Orders are available for pick-up at Restaurant Nicholas at 160 Route 35 South Red Bank, NJ 07701 during the following times:
Monday: 9:30-3:30; Tuesday – Friday: 9:15am – 9:00pm; Saturday: 11:00am – 9:00pm; Sunday: Closed
$28.00 $25.50
Floriana Ginori Conti inherited the winery from her father in the 1970s, and began in 1980 together with her husband Fabrizio Lanza, to produce a Chianti Classico with the “Poggerino” label. The estate has always been ‘organic’. It’s no badge of honor, it’s just how they’ve always done it.
Since 1999, when she handed the reins to her two children, Piero and Benedetta Lanza, the rise has been meteoric. Piero believes that great wines are grown not made and his dedication to his 12 hectares of vineyards borders on the fanatical.
Admittedly, I did lose focus when he went into painstaking detail on green vs brown organic manure-based fertilizer and his unique tests on the proper cycling through of both, for example.
But no one can argue with the results. Within 10 short years, their base Chianti had found a spot at #18 on Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of the Year.
This year, Wine Spectator hasn’t gotten to it yet, but one of the preeminent Italian wine experts, Antonio Galloni sure did. He came in at 92+ points, the highest score for any under $30 Chianti Classico (of which there are many) and emphatically ended his review: “The precision and pedigree here are just unreal.” I’m clearly not the only fan.
Out of stock
92+ Points, Vinous
“The 2020 Chianti Classico is soft, fruity and open-knit which make it a fine choice for drinking now and over the next handful of years. Bright red-fleshed fruit, leather, pipe tobacco and cedar all take shape in this supple engaging Chianti classico from Poggerino. The precision and pedigree here are just unreal.”
Soon to be Rated
With Herve and Fabre Montmayou wracking up NYT features, huge scores, gold medals and lifetime achievement awards, I’m left with one choice: get in now or be left in the cold. Waiting for the scores to roll in is a luxury that we know longer have with Fabre Montmayou. Good for the winery, but not so good for us. Rest assured though, the 2020 Cabernet Franc Herve sent me is fantastic, and will surely be minted with the same kind of high-flying praise as the vintage before it. But by that time, you’ll only have a bottle or two left in the cellar.
97 Points, Jeb Dunnuck
The flagship from Xavier is the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvee Anonyme, and in 2019 it’s 60% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre, 10% Syrah, and the balance a mix of permitted varieties. Partially destemmed and brought up in a mix of demi-muids and tank, it offers a beautifully pure, vibrant bouquet of black raspberries, white and black pepper, candied orange, and violets. Complex, layered, and nuanced, this beauty is medium to full-bodied, has a seamless texture, and a great finish. It has both elegance and richness, and will keep for 15+ years.
95 Points, Decanter
On the nose, herbs and lavender dominate, as notes of meat stew swish in the background. As it continues to open up, various black fruits continue to emerge. The palate is marked by bright acids (perfect for fatty cuisine), black cherry and touch of leather. This is a perfect candidate for the cellar and will be a stellar pull over the next decade.
94 Points, Wine Spectator
The 2019 is a must have for any fans of cellar-worthy Italian red wines. It’s a structured Chianti Riserva, with a ton of character. The nose is intense with notes of leather surrounding a core of bright red fruits. The flavors are intense and the finish is long with lingering Bing Cherry notes that absolutely sing. Obviously, since we’ve got the first crack at it, not all the ratings are in and it probably wouldn’t matter anyway as these will not stick around for long.
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