“Castello di Volpaia makes several high-end Chianti Classicos, including a riserva along with two single-vineyard gran selezione, yet it’s the 2021 annata that provides an ideal combination of quality and value. This racy version boasts black cherry, blueberry, violet and iron flavors, with firm tannins and flashes of Mediterranean scrub. Volpaia’s high-elevation vineyards in the UGA Radda, ranging from 1,200 to 2,000 feet, yield wines of elegance and vigor. The annata is 90 percent Sangiovese and 10 percent Merlot, sourced from among 115 acres of vines farmed organically in poor sandstone soils that force the roots deep. The grapes are typically less concentrated and more fruity, making the wine perfect for immediate enjoyment. They are crushed and fermented in steel tanks, then aged in large Slavonian oak casks for 12 months. In 2021, the extraction was gentler, and at cooler temperatures, to avoid excess tannins, with the Merlot bringing aromatic complexity and additional fruit flavors.”