The 2006 Chianti Classico Riserva Ducale Oro offers up plump, jammy dark fruit, chocolate and spices, with good roundness but very little Sangiovese or regional character. It’s hard to say what is happening at Ruffino, but this is a wine that has gone astray in many directions. Ultimately this is a competently made but utterly forgettable wine from one of Tuscany’s most historic properties. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2016. Admittedly, I was very disappointed with the wines I tasted from Ruffino this year. The estate’s search for ripeness and opulence has yielded wines that as a group increasingly lack any real character. Importer: Icon Estates, St. Helena, CA; tel. (707) 963-7111

Blueberry and mineral aromas, with hints of new wood. Full-bodied, with silky tannins and a rich core of raspberry fruit and lemony acidity. Best after 2009. 95,000 cases made, 60,000 cases imported.??–JS??Region: Italy / Chianti Classico Select to Add