Caparsa is the ultimate insider’s estate, and in my opinion, they consistently produce one of the most traditional, soulful, and deeply satisfying Chianti Classicos in all of Tuscany.
We just received our small allotment of the 2022 Chianti Classico, and I opened a bottle for a “test drink” the other night. It blew me away, just like it always does. The style here is all soaring aromatics, tension, savory complexity, and old-school Tuscan character that leaves most modern Chiantis in the dust.
“Caparsa remains one of Chianti Classico's under-the-radar gems, a small estate known only to a relatively small subset of wine lovers.” – Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media
I can assure you this will once again be one of Galloni’s top-rated Chiantis of the vintage. That was certainly the case with Caparsa’s 2021 Chianti Classico, which he called “a very serious, hugely overachieving Chianti Classico from proprietor Paolo Cianferoni.”
The key to this wine’s success is the combination of person, place, and intention, three traits shared by all truly world-class wines. Paolo Cianferoni is a force of nature. He farms organically, works with old vines planted in the mid-1960s in the high hills of Radda in Chianti, and makes his wines in a deeply traditional manner. The results are nothing short of stunning.
This is a serious bottle of wine. Potent on both the nose and palate, it delivers classic Sangiovese notes of black cherry, plum, exotic spice, leather, mint, and dried flowers. Full-bodied, deeply colored, and intensely expressive, it will drink beautifully over the next 10 to 15 years. Is it delicious now? Absolutely, especially with an hour in a decanter. Will it age? Without question. Caparsa has a long track record of aging gracefully.
I could go on and on, but the proof is in the bottle. As Paolo says, his wines are made for “wine lovers, with great complexity and strong emotions.” I guess I’m a wine lover with strong emotions, because this wine really does it for me : )
If you want to drink a Chianti that would proudly be served at the tables of local Tuscans, this is the ticket.
Josh Spurling
Owner, Operator, Wine Monger
Table Wine Asheville
