Tenuta Cantagallo Chianti Montalbano Riserva

Pairs with: Wild boar ragù over pappardelle, slow-roasted pork belly, rosemary-infused grilled lamb, or medium-aged cheeses like Pecorino Toscano

Good for: Introducing wine lovers to a hidden-gem, high-altitude subzone of Chianti, or acting as a complex, savory centerpiece for a Sunday family feast

Grape: 100% Sangiovese

I am from: Chianti Montalbano DOCG, Tuscany, Italy

The Story: Owned and lovingly run by the Pierazzuoli family, Tenuta Cantagallo sits on the rolling, historic hills of Montalbano—a unique, high-altitude subzone of Chianti located west of Florence, right near the birthplace of Leonardo da Vinci. The family operates with an absolute commitment to quality, famously printing their motto "Una bottiglia di vino per ogni ceppo di vite" (One bottle of wine for each vine) on every cork to reflect their strict, low-yield philosophy. The grapes are sustainably grown in sun-drenched, tufaceous clay and galestro limestone soils. For this Riserva, the juice is vinified in low, wide stainless steel tanks before maturing for 12 months in French oak tonneaux casks and another full year smoothing out in the bottle within a cool, converted historic underground rainwater cistern.

Why You'll Love Me: It offers a beautifully refined, structured, and highly aromatic expression of pure Tuscan Sangiovese. It pours an intense, brilliant ruby-red color in the glass. The nose immediately draws you in with a complex bouquet of fresh red berries, wild raspberries, and dark cherry preserves, seamlessly framed by elegant notes of sweet vanilla bean, leather, and wood smoke. On the palate, it delivers a fine, medium-bodied elegance anchored by a vibrant, food-friendly acidity and a lovely mineral backbone. The powdery, fine-grained oak tannins frame the juicy fruit beautifully, leading to a long, persistent finish layered with lingering hints of mocha, dried herbs, and warm earth.