
Il Molino di Grace Chianti Classico Riserva 2021
96 POINTS! Way under $25 too, for this longtime Last Bottle favorite! Il Molino di Grace is back, with the newest release of their powerful and poignant Chianti Classico RISERVA!
People. Dear, beloved, cherished people. This one hits right behind the sternum, in that pumping and pulsing mass of muscle and sinew that keeps the blood flowing from this humble scribe’s brain all the way to the tips of my fingers punching these keys. I love, love, LOVE Il Molino di Grace. Every. Damn. Thing about this property and its people. The KILLER wines that y’all have gobbled up for years, the unbeatable pricing we score by direct importing literal BOATLOADS from Italy annually, the consistently stratospheric scores (I mean, you saw the 96 POINTS, right? Plus 94 too?!). Just crazy delish, and soooo easy to love.
Please do anything to get some – the remarkable 2021 vintage, ranked 98 POINTS by Wine Spectator as the HIGHEST ever vintage for Chianti Classico – even beating out legends like 2016, 2015, and 1997 – are creating some SERIOUS buzz, and this brilliant beauty is one of the best we’ve tried thus far! Even the usually reticent head honcho for Vinous had this to say…
“It’s a fabulous time for readers who love Chianti Classico. The wines have never been better…The 2021s in particular are some of the most exciting young wines I have tasted in more than 25 years of visiting the region.” - Antonio Galloni
I mean, right? RIGHT?!?! To nab this, at our gorgeous, drop-dead awesome price...it merits a rousing INCONCEIVABLE in the strongest of terms! Anyway, to the deets: Frank Grace was the rare American making world-class juice in Tuscany. He bought the property after falling in love with the region in the 90s, and the old vines and the fine soils near Panzano inspired him (and now his sons) to make the absolute best wines possible in the classic tradition (this wine is also certified organic – as is the ENTIRETY of the surrounding area of Panzano…a true first in the world of wine!). They even ripped out the Cabernet on the property to focus on the traditional 100% Sangiovese. Simply sensational wine is being made, and with this exceptionally strong vintage, you’d best believe your brain is going to pop like a Chief’s 3-peat balloon! The inky red plums, and currants, with pops of red cherries and heady kirsch, all sexy and velvety with this polished texture and buttery smooth spice accents of fennel, and clove, with roasted herbs, and this impeccable tension held fast with an unbreakable current of stony minerality. Is that cedar I smell? And orange peel and rose petals too?! MAN!!! Epic stuff. 96 POINTS, and yours today (for those that FLY) for just $22?!?!
What are you waiting for?!?!
Free ground shipping on 6 or more bottles.
96 points
“Dusty aromas of red berries, cassis, licorice, and rose petal lead to a deeply delicious, fresh, and tension-backed palate lifted by a core of stony minerality.”
~Tasting Panel
94 points
“A fragrant, elegant, and well-structured red wine, this Chianti Classico Riserva leads with dusty red berry fruit, black cassis, sandalwood, and heady violet and rose aromatics. Medium-bodied on the palate, it offers pure fruit concentration backed by a bright core of stony minerality and cassis, with firm tannins providing structure. Plenty of tension and lift carry through to a refined and expressive finish. Alc. 14.0%.”
~Decanter
Frank’s son, Daniel now runs the show, alongside his brother, Tim. Their family estate is nothing short of spectacular, from rolling, verdant vineyards, punctuated with massive and intriguing art sculptures at every turn, and an old Tuscan stone-house overlooking the wild hills of Panzano.
Technical Details
- Country: Italy
- Region: Central Italy
- Appellation: Chianti
- Varietal: Sangiovese
- Farming: Certified Vino Bioloigo Organic
- Winemaker: Tim Grace
- Alcohol: 14
- Production: 4,000
About The Producer
The winery of Il Molino di Grace – the ‘windmill of grace’ – stands upon 100+ acres of vineyards that have been producing traditional Chianti Classico wines for over 350 years…that’s a mighty long time. But in fact, this is one of the newer entries into the world of Chianti Classico, the Grace family, transplanted from America, having purchased the property in the mid-1990’s. Frank Grace was the CEO of a major company and decided to use this property as his ‘step back’, though, of course, he ended up tackling the estate with the same vim and vigor and passion that got him pretty damn far in the business world. The property's vines (many of them older) are planted on the classic galestro soils of the area, that local combination of marl and limestone - very friable calcareous rocks, soft and permeable to heat and water, which ensures superb drainage and maturation; perfect for Sangiovese.
Pairing Suggestions
Cacio e pepe
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