Marchesi de Frescobaldi Chianti Rufina Nipozzano Riserva 2007

The 2005 Chianti Rufina Riserva is a soft, accessible, fruit-driven Chianti. It offers good length although the intensity drops off a little on the mid-palate. Ideally there might be a little more Sangiovese character. Anticipated maturity: 2008ndash;2015.

A track record for quality, good value and wide availability makes this Sangiovese-based red a savvy choice for consumers. Its 2004 vintage is the best version to date, thanks to a relatively cool and long summer that allowed the fruit to mature gradually and ripen evenly. The grapes are harvested from nearly 600 acres of vineyards on Frescobaldirsquo;s Nipozzano estate, just northeast of Florence.

The attractive, mid-weight 1999 Chianti Rufina Nipozzano Riserva offers black cherry fruit, new saddle leather, and spice box aromas. Well-made, with good acidity as well as aggressive tannin, it should be consumed over the next 5ndash;6 years.

The 2007 Chianti Rufina Riserva shows the open, opulent personality that makes this vintage so alluring. Ripe, silky tannins frame a core of red fruits, flowers and spices, all of which come together with unusual grace. Though medium in body, there is wonderful generosity to the fruit, not to mention fabulous overall balance. Anticipated maturity: 2010ndash;2015.

If yoursquo;re looking for a reliable Tuscan aristocrat, look no further than Nippozzano. This is consistantly one of the best drinking wines from the region; made at the estate for seven centuries, the style was updated during a major renovation of the winery in 1998. The 2000 Nipozzano is cleaner, more finely packaged than wines from the old cellar, and that only allows the pure flavors of Rufina sangiovese more amplitude and clarity of tone. Its fragrant with rose and black trumpet mushrooms, elegant with light tannins surrounding the ripe cherry fruit. Satisfying now with a wild mushroom risotto, this is balanced for age.

If you need further proof of the quality of the rsquo;97 vintage in Tuscany, look no further than Nipozzano. This is not an esoteric bottle that few will ever drink. Itrsquo;s a well distributed wine that completely blew this critic away in a blind tasting. It grabs your attention and takes you imagination into a silk robe, over chocolate perfumes that hint at ambrosia, through layers upon layer of distinctive terroir, a lasting spice, a moist earthy character thatrsquo;s both hidden and potent. How can a wine cascade across the palate with so much grace, the sparkle of its flavors lasting for minutes? How can a sip bring to mind a sexual fabric rather than fermented grape juice?

Rubinrot, granatrote Reflexe. Rote Johannisbeeren und Pflaumen im typischen Sangiovese-Bouquet, mineralische Noten auch und Crémant-Schokolade. Charaktervolle Gaumenaromatik, an Preiselbeeren und Himbeeren erinnernd, ergänzt mit würzigen Noten, auch etwas Laub, wiederum eine tolle Mineralik; die Tannine sind sanft und reif, das Frucht-Säure-Spiel ausgewogen; rassiger Abgang.