2019 Castello di Bossi Berardo Chianti Classico Riserva Tuscany

When it comes to Castello di Bossi’s Berardo Chianti Classico Riserva, two things are a given: It’s going to get a great score, and it’s going to sell out.

Thanks to a prime organic vineyard in Castelnuovo Berardenga and the winemaking genius of terroir-whisperer Alberto Antonini, this 94-pointer offers the kind of ironclad value that Wine Access members can spot a mile away.

Berardo is one of THE great deals in Tuscany. “It’s everything I want in an excellent Chianti Classico,” said a Wine Access member who rated our last vintage a perfect five stars. “It seems difficult to find a Sangiovese that is as good alone as it is with food. I score this wine 100 points in both categories.” 

This is a refined bottle drawn from a magnificent property on the southernmost edge of Chianti Classico, where the sprawling estate spans several hundred acres bracketed by evergreens. Berardo’s high-altitude vineyard is known for its particularly low yields, averaging just 1.6 tons of fruit per acre. Those meager hauls, together with a warm microclimate, lend this wine a rounded, voluptuous elegance.

We caught up with Antonini, Bossi’s consulting winemaker, for a fascinating discussion about his “less is more” approach. He’s the kind of guy who just wants to get out of the way: He optimizes organic farming, uses whole clusters, and endeavors not to screw the wine up with overextraction or too much oak. 

• Fruit Intensity
• Oak Intensity
• Body
• Acidity
• Tannin

• ABV 14.50%
• 1 hour
• Now – 2032
• % Sangiovese
• Serving temperature – 60°
• Cork