The 2009 Chianti Classico Riserva is striking. Succulent dark cherries, flowers, mint and licorice burst from the glass in this exuberant, sexy Riserva. The tannins are nearly buried by the opulent fruit, but the wine retains great balance, while avoiding any sense of heaviness. The 2009 captures the heat and richness of the year while never abandoning its classic sense of structure. This is a superb wine from Monsanto with plenty of upside potential. Sweet floral notes add an elegant, feminine touch to the finish. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2021. This is a solid set of new releases from Monsanto. I also retasted the 2007 Il Poggio and Nemo, but found the wines essentially the same as I did last year, which is to say well below the benchmark that has been set at this historic estate.Importer: MW Imports, Brooklyn, NY; tel. (718) 596-3339

A powerful and opulent style, this red displays ripe cherry, black currant, violet and tobacco aromas and flavors. The tannins are gripping on the finish, which lingers with sweet fruit and mineral accents. Well-proportioned. Best from 2014 through 2021. 22,000 cases made, 14,000 cases imported.??–BS??Region: Italy / Chianti Classico Select to Add