Castello di Bossi C. Berardenga Chianti Classico 2020 (Tuscany) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is a lovely, organic Chianti Classico made with Sangiovese that arrived at the LCBO last weekend as the Wine of the Month in the September 9 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

Castello di Bossi wines are produced by Bacci Wines, a family-owned winery located in Tuscany. The Bacci family has a long history rooted in Tuscany. Bacci Wines was founded by Marco Bacci, who began his working career at the age of 19 in their family business that specialized in clothing, a company that eventually became an icon in Italy's fashion sector. From this success, Marco founded a real estate company to take advantage of the period of economic growth in the sector. In a short time, Marco acquired several properties, including Castello di Bossi in 1984.

Winemaking was a pleasant pasttime for Marco until 1985, when he bottled his first wine. In 1996, he left the fashion sector to dedicate his body and soul to the wine industry and acquired several more estates to reach a grand total of 6 wine estates, mostly in Tuscany. Today, Bacci Wines is not only dedicated to producing high-quality wines from the Tuscan region, but are well-known for their commitment to sustainable and organic farming practices, prioritizing environmental sustainability, and producing their wines with great respect for the land.

Castello di Bossi is situated in the southern half of the Chianti Classico zone, within the territory of the commune of Castelnuovo Berardenga UGA. The site where Castello di Bossi resides has a long history going back to when the first tower was built there in the year 1090. In 1450, the original structure was expanded into the 4-walled fortress that can be seen today. The historic castle is an iconic landmark that also serves as the centrepiece of the winery. The estate has changed hands several times over the years and now covers 650 hectares, with 124 hectares under vines that are mostly planted with Sangiovese. The grapes for this Chianti Classico are typically grown at 350 metres (1,148 feet) above sea level on tufo, brown and yellow clay, and broken stone soils.

I've enjoyed this wine for many years, including most recently the 2018 Castello di Bossi C. Berardenga Chianti Classico last year. The 2020 growing season was a challenging one (due to the pandemic), but offered winegrowers the opportunity to concentrate their efforts towards every aspect of cultivation, vineyard management, and production. While it is difficult to generalize a vintage in Chianti Classico because each UGA experiences its own unique conditions, the vintage quality and quantity in 2020 is good, and in some cases excellent. Let's see how this 2020 Chianti Classico from the Castelnuovo Berardenga UGA is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CASTELLO DI BOSSI C. BERARDENGA CHIANTI CLASSICO 2020 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#994608) (XD) - $22.95
This organic Sangiovese was aged in barrel for 12 months and is fresh and intensely aromatic with a very pretty nose of ripe pure red and dark red cherries that are joined by red currant, baking spices, clove, cinnamon, and gentle oak spice aromas. It's medium-full bodied on the palate with fresh, juicy acidity and ripe flavours of red fruited currant, plum, and cherry, plus cedary oak spice and clove notes adding a savoury component. Ripe, gently drying, and grippy tannins coat the palate. Tangy on the mid-palate, while red currant, plum, cherry, and cedary oak notes with hints of mineral linger on the long finish. Enjoy this highly recommended buy over the next 3-4 years. Score: 90 pts

Other lovely wines from Castello di Bossi can be purchased from the LCBO or through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia./ Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.