95-Points by Decanter.
The Castell’in Villa Chianti Classico Riserva is made of 100% Sangiovese grapes entirely from the best vineyards. Octogenarian Princess Coralia Pignatelli della Leonessa is never in a rush to put her wines on the market, and has just released this striking 2017 Riserva. It hails from a notoriously hot and arid vintage, possessing the substance and structure that Pignatelli demands of the Riserva category. Unhurried in its reveal, toasted hazelnut, exotic spice, dried flowers and eventually red and black currants trickle out in measured progression. This simmers with intensity yet shuts down in the glass. Upfront structure is composed of compact tannins and steely, linear acidity that slices the palate. Irony minerals and dusty earth poke through the dense, dark fruit core, lingering persistently on the finish. It is reassuring to see the princess’ son, Luigi taking an interest in this venerated estate. 
 
Castell'in Villa is a small estate in Castelnuovo Berardenga, at the south end of the Chianti Classico region. Both the Chianti Classico and the Riserva are made entirely of Sangiovese, vinified using indigenous fermentations. They’re aged in the traditional large oval barrels, and have been some of the best wines in the appellation for decades. The owner of the estate, Coralia Pignatelli della Leonessa, has never wavered in her commitment to traditional winemaking. The resulting wines are soulful, distinctive, long-lived, and delicious, proof that the Sangiovese grape can rise to greatness when grown in the right place.