2015 Mazzei Ser Lapo Chianti Classico Riserva 750 ml

Every time we’re lucky enough to find ourselves in Italy, we notice that the season seems to mean only one thing for red wine lovers—time to break out the Chianti. Italy’s flagship red is the perfect match for all those tomato sauces, a fact we discovered one sweltering summer evening in Siena, at one of those gloriously unmarked neighborhood trattorias you stumble upon only in the Tuscan hills. 

We looked around, noticing the red Mazzei label gracing several tables, so we copied the locals, ordered the 2015 Mazzei Ser Lapo Chianti Classico Riserva, and were immediately reminded how gorgeously complex and versatile good Chianti can be. Sorry Siena locals—we knew that night we’d be incapable of keeping your secret to ourselves. Especially at 95 points and under $30, this is bound to become your go-to red pairing with pretty much everything, no matter the season.

Impressively layered, this wine seriously over-delivers for the money. The aroma profile immediately draws you in with lively red fruit that opens up into savory herbs, baking spice, tobacco, and smoked meat. The blend of Sangiovese and Merlot unfurls beautifully on the palate, where dark fruit, leather, and hints of earth lead into a long, succulent finish. 

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate thought it showed “both the power and the elegance of this classic vintage.” James Suckling clearly agrees, praising its “full body, polished tannins and beautifully linear acidity.”

The Mazzei family is one of the most historic wine families in Italy. For over 600 years, the last 26 generations of Mazzei family winemakers have been producing benchmark Italian wines from their historic Castello di Fonterutoli estate in Tuscany (making it one of the oldest running Italian companies of any kind).  

The Mazzei family created this Chianti Classico Riserva in order to celebrate their famous ancestor Ser Lapo, author of the first official document mentioning “Chianti wine” on December 16th, 1398. (The wine’s label features a faithful reproduction of the document drawn up by Ser Lapo in his handwriting). But that wasn’t the family’s only historic contribution.

A few generations later, Filippo Mazzei introduced American vine growing in Monticello, Virginia to his friend, Thomas Jefferson, before sticking around to essentially inspire Jefferson’s “all men are created equal” credo. The Mazzei family of today remains just as iconic, making some of the most internationally prized Chianti Classico in Tuscany, with an appeal that far exceeds the category. Despite the centuries of tradition, or—more likely—because of them, 2015 Mazzei Ser Lapo Chianti Classico Riserva is a thoroughly modern wine, perfect for every season.