2019 Castello di Radda Chianti Classico DOCG 750 ml

The village of Radda is the future of Chianti Classico.

That’s the message conveyed in high-definition clarity by the beautifully balanced 2019 Castello di Radda. Each sip of this beauty announces the arrival of a brilliant terroir.

The mountain-ringed Radda is the coolest, driest part of the Chianti Classico appellation. In the past, those conditions meant winemakers often had to coax their Sangiovese to ripeness. But as temperatures have risen, this hilly outpost has become a source of incredible value for those in the know.

In 2019—a Chianti Classico vintage Vinous’ Antonio Galloni referred to as “mind-blowing”—Castello di Radda’s vines rode a wave of near-perfect weather to deliver exquisitely concentrated fruit. Renowned consultant Maurizio Castelli played the season like a Stradivarius for the winery, letting the warm, even conditions work in concert with the vineyard’s elevation to foster perfectly mature grapes.

Radda’s chilly mountain air and steep slopes made this village’s name a byword for Chianti Classico that drifts across the palate with Nebbiolo-like litheness, strung with taut tannins. But as the mercury has incrementally climbed, these wines are starting to pack on some muscle while retaining their high-altitude zip and complex aromatics. 

The Beretta family, who’s owned Castello di Radda since 2003, made massive investments into renovating the winery, including the creation of an energy-efficient underground cellar carved out of rock. They also earned organic certification in 2020, a move that helps maintain the pure-fruit character of the grapes and aids Castelli in his goal of creating wines that are as site-transparent as possible.

This is the setup for an estate to take commanding heights in the region.