Castello di Ama Chianti Classico Vigneto Bellavista 1995

The 1995 Chianti Classico Vigneto Bellavista is breathtaking. Today it remains a baby. Pallanti calls the 1995 'jammy' but I don't really see that. Yes, the fruit is voluptuous, but it is also balanced by healthy acidity and veins of underlying minerality that keep the wine vibrant. The 1995 is the product of a year with almost no summer until late September. The harvest took place on October 20, exceedingly late by present-day standards. Today the 1995 boasts dazzling power, richness and opulence, but without any heaviness or excess weight. This is a dazzling showing. Readers who own the 1995 can look forward to another 10-15 years of fabulous drinking. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2030.

One of Ama's single-vineyard bottlings, this meets the requirements to be called Riserva, yet is never labeled as such. Tautly acidic, yet beautifully balanced by ample cherry-raspberry fruit. The finish is huge - long and wonderfully layered.