Jakub Kalinowski

9.1

Year in, year out, this is my fav Chianti Classico. To me it captures all what I look for in a good every day Sangiovese - freshness, a bit of tannic edge, juicy flow, a savory sweetness to the fruit. And food friendliness!
Enticing nose with red cherries, a bit of wet undergrowth & turned earth, a bit of tomato leaf, a flowery whiff. Joyful!
Medium bodied on the palate with great energy & flow. The tannins present, a touch rustic, but in a nice way, the acidity juicy & vibrant. Nice depth and long finish.
So drinkable but also has some seriousness to it.
Love Monsanto! — 4 days ago

Chris MacLean

9.1

Always in style — 3 months ago

with Sarah

Joel Lara

9.4

This chianti totally exceeded my expectations. Plum and dark cherry with slight hints of leather on the nose. The flavors really erupt on the palate, with vibrant acidity amplifying the pomegranate, cherry, and orange citrus flavors. There are hints of earthy cinnamon on the palate as well. Nice finish with orange and bitter cocoa notes. So good, and went well with meatball ricotta pizza. After finishing, I read up on the maker and found that they’re a top notch producer, so maybe I shouldn’t have been so surprised about the quality. They also didn’t make any of their sangiovese-based reserve wines in 2023, so all their sangiovese grapes were used in this. Such a tasty bottle and for only $34. — 3 months ago

Kyle B

8.9

Fantastic Chianti, tasting in Italy. — 5 months ago

with Terry

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

Blend of about mostly Sangiovese with splashes of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, aged in large oak casts. Deep Ruby red color with aromas of black and red fruit adding tobacco and herb pepper spice nuances. On the palate flavors of blackberries and sour cherries, savory with licorice notes. Fine chalky tannins, full body, nice balance, long finish ending with herb and fruit mineral character. — 7 months ago

Jay Kline

9.2

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of dinner. The 2021 pours a deep garnet color with an opaque core; medium+ viscosity with light staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of black cherry, espresso, black tea, dried herbs and gentle warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. Drink now with patience but, to my palate, I think this will be better with a few more years in the cellar so the oak can better integrate. This is built to last well past 2041. — 8 months ago

Jeremiah Diaz

9.2

Clear, medium ruby in color; on the nose, it's clean with pronounced primary and secondary aromas of raspberries, balsamic, and wood smoke; on the palate, it's dry, with high acidity, high tannins, medium body, high alcohol, and pronounced primary and secondary flavors of red currant, cherries, and clay pots with a long finish. This wine is balanced and complex. Overall, I rate this wine as very good. Nellie likes it too. — 4 days ago

with Nellie

Joe Shields

9.4

Bloody gorgeous. Would happily bathe in this juice for the rest of eternity — a month ago

with Emily

Joel Lara

9.2

This is a tasty, elegant Chianti where the savory elements and fruit have equal billing. On the nose, aromas of earthy spice, dark cherry, leather, and a slight hint of dried herbs. The palate has plums, dark cherries, and dried fruit with a beautiful underlying layer of leather, earth, clove, and orange zest. The persistent finish leaves a lovely taste of dried fruit and spice on the palate. Some slight hints of grilled meat come through in the finish as well. So tasty. Soft on the palate, although tannins are slightly drying in the finish. Notes are based on pour from bottle on 2nd day, as 1st day my taste buds were a bit off due to recovering from a cold. Medium bodied, medium+ acidity. Thanks to @Tom Casagrande for making me aware of the Rufina subzone. — 3 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

Blend of about mostly Sangiovese with 3% Syrah & 15% Canaiolo Nero, aged in large oak casts. Deep Ruby red color with aromas of black and red fruit adding tobacco and herb pepper spice nuances. On the palate flavors of blackberries and cherries, savory with licorice notes. Fine tannins, full body, nice balance, long finish ending with herb and fruit mineral character. — 5 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

In absolute perfect condition…at its peak or near. Simply delicious. Everything you expect from the variety, region and producer, delivered. — 5 months ago

John Gallo

8.9

Paid €25 for a half bottle at L’Osteria di Giovanni. A nice Chianti Classico Reserva with a good full flavor. Would be nice to find in the United States at a reasonable price. I had a 2019 in January 2026. Just saw that this wine is available in the United States in the 750 ML bottle for $40 at wine Junction in Somerville. What a great price for a half bottle here in Italy at a restaurant.  — 7 months ago

Jarrod Bouchard

10

Amazing, delicious. Really brought the pineapple out in the iberico pork agnolotti — 2 years ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.2

Medium ruby , with a medium wide garnet rim . Cut herbs and some spice on the nose , sage , thyme , porcini and cedar . There is some spiced cherry fruit and rose underneath , this shows some development . On the palate there are spiced red cherries , dried herbs, gaining complexity with time in the glass. Fresh acidity and grippy tannin . Good menthol tinged finish . This is well balanced , though there is still good density the alcohol is balanced. It is showing a bit of development, the aromatics are really inviting and there is good complexity on the palate too. The last glass was the best , showing ample structure and a darker fruit character so I think this will age a bit further the tannins are still a bit noticeable, so from now (with time in the glass or decanter ) and over the next 8-12 years. At Ristorante Buca Lapi, Florence . — a month ago

Angelo Casagrande

9.1

Had this with pasta and a vodka sauce, and garlic bread. Delicious Wednesday night! Pillow - soft in the mouth. Cherry, tar, old mohagany. Tannins integrated enough to drink on its own, but with the food- lovely. — 3 months ago

Stephen Fitzpatrick

9.0

2020 vintage, standard Chianti ruby red coloring, decent floral aromas on the nose, cherry and spice on the palette, complete shift in flavor after letting it breath for 30 minutes, it leaves a lingering but pleasant hint of smoke or burnt oak on the finish. — 3 months ago

Pooneet K

8.9

Always enjoy the wines from Istine but this bottle (or maybe year) isn’t quite giving as much. On day 2 a bit better, but overall the tannins are chalkier than I’d hope and the earth veils the fruit. Still obviously well made but for this vintage at least would check back in a couple years. — 4 months ago

Peter van den Besselaar

9.3

Vintage 2000 | Cellaring rewarded the wine :-) bottled elegance, light footed sangiovese with good structure, dances in the glass — 5 months ago

Pooneet K

9.1

Nice Chianti. A bit feral at first - 45 mins in the decanter and a slight chill bring things into more balance. Obviously could take more time in bottle but expressing pretty well overall even at this point. Has that great Radda lifting acid finish. Nice pairing with chicken scarpariello. — 7 months ago

Kadua Tukvaga

9.0

Pale garnet colour, medium intensity, Sweet red cherry, Raspberry red plum, violets, blueberry, clay, black plum, blackcurrant, choco, toast, black pepper, prune, dust, dry leaves, vegetal.

Dry
High tannins
High acid
High alcohol
Long finish
Medium+ body

Pronounced black juicy fruit taste in my mouth.

Drink now and best to keep longer 

Very good. — 2 years ago