Chianti but only from grapes in Chianti Classico region, between Florence and Siena. Chanti is Sangiovese; Gran Selezione has to be 90 per cent Sangiovese. In 2014 the Consorzio of Chianti Classico invented Gran Selezione. In simple terms Chianti Classico matured for 30 months. Chianti Classico has to be matured for 12 months; Riserva for 24 months and Gran Selezione 30 months. Riserva is a tough sell mainly because its price is twice that of Classico and nobody really understands what it is. So Gran Selezione was invented to provide Chianti producers a way of reducing their unsold stocks of Chianti Classico Riserva by redefining it. But would additional ageing necessarily improve the quality of the wine to justify the increased price of normally 30 per cent over the Riserva? Frankly, in my opinion, the whole thing was misconceived and has proven to be a failure. Maybe the Consorzio thought that they had to compete with Super Tuscan and so have a Gran.
SECONDLY, WHY HAVE I MADE A GRAN SELEZIONE?
I would like to say “to prove my point” but the honest answer is that we had some Riserva juice left – just 400 litres maturing in a Clayver ceramic egg, so I said to my good friends Mauro and Fabio let us make a Gran Selezione – just 500 bottles. So we aged it for a total of 36 months and then added a little (5 per cent) of Sangiovese matured in a Mittelberger Italian oak tonneau, and bottled on 8th November 2021. So there you are, I have made a GRAND wine! Maybe I should have called it a Super Tuscan!
RBW Gran Selezione Chianti Classico 2017
Score: 91/100
THERE ARE NO INCREASES IN PRICES!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: Q: why do you put your signature on each bottle? A: Because each bottle contains wine personally blended and made by me.
