose the wine displays ripe and overripe red fruit notes in the foreground, supported by a nuanced, savory-earthy background and a very subtle, oaky layer in between the two. On the palate the wine delivers bright acidity, velvety and fine-grained tannins and just a touch of alcoholic warmth that is showing through on the mouthfeel, which leads to a pleasantly seedy aftertaste. All in all this is the best Chianti wine that we have tasted so far – a wine with an amazing harmony between all its elements and a very strong varietal typicity of the sangiovese grape variety, mixing power with finesse. We believe this gorgeous wine will pair lovely with delicate, fat-rich meats, like for example Tournedos Rossini or a peppercorn filet mignon steak. Saluti!

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© The WineStatistics ratings are based solely on our own knowledge of the world of wine and on our personal wine tastes, which may, or may not, differ from yours – the reader. Just remember that there are no absolutes of right and wrong in wine appreciation.