2017 Villa Cerna Primocolle Chianti Classico 750 ml

Every wine tells a story. Some speak volumes. The 2017 Villa Cerna Primocolle is one of those encyclopedic wines: It recounts a millennium of Tuscan history and a vintage that didn’t have one dull moment—all in a bottle that delivers elegance, complexity, and a boatload of value. 

Wielding a cold and frosty sickle, Mother Nature lopped about 30% off Chianti Classico’s yields right at the start of the 2017 growing season, then delivered a summer almost completely devoid of moisture. Lower yields were now looking like a good thing, since the vines had little water and nutrients to ripen the grapes. Finally, September rains swooped in and refreshed the vines, bringing a balance that lasted through to the end of harvest. 

In the end, vines yielded bunches of tiny, concentrated berries that weighed in at about half of what they normally do—and then expert producers turned them into what Antonio Galloni of Vinous called “powerful, racy wines.” 

Primocolle means “first hill,” and Villa Cerna is perched on the first hill you’ll see driving from Siena to Chianti Classico. The villa itself was originally a monastery that dates back to the 11th century. 

The Cecchi family, a regional winemaking pillar, now owns Villa Cerna, and through meticulous clonal research they’ve matched each of the property’s soil types and microclimates with its ideal Sangiovese clone while revamping and expanding the estate’s facilities. Every step of the process has been thought-out and optimized, delivering wines that have won multiple Tre Bicchieri awards.  

This bottle is a testament to Primocolle’s fantastic terroir and expertise. It’s a gorgeous welcome to Chianti that will make even experienced drinkers fall in love with the region again.