That subject line is 100% accurate, and Castello di Radda's Chianti Classico is worthy of every single one of those points! This is the rare bird, the unicorn, the insider's find....call it what you want, but what it is is a tremendous bottle of Tuscan red wine.
Rated 96 points by Decanter, Great Britain's famed publication, this exudes the most beautiful perfume of Sangiovese, and it's got the "stuffing" that will allow it to drink well through 2030. The complete opposite of the Chiantis of old that came in those wicker-basket bottles, this is quite powerful, refined, and completely engaging.
Trust me here folks, this will go down as my top red wine find of 2024, and we just got a 10-case allocation. I'd advise you to act fast on this one...
2021 Castello di Radda Chianti Classico
96 points Decanter, 95 points Yours Truly
Ex-Table Wine employee and manager Sarah Chandler brought this one to my attention. She's working for a great distributor these days, she just became our sales rep, and she nailed it with this selection. I tasted it last week, and I really had to keep my "poker face" on when she let me know the price. Great job Sarah!
I went on to order every bottle she could get me, and as you can see, the price is more than fair. This is seriously legit and 100% "Josh-Approved" too -- I'd honestly put it in the same league as more well-known and expensive Chianti All-Stars like Fonterutoli, Castello di Bossi, and Banfi.
Decanter summed it up beautifully. "A fragrant, expressive nose with notes of iris, dark berries, tea leaf and a whiff of iodine preludes a palate with firm fibre and just the right touch of severity in the long savoury finish. This is a vibrant, thoroughbred Chianti Classico with a precise sense of place from an excellent vintage. Drinking 2024-2030."
I will add that this is a deeper-colored, riper, and grander style of Chianti with precise balance between the tannins, the acids, and the ripe fruit. It balances out into an absolutely gorgeous bottle of wine that really struck my fancy. I like the vibrancy and expressiveness it's giving now, but I'm going to stash 6 bottles away to drink over the next 5 to 7 years. I know it's just going to get better.
That's why I recommend you buy at least a six-pack of this wine, even if world-class Tuscan red isn't usually your thing :) I can't think of one customer that fits that bill.....in all seriousness, get after this deal. I have a feeling it's going to go fast!
