Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG

Neil and Maria Empson created this label to pay tribute to all things Tuscan, honoring the extraordinary region even in its name, which means Tuscan boy in the local dialect. Franco Bernabei styles the wine, along with Neil, using grapes from the finest vineyards in the region. The soil and microclimates are intriguingly diverse – from compact, very fine-textured limestone at approx. 400-450 meters (1,310 to 1,480 feet) above sea level, to rocky, calcareous clay areas with similar altitudes; and even clayey/siliceous/ calcareous soil at 250-300 meters (820-984 feet) above sea level. Neil is thus able to handpick the best selections according to harvest conditions in the individual vineyards, maintaining consistent quality with each vintage.

The Riserva is exclusively issued in the best years, made from Sangiovese, with touches of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot for added body, complexity and a velvety texture. The grapes are grown in the hilly vineyards of the region from ten to forty-year-old vines, which lend complexity and aroma. After a few weeks of maceration, the wine ages in oak for about twenty-four months and then six months in bottle. The result is a red-letter version of a traditional wine with lush aromas of cherry, plum, violet, iris, black pepper, coffee, vanilla and nutmeg confirmed on a full, luscious palate, with a lingering, clean finish.