Bm. Tm. Am+. Fm. — 4 years ago
In the village of Radda, Italy today, one of the many Chianti towns. This one is small so not a lot of restaurant options. €18 on the restaurant wine list. — 6 years ago
At Le Volpi e l’uva in Florence — 8 years ago
Beautiful blend. A fresher side to Sangiovese. — 8 years ago
2017 Castello di Ama L’Apparita was the wine that I pulled for the evening. Italian Merlot. Ama is an old, fortified village situated near Radda and Gaiole in the heart of the Chianti Classico region. On the nose, intense dark berries. A full bodied wine with layers of beautiful ripe fruit. Perfect balance. Stellar finish. Stunning. — 2 years ago
Further west in Radda, a touch of the brightness of the Casanova but ultimately not as unique for me. Still very good. — 3 years ago
Me and my wife just polished off our last bottle from a case of these. One of the best value Chianti’s on the market. Picked up for $8.99/each at Costco a few months ago. This is an austere offering from high elevation vineyards in Radda in Chianti. Beautiful floral nose with bright cherry, plum skin and Tuscan soil. Elegant and refined for the price point. Shines with at least 30 min decant and pairs great with pizza or pasta with red sauce. — 5 years ago
Hailing from Radda in Chianti this beautiful 100% Sangiovese is grown at pretty high altitude (about 1470 ft) and is facing the most famous Pergole Torte vineyard. The wine shows a ruby red core with clear rim. The nose is seducing with ripe raspberry, cherry, violet and crushed flowers. As it opens it shows more of mineral spine and spices and a touch of smoke. In the mouth it is medium plus body with good acidity and medium tannins. I really liked it and am curious to see how it will evolve. — 5 years ago
Radda in Chianti 2013 — 5 years ago
Old school Chianti from Radda, this is like hopping into a Tuscan time machine. — 7 years ago
Jay Kline

This used to be Montevertine’s “second” wine (after Pergole Torte, obviously) but the vineyard was torn out and replanted in 1998. After that, their eponymous bottling was elevated to take its place while “Pian del Ciampolo” eventually became the “third” wine. Truthfully, they are all three different expressions of Radda so don't take my numerical rankings as a hierarchy of quality (though one could certainly make arguments in terms of importance). I digress, “Il Sodaccio” is producing fruit once again however, the singular expression is now history. This bottle represents “Il Sodaccio’s” swan song.
From magnum. Opened about four hours prior to service. The 1997 “Il Sodaccio” pours a garnet color moving to a slightly orange rim. Medium viscosity with light staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous but surprisingly spry given it’s a quarter century old. The fruit is more or less a mix of ripe and dried cherries, red plums, curaçao, cacao, porcini, dusty earth and some warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannins that have well integrated but still there. Acid is medium as well. Confirming the notes from the nose. The fruit is round while the finish is long and a touch savory. A lovely expression of Montevertine that extolls the virtues of the 1997 vintage with its abundant fruit and soft, friendly character. I mentioned to our guests that this bottle gave me the feeling of a warm hug from an old friend. Drinking well now and while I don’t expect further positive development, this magnum certainly has the legs for another 10 years. — 2 years ago