The Riecine 2018 La Gioia is 95% Sangiovese and 5% Merlot made from a selection of the best fruit from high-elevation vineyards ranging from 480 to 600 meters above sea level. Dark fruit, sweet cherry and spice appear over medium-rich concentration. You get more sweet fruit on the finish, and the wine produces attractive freshness. That small component of Merlot goes a long way to shape this wine's fruit-forward personality. Production is 5,000 bottles.

A pure expression of Sangiovese, the 2016 La Gioia is a beauty. Off the bat, the wine shows a specific mineral note that reminds me of black stone or dusty granite. Beyond that, you get a thick and dense layer of black fruit and plum. The wine is never heavy or flat, instead it shows a lot of energy and freshness with a point of spiciness on the close. That energy is typical of Gaiole in Chianti. This is a medium-to-full bodied Sangiovese with all its various moving parts in harmony, ready for a Tuscan bean and tomato stew with fresh bread and healthy wedges of pecorino. Production is 7,000 bottles.

The 2014 vintage of this wine is all gone, so I am reviewing the 2015 La Gioia instead. This is a pure expression of Sangiovese with fruit sourced from the estate's best vineyard sites (that are not already tagged to make Chianti Classico). This is a full and generous expression of the grape that maintains its crisp, mid-weight mouthfeel. Tones of cherry, wild berry, violets and spice make for an elegant and very pure bouquet. Crisp acidity appears on the close.

Here's a pretty expression of Sangiovese with bright intensity and attractive ruby luminosity. The 2013 La Gioia is tart and tight with cherry and cassis followed by blue flower and moist earth. This mid-weight wine offers balanced acidity and crispness on the sweet and fruit-driven finish.

The 2012 La Gioia is not perfectly balanced. This 100% Sangiovese-based wine reveals a thin and compact texture that is highlighted by fresh notes of bramble and raw fruit. The effect is tight and streamlined. This wine should flesh out further with another five years of cellar aging. It has already benefited from three years of integration inside large oak casks.