Felsina’s Vin Santo del Chianti Classico is a wine that rarely receives the recognition it deserves yet it is consistently outstanding. The 1999 is a gorgeous, pure wine, with nuanced aromatics that lead to seductive creme brulee, candied orange peel and toffee flavors. This is a superbly balanced, highly pleasurable wine that at its essence offers tons of drinking pleasure. Better still, its pricing remains extremely attractive in today’s market. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2016.There is not too much more I can say about the wines of Felsina and proprietor Giuseppe Mazzocolin, except that they are reference point wines for anyone who wants to discover the essence of contemporary Sangiovese from Chianti Classico. This is a compelling set of new releases from Mazzocolin and long-time consulting oenologist Franco Bernabei, one of the giants of modern Tuscan oenology. Even better, the wines remain very fairly priced. I was amused when another producer complained to me recently about Felsina’s prices. They were far too low, he insisted. I also tasted the wines of Felsina’s second property Castello di Farnatella. The wines are competently made, but lack the distinctiveness of the Felsina wines.Importer: Doug Polaner, Polaner Selections, Mt. Kisco, NY; tel. (914) 244-0404