Caparsa a Doccio Matteo Chianti Classico Riserva 2016

Sangiovese is the main grape at Caparsa, maybe one of the most charming and beautiful areas in the world and one of the highest quality wine-production areas, too. Grapes for ‘Doccio a Matteo’ are manually harvested, with spontaneous fermentation in concrete vats; maturation is in old oak vats for two and a half years. From the stellar, and long-lived 2016 vintage, this is a wine of power, depth, and concentration, with a quixotic sense of exoticness to it. High-toned aromatics add character along with an element of rusticity that nevertheless works quite well here, with macerated cherry, plum, leather, cloves, menthol, and coffee that all develop with time. A dollop of Colorino contributes further shades of nuance and complexity, and there’s  a hint of fig, leather, and iron in the finish. A totally compelling wine done in a decidedly old-school nod.