The 2007 Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia is another dazzling wine. This is a vintage of overt, sumptuous fruit and pure sexiness. Despite its richness, the 2007 never loses its sense of structure, but in this vintage the tannins are nearly buried by the huge fruit. Today the 2007 comes across as a hypothetical blend of the 2004 and 2006, with the finesse of the former and the size of the latter. Not a bad combination, to put it mildly. In the glass the wine is alive, vibrant and totally captivating. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2037.

I will never forget this once in a lifetime tasting of Felsina’s flagship Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia. What started out as a casual survey of a few older vintages turned into a complete vertical as proprietor Giuseppe Mazzocolin and long-time oenologist Franco Bernabei surprised me with bottle after bottle of fabulous Rancias going back to the inaugural 1983. A few days after this tasting I received a complete lab analysis of all the wines, one of the most valuable pieces of data I have ever seen, and a presentation worthy of serious wine scholarship. The single biggest takeaway from this tasting is the amazing consistency of the wines across all vintages. Considering its modest price, Rancia remains one the most fairly priced, cellar worthy wines in the world. As great as Rancia can be, the straight Riserva makes a fine substitute at about half the price. I learned that lesson again recently at Maialino in New York City, where Wine Director Liz Nicholson served me a fabulous bottle of the 1995.I have to say there is something about the wines of the 1980s and mid-1990s that goes straight to the heart. Giuseppe Mazzocolin describes his early wines from the 1980s as huge challenges to make because he constantly had to convince his vineyard workers to drop fruit, something that was a culture shock and that seemed like an enormous waste of money given the mindset of the time. If present-day vintages develop only half as well readers will be in for a treat as those wines mature. Readers will notice that the early wines from the 1980s were called Vigneto Rancia, rather than simply Rancia, which became the norm beginning in 1990. The wine has been made from the same parcel since the first year.

Felsina Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia Key Points:

1. 100% Sangiovese aged in French oak barrels

2. Made from the Rancia vineyard, a high-altitude site in the south of the Chianti Classico appellation

3. Combines power and elegance

4. Aging potential: 20-30 years

Drink: 2017 - 2037
-Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate #201 Jun 2012

(94 pts)
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 31/08/2009

The 2007 Chianti Classico is a sweet, super-ripe wine with an enticing core of fruit. The heat of the vintage has filled out the wine nicely. Although the acidity is still relatively high, this doesn’t look to be an especially long-lived wine. That should hardly matter, though, as readers will have a hard time keeping their hands off this gem. In 2007 the Chianti Classico is a selection of fruit from eleven different vineyards harvested between the end of September and early October. The wine was mostly aged in cask, with about 10% seeing smaller neutral French oak barrels. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2015.

If you were to cut proprietor Giuseppe Mazzocolin’s veins the man would bleed Sangiovese, such is his passion for Tuscany’s most important native grape. Mazzocolin has a terrific set of new releases on his hands. The 2006s are glorious and benefit from a warm growing season that also saw good alternation of day and evening temperatures before the grapes got a final kick of heat that informs the wines. In 2007, I have only tasted the Chianti Classico so far, but if that wine is indicative, Felsina could have another superb vintage in store for fans of this venerable property. So far 2007 looks to be a vintage of ripe wines made in a more generous, if early maturing style, than the firmer 2006s. Not only are Felsina’s wines magnificent, they also remain exceedingly fairly priced in relative terms. Mazzocolin deserves much credit and support from readers for his consumer-friendly approach, especially in these challenging times.